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Chelsea v Newcastle: Magpies Unchanged
Written by Newcastle Utd
teve McClaren has named an unchanged starting line-up for Saturday's Premier League fixture at Chelsea
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At Stamford Bridge
Head coach Steve McClaren has named an unchanged starting line-up for Saturday's Barclays Premier League fixture at champions Chelsea (5.30pm kick-off).
The Magpies were 1-0 winnners over West Bromwich Albion seven days ago and so, unsurprisingly, McClaren has kept faith with the same set of the players for the clash at Stamford Bridge.
That means Serbian international striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored the only goal against the Baggies, leads the line once again, while 20-year-old Rolando Aarons keeps his place at left-back.
United are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Rob Elliot behind a back four of Daryl Janamaat, Steven Taylor, captain Fabricio Coloccini and Aarons.
Cheick Tiote and Jonjo Shelvey will anchor the visitors' midfield, with a trio of Moussa Sissoko, leading scorer Georginio Wijnaldum and Andros Townsend ahead of them.
And they will be tasked with supplying the ammunition for Mitrovic, who will be looking to add to his tally of five goals for the campaign.
On the substitutes' bench there are returns for fit-again Jack Colback and Emmanuel Riviere, while Jamaal Lascelles is also among the replacements after serving a one-game ban.
And they are joined by Ayoze Perez, Seydou Doumbia, Henri Saivet and Karl Darlow.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Thibaut Courtois; Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry (c), Cesar Azpilicueta; Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas; Pedro, Willian, Eden Hazard; Diego Costa
Substitutes: Asmir Begovic, Baba Rahman, John Obi Mikel, Rueben Loftus-Cheek, Bertrand Traore, Kenedy, Loic Remy
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Rolando Aarons; Cheick Tiote, Jonjo Shelvey; Moussa Sissoko, Georginio Wijnaldum, Andros Townsend; Aleksandar Mitrovic
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles, Jack Colback, Henri Saivet, Ayoze Perez, Emmanuel Riviere, Seydou Doumbia
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)