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Chelsea vs Newcastle: Preview, team news, kickoff time

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Chelsea will lock horns with Newcastle on Monday in the English Premier League as they continue their fight to push up the table.

Placed 11th on the league standings, the Blues have failed to live up to expectations over the past year. In their previous game, they were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw at Brentford and will be looking at bouncing back to winning ways to help their struggling campaign.

Newcastle, on the other hand, have been largely inconsistent this season and are placed ninth on the log. The Magpies breezed past Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 last week and come into this tie at Stamford Bridge all gun-blazing.

Chelsea vs Newcastle: Key Statistics
Chelsea have a good historical record against Newcastle United and have won 79 out of the 175 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Newcastle United’s 56 victories.
Chelsea have lost only one of their last 28 matches at home against Newcastle United in the Premier League, with their previous such defeat coming by a 2-0 scoreline under Roberto Di Matteo in 2012.
Newcastle United won the reverse fixture at St. James’ Park by a 4-1 scoreline and could complete a league double over Chelsea for the first time since the 1986-87 season.
Chelsea will start a match against Newcastle United while being below them in the Premier League standings for only the fourth time since 1997.
Newcastle United have conceded 45 goals in the Premier League so far this season – 26 more than they had conceded at the same stage last season.
Chelsea Team News
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 our seventh headed league goal, the fourth from a set-play cross, and the fourth in as many matches scored inside the final 10 minutes.

Newcastle Team News
Matt Targett and Elliot Anderson may return to the Newcastle squad this evening but key men Joelinton, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson and captain Kieran Trippier remain sidelined. Lewis Hall is ineligible as he is on loan from Chelsea.

Another Cobham graduate, Tino Livramento, is the likely beneficiary of his skipper’s calf problem. The more attack-minded full-back came off the bench to net against Wolves last time out.

Nevertheless, Howe will be frustrated not to be able to name the same back four that contributed to a run of three wins and one loss in six games, restoring their pursuit of a European place.

Between the sticks, Martin Dubravka (70.7 per cent) has a marginally inferior saves-per-shot on target rate than the sidelined Pope (73.6).

Chelsea vs Newcastle: Kickoff time, Venue
The match is scheduled to hold at Chelsea’s home ground, Stamford Bridge and kickoff time is slated for 9pm Nigeria time.

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European Leagues

Juventus fire Allegri after cup final antics

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Juventus have sacked Massimiliano Allegri two days after he led the side to the Italian Cup. The Turin side beat Atalanta 1-0 in Rome,

Juventus have sacked Massimiliano Allegri two days after he led the side to the Italian Cup.

The Turin side beat Atalanta 1-0 in Rome, but Allegri was sent off late on for ranting at match officials and waving away sporting director during the celebrations.

The Italian Football Federation’s disciplinary tribunal has launched an investigation into Allegri.

And yesterday ,Juventus confirmed he was no longer their boss.

“The dismissal follows certain behaviors during and after the Italian Cup final which the club deemed incompatible with the values of

Juventus and with the behavior that those who represent it must adopt,” a statement read.

Juve’s 1-0 win over Atalanta, thanks to Dusan Vlahovic’s early goal, gave Allegri a record fifth Coppa Italia as a manager.

“If I am no longer the Juventus coach next year, I will leave a strong team. The club will make its evaluations,” he said in the post-match news conference.

Even before his antics at the Stadio Olimpico, the 56-year-old had been expected to lose his job and be replaced by Bologna coach Thiago Motta.

But now he will not be there for the final two Serie A games against Bologna and Monza.

“The company wishes Massimiliano Allegri good luck in his future projects,” ended the statement..

Allegri was in charge of Juventus from 2014 until 2019, winning the title in each of his five seasons, as well as four Italian Cups and reaching the Champions League final twice.

He left by mutual consent at the end of the 2018-19 season – and did not work again for two years, until he was re-appointed as Juventus manager at the start of 2021-22.

