Newcastle United can upset Chelsea on Saturday

Newcastle United will face Chelsea on the road this weekend, but the struggling Magpies can cause an upset at Stamford Bridge.

Based on the general attitude I have seen on social media in recent weeks, I know the majority of you will disagree with my opinion that Newcastle United can defeat Chelsea this weekend,  but hear me out. Newcastle are going to Stamford Bridge as major underdogs, but that label should not rule out Rafa Benitez’s side.

It is true, and unfortunate, that Newcastle only have one victory from their last eight Premier League matches, but the Magpies have been competitive in some matches and as a result they have drawn against good teams like Everton and Watford, both away from home.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have enjoyed good form all season and they are just four  points behind third-placed Tottenham. The Blues have won four of their last six matches since December 8th, but this positive form should not intimidate Newcastle for the following reason.

Chelsea: Unconvincing Performances

Chelsea may be sitting high up in the table with an impressive performance record of 13-5-3, but their most recent performances were far from convincing, especially at home. In their last two home games, Chelsea struggled offensively as they failed to score a single goal and this led to a 1-0 loss against Leicester City and a 0-0 draw against relegation-threatened Southampton.

Chelsea dominated both matches as they averaged 72.5% of the possession and created 34 scoring chances, but defensive solidity  in the back is what enabled Leicester City and Southampton to steal four total points from Maurizio Sarri’s men.

Newcastle are no strangers to being outplayed and chasing the ball for most of the match, especially when they are on the road against elite teams. In those type of matches, the Magpies are hard to watch, but their tight defending and unwavering work ethic frustrates the opposition.

The last time these two teams met, Newcastle came close to salvaging an impressive point at St. James’ Park in large part because of their compact defending. Playing at home against Chelsea and playing them on their turf is a completely different story, though.

Newcastle should expect to face an angry, attack-minded Chelsea side that will look to rebound after two consecutive poor performances at home. Sarri will certainly motivate his team by reminding his players of the great disparity in quality between Chelsea and Newcastle. At the same time, however, Benitez will remind his men that they have held their own against Chelsea in the past. Moreover, Benitez will surely make it clear that his team is in dire need of a major upset during this relegation battle.