Former Premier League striker Michael Owen has backed Chelsea to beat Newcastle United on Sunday.
The Blues face an uncertain future due to the sanctions placed on the club by the UK government. Their assets were also frozen, as Roman Abramovich was disqualified as the club’s director less than 24 hours ago.
Despite all the off-field distractions, Thomas Tuchel’s side continue to deliver on the pitch. They have won four Premier League games in a row and will look to strengthen their grip on third spot.
A clash against Newcastle United won’t be easy as the Magpies have surged up the table and allayed any fears of relegation in recent weeks.
However, Owen believes the west London giants have the quality to overcome Eddie Howe’s side on Saturday. He wrote in his column for Bet Victor:
“It’s clearly been a strange and difficult week for Chelsea off the pitch but on it, they took care of business against Norwich. I really like the way Kai Havertz has been playing of late. He’s becoming the key man for this team in attack. He links the play, makes some great runs, and has started scoring regularly.
“Things keep getting better for Newcastle. That win over Southampton was huge and leaves them on the verge of safety. Bruno Guimaraes arrived with a big reputation and price-tag, but he showed glimpses of it on Wednesday. He hasn’t featured too much, but that back-heeled finish was sublime!
“Newcastle have shown so much improvement, and they’ll give [the Blues] a game here. I still think Chelsea will have too much though, 2-1 to Chelsea.”
Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea squad need to continue showing unity on the pitch
As evidenced by the messages on social media, it is not easy to be a Chelsea fan at the moment. Things must be even harder for the players.
Fortunately for the Blues, they have a group of world-class players and a manager with a winning mentality who has managed to keep them focused.
The Premier League title might be a step too far for Tuchel's side, but they need to ensure their winning form doesn’t drop any time soon.
Newcastle United will be full of confidence after winning six of their last seven games in the Premier League. They will look to make things difficult for the Blues.
Chelsea currently occupy third place in the Premier League table, with 56 points from 27 games. They are six points ahead of fourth-placed Manchester United and have two games in hand over them.
Newcastle United, on the other hand, are 14th in the league standings, with 31 points from 27 games. They are just a point ahead of 15th-placed Brentford but have two games in hand over them.