However his second spell failed to live up to the first and Wednesday’s Italian Cup was their only silverware in that time.

They finished fourth and seventh in his two full seasons – and currently sit fourth.

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Juventus nearly sacked Allegri after Italian Cup row

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Massimiliano Allegri was close to being sacked by Juventus after exploding with anger during his team’s midweek Italian Cup triumph

Massimiliano Allegri was close to being sacked by Juventus after exploding with anger during his team’s midweek Italian Cup triumph, according to widespread reports in local media.

Juventus won their 15th Italian Cup on Wednesday night but Allegri burst into a rage, first being sent off in the final minutes after ranting at match officials and then waving away sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli during the post-match celebrations.

And Juve are now set to fire Allegri, who was already widely rumoured to be replaced by Bologna coach Thiago Motta in the summer, with two matches of the season remaining.

Juventus sit fourth in Serie A after collecting just 15 points in their last 15 league matches. They are at Bologna on Monday night. The two are teams level on 67 points and both have already qualified for next season’s revamped Champions League.

Italian media reported that Juve are evaluating whether to dismiss Allegri with just cause for his behaviour on Wednesday night, when he is also alleged to have manhandled and threatened the chief editor of newspaper Tuttosport before the post-match press conference.

Such a move would potentially save the club from paying Allegri the remaining year of his contract, which is worth around seven million euros before bonuses.

The Italian Football Federation’s disciplinary tribunal has launched an investigation into Allegri, who on Wednesday almost accidentally confirmed that this season would be his last at the Turin giants.

Allegri was on Thursday given an automatic two-match ban in the cup for his straight red card but could receive further punishment.

 

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Man City move close to history – thanks to unlikely hero Romero

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Manchester City saw an unlikely hero emerge from their galaxy of superstars to make a potentially defining contribution in their pursuit of

Manchester City saw an unlikely hero emerge from their galaxy of superstars to make a potentially defining contribution in their pursuit of an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title.

Pep Guardiola rightly acted with caution when he removed keeper Ederson, with City leading 1-0, after he suffered a nasty blow to the head in a heavy collision at the foot of his post with Tottenham defender Cristian Romero.

Ederson, who had a problem with his eye, did not look happy with the decision – taken upon advice from the club doctor – but his manager was perfectly justified, not just acting in the best interests of the Brazilian keeper but also because he has complete trust in his replacement Stefan Ortega.

And in a 21-minute cameo of the highest quality, Ortega – who has performed with distinction every time he has deputised for Ederson this season – may well have rubber-stamped City’s sixth title in seven seasons.

When the final whistle sounded and the club stood one win away from being champions again, Guardiola headed straight for Ortega and greeted the German with a kiss on the cheek for his crucial contribution. It was richly deserved.

Guardiola did not hold back with the praise as he said: “Ortega is a world-class goalkeeper. An exceptional, exceptional goalkeeper. Ederson did not have concussion, he had a problem with his eye. He could not see properly so the doctor said I should change.”

Spurs made a complete mockery of the cynics who suggested they may ease off because any sort of positive result could potentially give rivals Arsenal their first Premier League title in 20 years.

Ange Postecoglou’s fifth-placed side were fully committed in chasing a goal of their own as they went after a place in the Champions League and it was not for any lack of effort as they came so close to upsetting City’s traditional title charge. They were left disappointed in the end as defeat confirmed Aston Villa’s fourth-placed finish and they will now join European football’s top table.

Ortega’s impact was instant, denying Spurs substitute Dejan Kulusevski with a good save and then the same player shortly afterwards as City almost paid the price for a performance that was not one of their best.

The biggest moment came in the closing minutes, with City clinging on to a one-goal lead, when Son Heung-min collected the ball and raced clear with only Ortega to beat. It was the sort of opportunity the South Korean has taken with aplomb so many times in his Spurs career.

BBC

 

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