Newcastle and Chelsea return to Premier League action after both reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals earlier this week. Newcastle beat Fulham 2–1 in the Carabao Cup, marking their third semi-final appearance in four seasons, following a disappointing 1-0 loss to Sunderland in the Wear-Tyne derby. Eddie Howe’s side are four points outside the top six and will look to use their strong home record at St James’ Park to close the gap, having won eight of their last nine league games at home.
Chelsea comfortably beat third-tier Cardiff in the Carabao Cup, giving some key players a rest. Enzo Maresca’s side has bounced back from a four-game winless run with two straight wins, including a 2-0 league victory over Everton, and they remain fourth in the Premier League. Newcastle won the last home meeting 2-0 in May. Key players include Bruno Guimarães for Newcastle and Cole Palmer for Chelsea. Injuries see Tino Livramento unavailable for Newcastle and Estêvão out for Chelsea.
