It is certainly a case of good news, bad news with Chelsea FC, on the injury front. Conor Gallagher is a doubt for the Monday night clash with Newcastle, due to an unspecified illness.
Levi Colwill and Ben Chilwell, both of which have fresh injury concerns, are out.
Chelsea FC vs Newcastle United FYIs
Kick: Mon. Mar. 11, 8pm, Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Starting XI Predictions: Newcastle Chelsea
Team News: Newcastle Chelsea
Detailed Injury List: Newcastle Chelsea
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Premier League Position: Newcastle 8th, 40 points Chelsea 11th, 36 points
Premier League Form: Newcastle WLDWD Chelsea DDWLL
Google Result Probability: Newcastle 27% Draw 23% Chelsea 50%
Blues Team News
With the bad news out of the way, now it’s time for the good news. Fullback Marc Cucurella and central defender Thiago Silva are both back fit and available for selection here.
Elsewhere Carney Chukwuemeka is back in training, and Benoit Badiashile isn’t far behind, as he has now been cleared to join partial team training.
However, Lesley Ugochukwu, Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia and Reece James all remain out for the long haul. Overall, this is a pretty even-Steven kind of series. Chelsea have 79 wins in the all-time series to Newcastle’s 56.
The two teams have split the spoils 40 times.
Chelsea have already beaten Newcastle at home this season once, in cup competition, so we’ll see if the Geordies can return the favor here in league play.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.