Chelsea vs Newcastle LIVE: Premier League result and final score after stunning Kai Havertz goal

Kick-off! Underway at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea with a back four, Newcastle with five.

OK, after a lot of off-pitch matters this week, it’s time to focus back on the football for the next 90 minutes.

Both teams are in decent form and have big reasons to keep winning - it could be a pretty fantastic match at pitch level.

The sides are out now and we’re just a few minutes from kick-off.

Both matches have spoken on the tactical battle ahead of the game as it looks like Newcastle will have a back three and Chelsea a back four, a change for both.

Thomas Tuchel:

“We are running out of right-wing backs as James has the re-injury. We needed to be creative but let’s see how it works out.”

Eddie Howe:

“We’ve been in a really good place physically and mentally. The guys have developed a confidence in their play. Tactically we’ll have to be really good so we need the foundations to be right to give us a way in the match.”

Jamie Carragher has been discussing the prospect of fan ownership at Chelsea and beyond, but he doesn’t see it as a reasonable outcome this time around.

“I think it’s very difficult, whether it would happen in reality I’m not sure. Fans should have a say in how the club is run but a £2bn sale and then they can stop what the owners what to do - I’m not sure [it’s plausible].”

Petr Cech is also asked on Thomas Tuchel and on-pitch matters, both now and under any potential new owner:

“Thomas has the contract until 2024 and we’ve been told the contracts will be valued. We hope he stays as he’s been brilliant on every level.

“But tomorrow the situation could change and my answer could be irrelevant.

“Chelsea has over a hundred years of history. The success is down to hard work of the people since the club was founded. I heard people want to take the last 19 years and erase it from memory but this isn’t about money and the players will work hard and sweat every day. That shouldn’t be forgotten.

“Sometimes in careers the managers leaves, the owners change. Now we are in the same situation. We go day by day, we hope the new owners will come and keep us competitive, take care of the community and [continue] the legacy on the pitch as well.”

Tough questions to Petr Cech who has been speaking on TV:

“Our thoughts are with the victims in Ukraine and a I hope the situation improves.

“Here at the club it has been a difficult situation; we have lots of questions but not many answers. We are focused on the things we can control, helping people and preparing for the game - that’s the only thing we can control at the moment. We want to help keep the integrity of the Premier League competition and try to do our best.

“We have to admit we go day by day as it’s not in our hands. The conversations are about if we can finish the season and we’re part of the Premier League. For us to carry on to finish the season would help everybody involved.

“I’m not involved in the talks with the government but the club are talking every day about the licence. We hope the situation will be clearer soon.

“We hope the people working for the club will be able to get their salaries and live their lives and work. But this is a difficult question for me to answer as I don’t know what the licence will be like day-to-day. At the training ground we’re trying to support each other and focus in difficult times.”

Jamie Carragher believes keeping hold of manager Thomas Tuchel will be the main objective for whoever ends up buying Chelsea FC, given his quality of coaching and ability to rival some of the best in the world.

“It’s a great playing squad but there’s a few players out of contract. But in terms of Thomas Tuchel there’s a guy who can compete with Klopp and Guardiola. Those managers are very few and far between right now,” he has said on Sky Sports.

Azpilicueta, Rudiger and Christensen are just some of the players Chelsea have approaching the end of their deals this season.

Chelsea fans have been vociferous in their support for sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich in the past two away games, leading to plenty of criticism in particular after they chanted for the oligarch during what was supposed to be a moment of respect and solidarity for Ukraine.

A spokesperson for the prime minister, Boris Johnson, this week sought to remind Blues fans precisely what Abramovich has been sanctioned for, notably having “provided support to the Putin regime and the brutal assault on Ukraine.”

The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust had called for fans to be “respectful” towards Ukrainians but so far, at least, those calls have gone unheeded.

It will be interesting to see Stamford Bridge’s overall approach to the situation today - the club’s first home game since the sanctions.

Some fairly telling images from today as the supporters start to arrive and team news filters through: the sanctions on Abramovich and the restrictions on Chelsea are already making a visible difference on matchday.

No sales of merchandise allowed, no tickets allowed to be sold as it stands. The club are operating on a restricted budget and any proceeds earned are effectively frozen for now.

It will make for an unusual surrounding of the game, and that’s even before we see the Blues take to the pitch in a sponsorless jersey, after Three suspended their deal with the Blues.

Team news time! Here are the starting line-ups for today:

Chelsea XI - Mendy, Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger, Sarr, Kante, Jorginho, Mount, Ziyech, Havertz, Werner

Newcastle XI - Dubravka, Manquillo, Schar, Lascelles, Burn, Targett, Guimaraes, S Longstaff, Almiron, Murphy, Wood