It's another chance to gain points on the equivalent fixtures last season as the Blues aim to banish the memory of our most recent league defeat. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistican Paul Dutton trail the Tynesiders visit.

Victory this weekend would mean Roberto Di Matteo's men maintaining the three-point lead at the top of the table until next weekend, when the European champions contest the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco while the rest of the Barclays Premier League plays catch-up.

Fernando Torres’ account records a goal in seven matches played against Newcastle, however it was a great goal in the finest ‘dummy’ style. It was in his first season in Anfield, the 07/08 season, when he made a spectacular dribbling to the goalkeeper without the ball, performed by stars as Pelé.

Frank Lampard continues to carve his name in the bark of our club's history. His successful penalties against Wigan and Reading (identical, it has to be said) were Chelsea's first ever in consecutive games from the start of the season.

He and right-back Branislav Ivanovic are our joint league top scorers. In all competitions our skipper in Munich has now hit 188 goals. That is five shy of Kerry Dixon's total of 193, completed in March 1992, and 14 behind Bobby Tambling's club record 202, set over 43 years ago in April 1969.

Eden Hazard's sensational start with the Blues is confirmed by his position as leading goal-maker according to official Premier League statistics (which equate penalties won to assists), with a remarkable five in two games; he is also the most fouled player (eight times). Likewise Petr Cech has made the most saves to date (15) and John Terry the most clearances (eight).

Newcastle arrive in London 48 hours after their Europa League qualifying trip to Athens, a 1-1 draw at the home of Atromitos. When push came to shove manager Alan Pardew felt confident enough to omit several key players from match against the side fourth in the Greek Super League.

As a result the likes of defender Fabricio Coloccini, midfielder Cheikh Tioté, and striker Demba Ba should be fresh for this Saturday evening clash.

In May, largely as a result of the shrewd signing of dynamic players such as Ba and Papiss Cissé, Pardew masterminded the Magpies' highest finish since Alan Shearer's swansong 2003/04 season.

Toon kicked off this campaign with a slightly fortuitous 2-1 win over our north London neighbours Spurs in unfamiliar Tyneside heat. Tottenham had the better of the game in almost all but goals. Once again the ability of their creative players to conjure goals from nothing made the difference for Newcastle.

Opportunism was the hallmark of their 2-0 win on the Fulham Road last May. This was traditionally a graveyard of the north-easterners' ambitions, with 6-0s, 5-0s and a regular sprinkling of 4-0 scorelines. But the Blues' last win in this fixture was a 2-1 back in December 2007.

This will be the Blues' first 5.30pm Saturday kick-off since Wigan away last season, a 1-1 draw. The last at Stamford Bridge ended in a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Everton. West Brom were also beaten 2-1 at home in August in this time slot.

Make a note in your diaries, by the way: Chelsea's defence of the Champions League starts with the group stage draw in Monaco on Thursday 30 August at 5pm.


- Match preview by Chelseafc.com