'I am backing': Chris Sutton has now predicted who will win – Newcastle or Chelsea
Yesterday at 03:35 AM
Newcastle face Chelsea this weekend in a game that could almost be described as a must-win for both sides.
Newcastle have had a slow start to the season, and they need a big result to get back on track if they want to be in the European conversation.
Meanwhile, Chelsea suffered a narrow defeat against Liverpool last time out, and they will be looking to win here in order to rebuff their chances of getting into the top four.
Newcastle have always been something of a bogey team for Chelsea, all the way back to the days of Papiss Cisse and Moussa Sissoko, but with the Blues in better form, this one is hard to predict.
Writing in his column for the BBC, Chris Sutton has shared his prediction on how this one will go.
Chris Sutton tips Chelsea to beat Newcastle
Sutton believes that Chelsea will get a narrow win against Chelsea, tipping the west London club to win 2-1 here.
Chelsea are at home, so that does give the Blues something of an advantage, but Newcastle remain a threat in games like this.
"Newcastle have scored only eight goals in their first eight league games, but I don’t think they have changed their style since last season," Sutton wrote.
"It’s more that they don’t have the strength in depth in the strikers’ department. They badly missed Alexander Isak when he was injured, because their other main frontman, Callum Wilson, has not been fit enough to feature this season.
"I am backing Newcastle to get a goal this time after two games without scoring, but everything points towards a Chelsea win at Stamford Bridge. With Cole Palmer in the team, they carry far more of a threat than the Magpies."
Newcastle's recent form is poor
Newcastle really need to get a win soon, because a lot of their momentum is slipping away from them at the moment.
Newcastle have failed to win in any of their last four games in the Premier League, and they have looked largely unconvincing in that time.
Paul Merson has also tipped Chelsea to beat Newcastle, and it's not hard to understand why.
Eddie Howe's side, quite simply, have been too inconsistent this season, while Chelsea seem to have turned a corner.
Cole Palmer continues to star for Chelsea, and if the England star turns up this weekend, he could have another definitive performance for the Blues.
Newcastle certainly head into this game as underdogs, but we've seen Eddie Howe's side upset the formbook before.
