Newcastle United vs. Chelsea lineups, predicted starting 11, team news, injuries: Howe faces big midfield call for key clash

Newcastle United and Chelsea lock horns this weekend in a game that could have a huge impact on the race to finish in the Premier League top five.

Only goal difference separates these two heading into this matchday, with Newcastle in fourth place in the table and Chelsea in fifth. A win for either side could be hugely important in the battle to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Chelsea reached the final of the UEFA Conference League this week and know they can end the season with silverware. Newcastle have already achieved that feat, having won the Carabao Cup back in March. Yet in terms of longer-term planning and ambitions, reaching the Champions League is arguably more important.

With just three games left of the league season, this could be a decisive game. So, how will Eddie Howe and Enzo Maresca set up their teams?

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Newcastle United vs. Chelsea lineups, predicted starting 11, team news

Newcastle have suffered a handful of injuries at just the wrong time, and a few key first-team players could miss this game.

Eddie Howe is concerned that Joelinton may miss the remainder of the season after receiving treatment for a knee injury in Barcelona. Joe Willock started the draw at Brighton last time out, but Howe hinted that Sean Longstaff could also be in contention to make the lineup this weekend.

Fabian Schar is a doubt with a thigh issue, and Kieran Trippier will also face a late fitness test. Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Targett, and former Chelsea left-back Lewis Hall are all likely to miss the final three matches of the campaign.

Newcastle United predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Pope (GK) — Krafth, Botman, Burn, Livramento — Guimaraes, Tonali, Willock — Murphy, Isak, Gordon

Injured: Hall (ankle/foot), Targett (hamstring), Lascelles (knee), Joelinton (knee), Schar (thigh, doubt), Trippier (thigh, doubt)
Suspended: None

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Maresca made a raft of changes for the second leg against Djurgarden on Thursday, and he will revert to his strongest starting lineup on Sunday.

Robert Sanchez should return in goal, while Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah will return at centre-back. Moises Caicedo started at right-back in last week's win over champions Liverpool, and Maresca will have to decide whether to keep him in that role or move him to midfield in place of either Romeo Lavia or Enzo Fernandez.

Further forward, the first-choice quartet of Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson should all come back in.

Chelsea predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Sanchez (GK) — Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella — Lavia, Fernandez — Neto, Palmer, Madueke — Jackson

Injured: Fofana (thigh), Kellyman (thigh), Nkunku (undisc.), Anselmino (thigh), Guiu (thigh, doubt)
Suspended: Mudryk (failed doping test)

Newcastle United vs. Chelsea live stream, TV channel

Here's how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world's major regions: