Newcastle vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Willock gives Magpies win

Chelsea are in danger of losing three consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since May to August 2006 under Jose Mourinho.

They could suffer three league defeats in a row for only the second time this century, after October to November 2015 - also when Mourinho was in charge.

Graham Potter was delighted for Conor Gallagher after he was called up to the England squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar but admitted Reece James and Ben Chilwell were downcast after missing out through injury.

Gallagher made his England debut last year while on loan at Crystal Palace and earned his first cap during a 10-0 thrashing of San Marino in November.

Despite joining Chelsea at the age of eight, Gallagher has spent the past three seasons on loan, playing for Charlton, Swansea, West Brom and the Eagles before returning.

The midfielder was not part of Gareth Southgate’s most recent international camps but has made 17 appearances for Chelsea this season, scoring one goal, and Potter believes going to the World Cup will be a positive experience for the 22-year-old.

Newcastle are guaranteed to be in the Premier League top four at Christmas for the first time since 2001/02. The Magpies are unbeaten in their opening seven home games of a Premier League season for the first time in 27 years.

Victory today will leave them in third just two points behind Manchester City

Newcastle make two changes to the team that defeated Southampton last time out in the Premier League. Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy drop to the bench with Joelinton and Chris Wood brought in.

Graham Potter makes four changes to the Chelsea team that started the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City. Cesar Azpilicueta, Mason Mount, Jorginho and Conor Gallagher all come back in.

Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Longstaff, Willock, Almiron, Joelinton, Wood

Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Kovacic, Hall, Gallagher, Mount, Broja

The Blues have arrived at Newcastle ahead of their 5.30pm kick off with the Magpies. Chelsea need to win to close the gap on the top four.

Newcastle will secure third heading into the World Cup if they are victorious.

Graham Potter spoke about having the World Cup in the middle of the season and brought up the point that the players who eventually win the tournament won’t have long to celebrate it.

“Honestly, it’s hard for me to say I know what the motivation of another human being will be after something like the World Cup,” he said, “and can a player even celebrate back in his own country after they’ve won the World Cup [this time]?

“That’s the challenge with having the World Cup in the middle [of the season] because the alternative is they don’t go and celebrate winning the World Cup – and by the way, you’ve just won the World Cup! – and instead you come back here and then you’ve got training, and it is so difficult because they have just played the game and then they’ve got to recover emotionally.

“How long does it take to recover from a World Cup final?”

Newcastle boss, Eddie Howe, says that it is an ‘amazing thing’ that Callum Wilson was called up into Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World Cup and that it is a reward for how hard Wilson has worked to achieve that goal.

“It’s an amazing thing for (Callum Wilson) individually. Callum’s had a difficult career.”said Howe, “It’s not always been about the successes. He’s risen from the lower leagues to the Premier League and now to the national squad at a World Cup.

“I think it’s been a brilliant thing for me witness first-hand and then when you see how it’s been achieved, you see it’s been through dedication, consistency to his work and a really positive mindset.

“Even when he’d get injured, his first instinct was always to come back better and he’d put that work in to come back better. It’s not just talk with Callum - he actually delivers and he’s got a way of scoring goals, a uniqueness about him, so I’m delighted for him and I hope he can go and make a real impact.”

Chelsea have won 11 of the last 14 meetings between the sides in all competitions, including both league fixtures last season: 3-0 away in October 2021 and 1-0 at home in March this year.

Newcastle have lost four consecutive Premier League matches against Chelsea without scoring since a 1-0 victory at St James’ Park in January 2020.

Eddie Howe has told England counterpart Gareth Southgate in-form Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson is ready, willing and able to answer the nation’s call at the World Cup finals.

The 30-year-old frontman, who was last capped in 2019, was one of three Magpies – goalkeeper Nick Pope and full-back Kieran Tripper are the others – to be named in Southgate’s 26-man squad for Qatar on Thursday, although he is facing a race against time to recover from illness to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

Howe, who has worked with Wilson since he signed him for Bournemouth in 2014, has seen him emerge from injury misery – he has twice fought his way back from cruciate ligament ruptures – to take his place on the world stage, and is convinced he has the quality and strength of character to serve his country with distinction.