It's an early start on Saturday so anyone who wants to be across the relevant facts and figures for our game is advised to start reading now. Club historian Rick Glanvill, club statistician Paul Dutton and former Chelsea player Clive Walker supply the study aids.

Whatever else you read about the context to this weekend's match at St James' Park, the simple fact is that a win will put Chelsea fourth and back among the Champions League places.

There is no escaping the four defeats in the last seven games, and three in four at home, but Andre Villas-Boas has suggested his team may be performing more solidly away than at the Bridge for the moment.

On top of that the Blues have not lost in the league to Newcastle in eight matches and have won twice in three visits to the north east. Newcastle have not suffered a home defeat for 10 matches, since Everton won at St James' Park on 5 March.

It seems odd that this should be only the second Chelsea away league match since the rancorous defeat at QPR. The Blues have netted nine times on our travels in six matches, just one short of the Geordies' 10 strikes in six home games. Chelsea have scored nine more goals overall than the hosts.

However, the Toon are unbeaten at home and have drawn twice. Part of their success to date may lie in the fact that they have a stable starting line-up. Alan Pardew has seven players who have started every league games, including all of the back five - they've conceded just 12 goals to date.

Newcastle's first red card of the campaign was shown to one of the ever-presents, Jonas Gutiérrez, last weekend. The midfielder, who scored in our 2-2 draw at the Bridge in May, is banned on Saturday.

It helps a side to be successful if they enjoy good fortune too. That was certainly the case last weekend with the rarity of a penalty awarded against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Replays showed that Rio Ferdinand had made full contact with the ball. Once level, Newcastle defended like tigers to secure the precious draw.

Chelsea should expect a similar intensity from the hosts, even with an early start. They make travel arrangements tricky for supporters, but kick-offs of noon and 1.30pm are a regular requirement of live TV. This is the 49th lunchtime start in the Premier League involving Chelsea since the 2001/02 season. Over that period Chelsea have, impressively, won 31, drawn 12 and lost six.

Four of those games have been against the Magpies, with the Londoners having the upper hand with two wins and two draws. However, the Blues have been successful in just one of the last seven matches starting between 12noon and 13.30.

Fernando Torres’ account records a goal in the three 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, only performed by stars as Pelé.

A likely sideshow to the 'mane' event will be the novelty of seeing the two lustrously haired defenders Fabricio Coloccini and David Luiz on the same pitch. Presumably the physios will have emergency scissors on hand should the two become entangled at a set-play.


- Match preview by chelseafc.com