Had you told any good soccer fan at the outset of the year that Newcastle was going to be sitting without a win in its first six matches of the season and would be in the relegation zone, it probably wouldn't be all that surprising.
But had you told that same fan that heading into its match at St. James' Park that Chelsea would be on just seven points and would have the second most goals conceded in the EPL, he probably would have told you to pass the hash pipe.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The oddsmakers have definitely cooled on Chelsea, but at least the Blues are favored in this game by a comfortable margin. They've opened at -150 on the road on the moneyline and at -1 on the Asian Handicap, but they aren't nearly as convincing favorites as you might have suspected at the outset of the season when you saw this fixture this early in the campaign.
The total almost feels a shade low with as poorly as Chelsea has defended at just 2.5 and -125 vig on the over.
KEY INJURIES
Newcastle has all sorts of problems right now with injuries. Ismael Tiote and Steven Taylor aren't the greatest injury concerns of all, but both could have played key roles off of the bench in this match if they were fit. Steve McClaren must do without both men as well as Emmanuel Riviere, Karl Darlow and Paul Dummett.
Willian sat out Chelsea's match with Arsenal last weekend with what is being described as a minor muscle injury, and he will be up in the air for this one. He's the Blues' only real short-term concern, though obviously, not having Thibaut Courtois is a big deal in net, too.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It was very tough and very important, especially because we needed a big win and a big performance. We played as a team and showed how important a game it was for us. That's what we wanted to do, and we are all happy." – Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on the benching of John Terry and the win over Arsenal
RECENT FORM
The Blues were awful in the lead up to last week's crucial tilts with Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Arsenal, but all of a sudden, they showed their form and outscored those two foes by an aggregate of 6-0. The schedule all of a sudden opens up from here for Chelsea, and it would be a shock to see this side dropping any points all the way from now through October 24 in what is setting up to be a cracking road match at West Ham.
Newcastle remains in big time trouble. The team has dropped maximum points in three straight matches after a stunning scoreless draw at Old Trafford, and it has yet to find its first win of the 2015-16 term.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Jose Mourinho is known as a tactical genius, but he won't be well-liked at Stamford Bridge if his team continues to lose, especially after benching captain John Terry. For the time being, Branislav Ivanovic is wearing the captain's armband, a gutsy call for sure for the Portuguese skipper.
Still, the win against Arsenal was a good one at home for Chelsea, even if it was marred with horrible officiating decisions all game long. Maybe that and the win in the UCL will finally get the Blues headed in the right direction. We're willing to take a stab on them on the road at St. James' Park on Saturday, knowing that Newcastle has the closest thing to a League 1 team you're ever going to see in the Premier League at this point.
Chelsea 2, Newcastle 0
The Barclays Premier League lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker Sportsbook with Chelsea lined as a -150 moneyline favorite and a total of 2.5. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Chelsea and Newcastle is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. ET at St. James' Park. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
