Can Newcastle United finish their 2022-23 season with a win?
By Cade Cracas
The deep-rooted wars that Newcastle United and Chelsea have had against one another produce epic results for either side’s fandoms to enjoy.
Now, those two teams will go up against one another on Sunday, May 28, in the Premier League season finale at the legendary Stamford Bridge stadium.
Heading into the final game of the season Newcastle United is riding high off of a draw against Leicester City on Monday. For those who are unaware and may be questioning why a draw constitutes the team “riding high”, with the win the Magpies clinched Champions League play next season.
Clinching an appearance in the Champions League is something Newcastle has not done in 21 years when they finished in third place in the Premier League table.
However, they are currently in fourth place, just two points behind Manchester United in third.
With one game left, they have an opportunity to finish in that third-place spot, but the team that calls Stamford Bridge home stands in their pathway.
In the last 27 outings on the road against Chelsea, Newcastle has only been able to win just one. 20 of those contests ended with a win in Chelsea’s favor, while the other six ended in a tie.
Although that may be the case, Newcastle has the edge with their play this season and they also were able to take down Chelsea once this year.
Back in November, the Magpies took down the Blues in the 67th minute after midfielder Joe Willock was able to secure the lone goal in the contest. Both sides battled back and forth as Newcastle held most of the team’s possession in Chelsea’s final third, outshooting them 10-5.
Another thing that separated Newcastle in the win was the aggression shown.
They finished the contest with 14 fouls, five yellow cards, and five corner kicks showcasing that on both sides of possession, they were going at the throats of each Chelsea player.
But, can Newcastle United mimic what they accomplished earlier this season?
Yes, yes they can.
Newcastle has had all the momentum in the world since the end of March as they routed winning streaks, high-scoring games and breathtaking displays.
With the team practically fully healthy now that midfielder Sean Longstaff has returned to the lineup, there is no excuse for the Magpies to not be on their A-game.
While they were unable to find a goal against Leicester City, they were fighting to battle off relegation, and Chelsea may not be able to find a drive quite like that.
Heading into Sunday the Blues are 12th in the league table and are just looking for the season to finish so the team can reset and regroup for the offseason.
As Chelsea begins to turn it’s back on the season, Newcastle could come straight into Sunday’s contest with full force and catch the opposition off guard.
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These two legendary sides will go toe-to-toe on Sunday, May 28th at 4:30 p.m. GMT