Frank Lampard will be hoping Chelsea quartet Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic come through fitness tests to feature in the matchday squad against Newcastle United this weekend. The Blues quartet are doubts heading into the clash with the Magpies with Lampard facing one final selection headache before leaving Stamford Bridge for the third time.
Chelsea have had a dismal season and could finish as low as 14th in the table, despite spending a remarkable amount of money in the transfer market. The Blues can't finish in the top-half despite splashing £323million in January, adding to the £272million from the summer.
Relatively new arrivals Benoit Badiashile and Marc Cucurella will both miss this weekend's game, while Armando Broja, Reece James, N'Golo Kante and Marcus Bettinelli will also be ruled out. Any other club in the Premier League would be seriously impacted by ten first-team injuries, but Chelsea still have options aplenty.
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Mount and Chilwell are pushing to be fit for the clash with Eddie Howe's side, who have injury problems of their own. The Blues were well beaten by Manchester United in midweek - a 4-1 defeat that lifted the Red Devils above the Toon and into third with a two point gap to the Magpies in fourth.
Sterling sat out of Chelsea's defeat to Manchester United, but Lampard is hoping he'll be back fit for Sunday. "He had a small feeling in his hamstring at Manchester City, but carried on, so it's not a major issue, but he hasn't trained since that game, so he's out, and we're hoping he's involved at the weekend," said the Chelsea boss.
Predicted Chelsea starting XI :Kepa; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Silva, Hall; Fernandez, Loftus-Cheek; Madueke, Felix, Chukwuemeka; Fofana.
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