Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of Newcastle United's trip to Chelsea.
Last season saw Newcastle's Papiss Cisse score two memorable goals as the Magpies ran out winners at Stamford Bridge. Having rested a number of players for his side's mid-week Europa League encounter, manager Alan Pardew is obviously hoping that his side can repeat that feat this time around.
However, Chelsea may have other ideas. Having won their opening two matches of the new season, a win here would see Roberto Di Matteo's side move to the top of the Premier League table.
7.31pmAnd that is all we have time for. Thanks for joining us this evening and throughout the day. It's been a good day of Premier League action. Let's hope we can say the same about tomorrow!
7.29pmSo, Chelsea got top of the table with what ended up being a comfortable victory. Newcastle created half chances throughout, but rarely threatened the home goal.
7.27pmFull time: Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle
90+3 minIt's raining extremely hard now! The players look like they've had enough!
90+1 minAfter around three minutes, the game finally gets back underway.
90 minWhile Luiz receives treatment, the fourth official has indicated that four minutes of stoppage time will be played.
89 minPlay has been stopped for Luiz, who is clutching his head following a collision with Ba. You'd think with all that hair, he would't have felt anything!
87 minSubstitution: Lampard takes the place of Meireles for the final few minutes.
84 minChance! And just as I say that, Newcastle should be back in it! Cisse and Ba are both denied by Cech, who pulls off a smart double save.
82 minEight minutes left and Newcastle seem to have run out of ideas now. Chelsea in cruise control at the moment.
80 minChance! Hazard runs clear of the Newcastle defence on the right wing but his low cross is met by a black and white shirt.
77 minSubstitution: Final change for Newcastle as James Perch takes the place of Cabaye, who appeared to be struggling with the knee injury that he picked up in the first half.
76 min...Which Meireles strikes, but not very well! There has been some poor set-pieces this evening.
75 minAnita fouls Hazard 25 yards from goal and Chelsea have a free-kick in a dangerous area...
75 minSubstitution: Marveaux takes the place of full-back Santon.
74 minNewcastle are in control of possession at the moment but they do not look like threatening the Chelsea goal. Need to be more creative.
69 min...And the Luiz sends it well over the bar. Was expecting the Brazilian to smash that, but he opted for a curling effort.
68 minUp the other end, Chelsea have a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Luiz and Hazard stand over the ball...
67 minChance! Ryan Taylor whips over a really good free-kick for Cisse, who mis-times his jump and the ball goes over the bar. The Magpies cannot keep wasting these chances
66 minMeanwhile, Newcastle have a free-kick...
66 minSubstitution: Another sub, this time for the home side. Ramires takes the place of Mata.
64 minSubstitution: Newcastle's Simpson is replaced by Ryan Taylor.
61 minChance! Chelsea quickly head up the other end with a swift counter-attack that ends with Torres scuffing his shot straight at Krul. Good move from the Blues.
59 min...But that was so, so, so bad from Cabaye! It rolled along the floor and as a result was easily cleared. What a waste from the French international.
59 minCorner for Newcastle as Cech denies Ba...
58 minIt's all a bit from Chelsea when they have the ball. The tempo has gone from their game in a way that is not too dissimilar to their 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic last weekend.
54 minIn fairness, Newcastle look comfortable at the moment as Chelsea sit on their lead. Whether they have enough to get back into this is another matter.
48 minChance! Newcastle could and perhaps should be back in this. The ball drops to Ben Arfa inside the area but the Frenchman snatches and the chance and his effort goes wide.
46 minOne thing of note for Newcastle fans is that Cabaye recovered from that knock to his knee to come out for the second half.
45 minRight, we're back underway at Stamford Bridge. Can Newcastle find a way back into this match? It looks unlikely right now, but goals change games.
6.19pmHalf-time: Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle
45+4 minAnd more bad news for Newcastle as Cabaye limps off with a knee injury. Not sure we will see him after the restart.
45+4 minAnd more bad news for Newcastle as Cabaye limps off with a knee injury. Not sure we will see him after the restart.
45+4 minAnd more bad news for Newcastle as Cabaye limps off with a knee injury. Not sure we will see him after the restart.
45+3 minBy the way, Hazard set up the goal for Torres. That's just the six assists in three games for the summer signing from Lille. Not bad!
45+3 minBy the way, Hazard set up the goal for Torres. That's just the six assists in three games for the summer signing from Lille. Not bad!
45+2 minVery good toe-poked finish from the �50m man. He's played well this half, despite the theatrics. Long way back for Newcastle now.
45+2 minGOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle (Torres)
45+1 minCorner for Chelsea as Simpson hacks clear...
45 minFour minutes of stoppage time...
44 minChance! Again Newcastle carve out an opportunity. Danny Simpson robs Luiz of possession just outside the Chelsea area and the ball falls to Cisse. The Senegalese striker's shot is powerful, but is held by Petr Cech.
42 min...But Cabaye can only find a Chelsea head and the danger is cleared.
42 minFree-kick to Newcastle wide on the left. Chance to get their big men up from the back...
40 minChance! Best chance for the away side so far, but Ba can only head Cisse's cross harmlessly over the bar.
39 minBooking! Torres again goes down early under a challenge from Coloccini, but referee Dowd is not interested in the Spaniard's appeal. Torres is then booked for his reaction.
36 minChance! Steven Taylor's clearance falls to Hazard on the edge of the area, but his shot his wild and flies wide of the target.
35 minLovely football between Juan Mata and Eden Hazard sees the former drill in a cross, which is cleared to safety. Chelsea are getting closer to a second goal.
