(Update: Pulisic officially ruled out)
Chelsea didn’t actually hit the ground running this season, as they were still waiting on having all their summer signings fully fit and integrated into the team.
Once they did get everybody in, and working together however, the Blues certainly did start living up to their summer transfer window hype.
Newcastle United vs Chelsea FC FYIs
Kickoff: 7:30 am ET, 12:30 pm BST, Saturday Nov 21
Team news for both sides: go to this link
Odds: Chelsea win -209, Newcastle win +525, Draw +340
Online: Streaming service Peacock, NBCSports.com
“What we’re doing well is defensively we’re keeping clean sheets and up front we’re scoring a lot of goals, which is a good thing,” said Chelsea wing Callum Hudson-Odoi ahead of Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Newcastle United.
“We’re not just dependent on our attackers; we’re dependent on everyone in the team and we’re getting goals from everywhere on the pitch.”
“We want to keep building, keep getting goals, keep getting assists and keep working hard as a team and hopefully, you never know, we could win the title as well.”
With Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz expected to miss out, Hudson-Odoi could be counted on to play a role, of some sort, in the Blues attack this weekend. The primary weapon will of course be the German centre forward Timo Werner.
He’s been on fire lately, and he kept that fine form up over international break, putting in a big display and making himself the Die Mannschaft bright spot, in what was an overall dark UEFA Nations League showing for them.
The big money summer signing should lead the line at Newcastle, supported by another big time transfer window addition, Hakim Ziyech.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction 4-3-3 at Newcastle United
Edouard Mendy: Ben Chilwell, Kurt Zouma, Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta; Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante; Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner
Prediction: Chelsea FC 3, Newcastle United 2
In this war of attrition, of sorts, the Blues still have much more weapons remaining.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.