This Sunday, Chelsea and Newcastle United will face off in the Premier League, with the home side looking to continue their fine start to the season.
- Date: 27/10/2024
- Kick-off time: 14:00
- Location: Stamford Bridge, West London
Chelsea's current position of 7th in the Premier League, with 14 points from eight matches, reflects a significant improvement in stability and on-field coherence under new manager Enzo Maresca. Initially met with scepticism, Maresca’s appointment raised eyebrows across the Chelsea fanbase and punditry alike, with the Italian manager largely unproven at such a high level and lacking in pedigree, but Maresca’s early results have quickly silenced critics, and his Chelsea side now look settled and increasingly confident in their style of play.
This newfound steadiness has largely stemmed from a more balanced starting XI that was largely absent last season. During the 2023-2024 campaign, Chelsea’s lineup was often a patchwork of expensive new signings, and the team struggled to establish any consistent rhythm or identity on the pitch. A substantial part of this issue lay in Chelsea’s ambitious, if somewhat haphazard, approach to squad building under the Clearlake Capital ownership, with their deep pockets investing over £1 billion in transfer acquisitions, yet the return on investment has been nowhere near yielded.
Maresca, however, has made the best of Chelsea’s rich talent pool by building a team that now looks more unified and effective as a collective, and much of this comes from Maresca's willingness to drop big-name, expensive signings like Enzo Fernández and Mikhailo Mudryk.
One player who has particularly flourished under Maresca is young defender Levi Colwill, who since being handed a starting role has made immense strides, displaying his exceptional ball-playing ability paired with excellent defensive fundamentals. Colwill’s composure on the ball and his defensive awareness have helped Chelsea progress their play from the back with more confidence, turning defence into a launchpad for attacking moves.
Colwill’s emergence exemplifies a broader trend within the squad: younger players are being integrated effectively, with their development taking precedence over hasty big-name signings. While the club’s lavish spending spree in recent windows raised questions about long-term strategy, Maresca appears to be fostering a more sustainable, development-oriented approach, with the likes of Noni Madueke also making huge strides under his leadership.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have experienced a rather subdued start to their campaign. With 12 points from eight games, they sit just two places below Chelsea in 9th, yet their performances have been short of what we've come to expect from them. Many analysts and fans alike predicted a stronger start from the Magpies after a season which was marred largely by injuries last time out. Expectations were that Newcastle would build upon last season’s 8th-place finish, which was impressive given the circumstances, and potentially challenging for European positions.
Eddie Howe, a fan favourite and respected for his role in the team’s recent resurgence, now faces increased scrutiny as Newcastle struggle to build momentum. Although his job is not in imminent danger, the atmosphere around the club hints at underlying tensions, with reports of friction between Howe and newly appointed sporting director, Paul Mitchell. The arrival of Mitchell came in light of Dan Ashworth's move to Manchester United, and there have been rumours suggesting a potential disconnect between his vision and Howe’s preferred approach, creating an uneasy backdrop for the team’s season. While this tension has not yet affected Howe’s position directly, there are suggestions that Mitchell might seek to install his own choice for manager should Newcastle’s form not improve.
Despite these challenges, Newcastle can take heart from the development of young talent within their squad. Left-back Lewis Hall, for instance, has shown encouraging signs, with the 19-year-old's progression having been one of the few bright spots for Newcastle, offering Howe a solid foundation to build upon as he seeks to stabilise the team’s performances. Hall arrived with a big reputation as a prospect and largely struggled in his first season with the club, but he seems to be slowly finding his feet in the North East and if he can make good on his immense potential, Newcastle will have a hell of a player on their hands.
Premier League 