32 minChance! What has Ivanovic been eating during the summer?! He already has two goals to his name this season and would have had a third but for a save from Krul. Chelsea are in command.
30 min...But like his teammate he is quickly back up and the match resumes. Very little happening at this present moment in time.
29 minNow Luiz goes down injured...
26 minThe Portuguese midfielder is back up and the game is underway again.
25 minStoppage in play as Meireles goes down. He's now receiving treatment from the Chelsea medical staff.
23 minJust seen a replay from another angle and it does actually appear that Torres was clipped. However, it was never enough to make him hit the deck in the way that he did.
22 minVery good penalty from the young Belgian international, but in very dubious circumstances. Newcastle will not be happy with that. Never a penalty.
22 minGOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle (Hazard)
21 minHave to say, that looked like a dive from Torres! There was no contact from Vernon Anita. Hazard to take.
21 minPenalty to Chelsea
20 min...But it's a poor cross from Ben Arfa. With the height that Newcastle had in the box, it really should have been better.
19 minCorner to Newcastle, which was won by Ba...
18 minChance! Best chance of the match so far for the hosts. Torres brings Ryan Bertrand into play, but his right footed shot from the edge of the box goes straight at Krul. Should have done better.
14 minChance! This time it's to Chelsea as Eden Hazard warms the palms of Tim Krul from 20 yards out. This game is heating up now.
12 minChance! Hatem Ben Arfa crosses for Ba, who evades his marker. However, he is always stretching and his volley sails over the bar.
11 minThe Magpies are coming into this game. Demba Ba races into the box, but he is eventually shielded out by Gary Cahill. Good defending from the England centre-back.
8 minChance! Torres runs free of the Newcastle defence. He then picks his head up to tee up John Obi Mikel, who lashes high and wide.
7 minChelsea are seeing a lot of the ball at the moment, but so far the Newcastle rearguard is standing firm.
5 minFirst shot of the afternoon is attempted by Raul Meireles. However, the Chelsea midfielder is closer to finding row Z than the back of the net.
3 minEven start at Stamford Bridge. The Newcastle supporters, like normal, are in good voice in the away section.
1 minChelsea's Hazard and Torres get us underway...
5.25pmThe teams are now in the tunnel. Just five minutes to go now...
5.23pmBy the way, Chelsea's new signings Azpilicueta and Moses did not arrive in time for this clash. Both have just been introduced to the crowd.
5.20pmChelsea have been impressive going forward so far this season, although their defending against Reading left a little to be desired! Nevertheless, I'm backing them to win this 2-1.
5.19pmSo, can Newcastle repeat their 2-0 win they achieved at Chelsea last season? Have to say, the goals that Papiss Cisse scored on that evening were simply stunning.
5.11pmAlso, just hearing that Terry has a neck problem, which has been troubling him for a few days.
5.08pmSome interesting stuff from the Spanish striker there. In particular, this quote: "If I can go back, I would change nothing that happened to me last season. I found great fans behind me and a lot of friends in the dressing room, plus a lot of people that helped me around the stadium and helped me on the pitch. Players from other teams supported me. So I think it was something which I have to live with to be a better player. So I would change nothing."
5.05pmWe have an interview with Chelsea frontman Fernando Torres to bring you courtesy of ESPN:
5.04pmRight, back this evening's entertainment at Stamford Bridge...
5.02pmWe've even thrown some Bundesliga coverage in there as well. We do treat you!
5.01pmYou can read all the match reports from this afternoon's Premier League reaction AND the Championship right here.
4.59pmMan United have held on to beat Fulham 3-2 at Old Trafford.
4.55pmA late, late goal from James Morrison has rescued a 1-1 draw for West Brom at Spurs. Elsewhere, Everton have rounded off a good week by winning 3-1 at Aston Villa.
4.53pmWigan have beaten Southampton 2-0, while QPR have claimed a 1-1 draw from their trip to Norwich City.
4.51pmLet's just move away from this fixture for just a couple of minutes to let you know what else has happened in the Premier League this afternoon...
4.45pmLampard is merely rested and will start on the bench, while captain Terry is absent with a so far unspecified injury.
4.44pmAlso worth noting that there is no Frank Lampard in that Chelsea starting lineup. The England midfielder has played well during the opening two games. Will bring you news as to why he has been omitted asap.
4.43pmHere's how visiting Newcastle will start the encounter: Krul; Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Santon; Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Anita, Gutierrez; Ba, Cisse
4.42pmHere's the Chelsea team in full: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Meireles; Mata, Hazard, Bertrand; Torres
4.41pmTeam News: There's no John Terry for Chelsea, but David Luiz returns in his place.
4.41pmIt is looking like we have a game, thankfully!
4.40pmAnd a bit more: "A break in the clouds and the sun is out! In the words of ELO - Mr Blue Sky, please tell us why you had to hide away for so long?"
4.40pmAnd just like that, we do! Here's the latest offering from Newcastle's Twitter site: "Preparations continue as normal so no sign of a postponement. Chelsea?s three goalkeepers run out to begin their warm-ups."
4.38pmSo, fingers crossed we get some positive news shortly!
4.37pmThe rain has really come down in London throughout the day. As a result, referee Phil Dowd has been having a serious of meetings with the Chelsea groundstaff. Newcastle have also been tweeting. You can read what they have had to say about the weather here.
4.34pmAfternoon everyone. I hate to get off on a negative note, but we may not have a game this afternoon!
Written by
Liam Apicella
Liam Apicella
