Saturday afternoon’s game at Stamford Bridge sees league leaders Chelsea host a Newcastle United side still without a manager following Alan Pardew’s switch to Crystal Palace.

Jose Mourinho’s men go in to the game on the back of Sunday’s 3-0 FA Cup third round win over Watford, but one point from the last six available in the league means that they now top the table purely because C comes before M in the dictionary, as Manchester City have the exact same points, goals for and goals against meaning if the season ended today, the sides would need a play-off to decide the championship.

On a more positive note, the Blues are the only side in the division with no injury concerns so a number of first team regulars are expected to return to the starting line-up, despite Mourinho’s seemingly strongest side losing 5-3 at Tottenham Hotspur on New Year’s Day.

Top scorer Diego Costa is favourite to get the first goal of the game at 3.75 (11/4) with Ladbrokes, while Eden Hazard is a 6.0 (5/1) chance with Bet 365.

The home win is widely available at (2/9), with the visitors as highly priced as the 18.0 (17/1) on offer from Bet Victor, who have the draw at 7.5 (13/2).

Tenth place Newcastle have lost five of their last seven games in all competitions, with one of those defeats coming at bottom-of-the-table Leicester City in their FA Cup third round clash a week ago.

In stark contrast to his opposite number, caretaker manager John Carver has a number of injury concerns, though Tim Krul is expected to return in goal in place of Jak Alnwick.

Carver will also be unable to call upon Papiss Cisse and Cheick Tiote, both of whom are away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Ayoze Perez is 19.0 (18/1) to open the scoring with Bet 365, ahead of 34.0 (33/1) chance Moussa Sissoko.

Newcastle ended Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the season just five weeks ago, but with such turmoil at the club will struggle to achieve a positive result this time around so you may fancy the home win to nil, which is priced at 1.8 (4/5) with a number of firms.