Victory over Newcastle on Monday will move Chelsea to the top half of the table

The week's English Premier League schedule concludes at Stamford Bridge on Monday evening when Chelsea face Newcastle United for the third time this season.

The two sides have clashed twice already this season. The Magpies claimed victory at St James’ Park but the Blues prevailed in London with a late equaliser before a penalty shootout success to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Since each will contest an FA Cup quarter-final next weekend, a further encounter in that competition is not out of the question.

Monday night football has been a lucky charm for the Blues, who are unbeaten in the last eight Premier League games at the start of the week, winning five. So far this season Monday has delivered a clean sweep of derby wins - at Fulham in October, Tottenham a month later and Palace last month.

Chelsea have lost only once to Newcastle in the league at Stamford Bridge in 38 years.

Despite dropped points at Brentford last week, a win over Newcastle would place the Blues one point behind eighth-placed opponents, with a game in hand.

Eddie Howe’s side have dropped points in 10 of their 13 Premier League matches on the road, including eight defeats. The last visiting team to leave Stamford Bridge with all three points in March was the Magpies’ local rivals Sunderland in 2001.

Chelsea, playing the first of five home matches from six across all competitions, have won four of our past five Premier League top-flight fixtures at home.

Chelsea’s season-long injury frustrations continue with Levi Colwill and Ben Chilwell newly ruled out and Conor Gallagher missing several days' training due to a virus, though Thiago Silva and Marc Cucurella could be back available.

In midfield Cesare Casadei and Jimi Turiainen, and possibly the returning Carney Chukwuemeka, could step in, easing the heavy workload on our regular middlemen.

The Argentinean deployed an initially successful back three to match Brentford last time out but the hosts were the better side in the second half and he’s likely to revert to a back four this evening, especially with so many absentees.

Axel Disasi’s late equaliser against the Bees was Chelsea's seventh headed league goal, the fourth from a set-play cross, and the fourth in as many matches scored inside the final 10 minutes.