(Football news) The Blues are four positions and four points behind the Magpies in 10th place, with 20 points from 12 games, placing them sixth in the standings. Eddie Howe’s former team, Bournemouth, ended Newcastle’s seven-game league unbeaten streak two weeks ago, so the team was not able to go into the international break on a high note.

A weakened Magpies team was defeated by the same score away against the Cherries, thanks to a brace from Dominic Solanke in the second half, just four days after losing 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Although injuries have somewhat disrupted Newcastle’s season, Howe’s club had a good opportunity to regroup during the international break and give some of their first-team players time to regain health before a demanding stretch of games in the next weeks.

Newcastle’s match against Chelsea on Saturday will be followed by matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, and AC Milan, four of which will take place at home. Newcastle is currently six points outside of the top four in the Premier League and bottom of their Champions League group.

Newcastle will be happy to return to St James’ Park, where they have triumphed in their last four Premier League home games without surrendering a goal, defeating Brentford, Crystal Palace, and Arsenal in the process. The Magpies haven’t won five straight top-flight home games without giving up a goal since February 1907.

Chelsea, as opposed to Newcastle, was in a positive attitude going into the international break after winning four crucial points in back-to-back games against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, the current leaders of the Premier League.

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