Newcastle have not won at Chelsea for 20 years but, despite many injuries, they have lost only once in 12 games. However they will be without a recognised right-back.
Injuries to Stephen Carr and Nolberto Solano, his stand-in, dictate that James Milner, a winger, will probably occupy that position. Chelsea old boys Scott Parker and Damien Duff are out along with Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Kieron Dyer and Emre. But Nicky Butt is fit after being sent home sneezing on Monday.
CFC 1 - 0 NUFC
Wigan 0 - 1 Gunners
but still lose $$$ even chesea win..bookie win big 2nite..
Arsenal win: lpx88, sand king, SBS9828X, zocoss, felirox, babymac13, stevenliew, T.Ryousuke, Dead_Man_Inc, BÃ¥seline, LazerLordz, anhydrouscoppersulphate, used, monoslayer, a-Lost-9uY
Chelsea win: lpx88, sand king, dragg, SBS9828X, zocoss, stevenliew, T.Ryousuke, Dead_Man_Inc, BÃ¥seline, anhydrouscoppersulphate, used, a-Lost-9uY
Scoreboard 14 Dec 2006
1. zocoss 23pts + 2 = 25
2. anhydrouscoppersulphate 23pts + 2 = 25
3. T. Ryosuke 21pts + 2 = 23
4. used 21pts + 2 = 23
5. a-Lost-9uY 18pts + 2 = 20
6. sand king 16pts + 2 = 18
7. CKeer 16pts + 0 = 16
8. Dead_Man_Inc 14pts + 2 = 16
9. BÃ¥seline 12pts + 2 = 14
10.lpx88 12pts + 2 = 14
11. Takumi2eLimit 13pts + 0 = 13
12. SBS9828X 8pts + 2 = 10
13. dragg 6pts + 0 = 6
14. LazerLordz 5pts + 1 = 6
15. stevenliew 4pts + 2 = 6
16. OO_OO_OO 4pts + 0 = 4
17. bballers 2pts + 0 = 2
18. babymac13 1pts + 1 = 2
19. monoslayer 1 pts
==========Relegation Zone==========
20. mcfadden 1pts
21. joker105 1pts
22. felirox 1pts
Champions League: 1st, 2nd
Champions League qualifying: 3rd, 4th
UEFA Cup: 5th
Relegation: Bottom Three
CHELSEA 1-0 NEWCASTLE
THE SEVENTH Cavalry came over the hill to rescue Jose Mourinho and Chelsea's title ambitions in the nick of time but the Blues boss cannot afford any more brushes with danger.
Mourinho's cosy assumptions about a guaranteed three points from Glenn Roeder's stricken Magpies looked poised to explode in the Special One's face as the Blues machine seemed to be grinding to a halt.
But after leaving out Didier Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko and Claude Makelele and watching his side get nowhere, Mourinho got away with his folly when the heavy brigade came off the bench to grab the victory that cut Manchester United's title lead to five points.
Drogba's 15th goal of the season was set up by fellow substitute Shevchenko as Stamford Bridge breathed a collective sigh of relief, with the African King firing home from close range.
Yet Mourinho must know this was a case of getting away with it and even if Chelsea closed the gap, Sir Alex Ferguson will be forgiven for telling his Manchester United players the champions are looking there for the taking if they can keep the hammer down.
Mourinho has always been a creature of whims, but while leaving Drogba on the bench after his groin pull was understandable, the decision to drop Shevchenko as well was more of a statement of intent.
It meant a reversion to last season's system, but with an unlikely strike trident of Shaun Wright-Phillips, Salomon Kalou - both making just their third Premiership starts of the season - and Arjen Robben.
Injury-ravaged Newcastle, with rookie right-back Paul Huntingdon making his full debut, appeared the sort of team champions would sweep aside.
Yet while Kalou's second minute flick almost produced an opening for Wright-Phillips and Frank Lampard volleyed over after good work by the Ivory Coast youngster, the real nerves were at the other end.
Henrique Hilario had failed to make the one save he was asked to produce against Arsenal on Sunday and last night he was equally unconvincing and flap-happy.
The Portuguese made no sort of effort to claim James Milner's inswinging corner from the Newcastle left in the 16th minute and Antoine Sibierski made full contact inside the six-yard box, but the crossbar spared Hilario's blushes.
With Chelsea creating nothing in open play, Geremi's long throws were the biggest weapon, Kalou blazing over from close range from an offside position just after the half-hour. It was not what Mourinho had anticipated, and what he would have thought had Giuseppe Rossi's 20-yard half-volley flashed a foot inside rather than outside Hilario's righthand post does not bear thinking about.
Roeder was far more content, but Charles N'Zogbia paid the price as he fell the full impact of Lampard's follow-through four minutes from the break, with the midfielder forced off and Matty Pattison coming on.
The muffled groans around the Bridge at half time told the story.
Mourinho's response was brutal, Wright-Phillips - perhaps for the last time as a Chelsea player - and Ricardo Carvalho culled for Drogba and Makelele as Michael Essien moved into the back-line and the switch could have borne instant fruit.
Robben, finding the space he had been denied before the break, delivered a great ball and Drogba's header from nine yards slid wide of the post.
Time was ticking away for Mourinho with the grumblings of the home crowd growing louder, a woeful shot from the dismal Michael Ballack increasing the decibel level.
When Mourinho summoned Shevchenko with 23 minutes to go, hauling off Geremi as Makelele dropped into the back division, it was a last desperate throw of the dice.
But when Robben threaded into the box, Shevchenko's ball across allowed Drogba the chance to poke home from five yards after 74 minutes.
win
win
