Chelsea have looked near unstoppable this season, easing to the top of the table after 14 games, and the next team standing in their way are Newcastle United at St. James' Park, a stadium where Jose Mourinho has never tasted victory in the English Premier League.
There is probably no better time for Mourinho, though, to put that record straight than right now, with Chelsea playing such wonderful football, while looking quite solid at the back as well – when is a Jose Mourinho team ever not.
With a six-point lead over Manchester City heading into this game, Chelsea can increase that gap to nine and put the pressure firmly on their title rivals, who only play later on Saturday.
"There are a few stadiums in this country where clearly, when they see the Chelsea shirts, they play the game of their lives," said Mourinho.
"When they play against other teams they look like they're playing friendlies. Maybe this is because Chelsea, in the last decade, became a strong team that everybody wants to beat."
The same fixture last season was certainly one of those occasions, with Newcastle beating Chelsea 2-0 thanks to goals from Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy, who is now a Chelsea player.
"We played well at Newcastle last season but missed so many chances," Mourinho recalled. "We lost other matches last season where we clearly did nothing to win -- at Crystal Palace we did nothing to win. Newcastle was not one of these matches.
"But last season was last season. It's a big club. I knew that ever since I worked with Mr. [Bobby] Robson. People there live for football, for the club, for the moment. They have a match at home, big passion, big club, and it's unbelievable they don't have a trophy for so many years. But a big club [they are] and I like to play there. I like very much to play there."
While Chelsea have motored along, shown perfectly by their impressive 3-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday, Newcastle's recent resurgence has been halted a little, following a 1-0 defeat to West Ham last weekend and a 1-1 draw with Burnley on Tuesday.
However, the Magpies have lost just one game – that one against West Ham when Moussa Sissoko saw red – in their last nine matches in all competitions, and Alan Pardew remains confident his side can get the better of Chelsea once again.
"Mentally, I think we are in a strong position, and our confidence is high after one defeat in nine," said the Newcastle manager. We have a good spirit and a confidence that we're learning lessons along the way. This is a new team. We learned a lesson at Burnley, that you have to put the ball at risk.
"If you're not going to take risks and make forward runs, and threaten the opposition, you will get beat. We need to threaten Chelsea, and it's going to be a cracking game because they're a top team. They were terrific against Tottenham on Wednesday night -- I was there.
"They are a great team who are strong and organised. Somewhere along the line Chelsea will slip up and hopefully we can exploit any weaknesses they have."
Where to Watch Live
The match is set for a 12.45 pm GMT (6.15 pm IST, 7.45 am ET) start with live coverage on Star Sports 4. The action can also be watched via live streaming online in India on Star Sports online. BT Sport will show the match live in the UK , and viewers can also watch the match via live streaming online on Watch BT Sport or BT Sport Online App. Listen to the game via radio on BBC Radio 5 Live or on their website. Catch the action in the US on TV on NBC Sports, while the game can also be Live Streamed online on NBC Sports Extra.
Audience in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the game via live streaming online on Bein Sports Connect, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do live stream the match on SuperSport online. Australia viewers can live stream the match Fox Sports On Demand, while viewers in Canada can do the same Watch Sportsnet.
Team news: Newcastle: Pardew will have Sissoko and Jack Colback back in the lineup after the duo missed the Burnley game through suspension. Fabricio Coloccini could also be back following four matches out with a calf injury, but Tim Krul, Gabriel Obertan, Ryan Taylor, Siem De Jong and Davide Santon remain sidelined. Rolando Aarons could also miss out with a hamstring problem.
Chelsea: The everpresent Nemanja Matic will not play against Newcastle because of suspension, but premier striker Diego Costa returns after serving a one-match ban. Gary Cahill is expected to be fit after not showing any signs of concussion following a head injury in the game against Spurs.
Confirmed lineups: Newcastle: Elliot; Janmaat, Coloccini, Taylor, Dummett; Colback, Tiote; Cabella, Sissoko, Sammy Ameobi; Perez.
Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Mikel; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Costa.
