Frank Lampard has made changes to his Chelsea team for this afternoon's Premier League clash away at Newcastle United.
In excellent form prior to the international break with four successive victories in all competitions, the head coach will be hoping that the pause in play from league action doesn't have a major impact on his side.
Hitting Sheffield United for four last time out in the league, Lampard has had to shuffle things about with Thiago SIlva not included in the matchday squad after jetting off across the globe over the past few week to represent Brazil.
Antonio Rudiger is the man to come in for the experienced defender, with Ben Chilwell also starting after coming off for England against Belgium last week.
Kai Havertz, who tested positive for Covid-19 before the international break, is not included in the squad.
Going into the match in fifth and one point behind Southampton in the final Champions League place, the Blues can actually go top of the league with three points on Tyneside.
However, their potential stay at the summit of the Premier League will only be temporary with Saints, Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester City all in action this weekend.
Games at St James' Park are never easy and Lampard knows all too well having tasted defeat as both a player and head coach in the north east during his time at Chelsea.
"I do know that Newcastle is always a very difficult game," he explained his pre-match press conference.
"I played in those games and they were always very difficult. Particularly for us, we have the difficulties of the early kick off, I am not using it as an excuse but it is just a fact. A factor for us.
"Steve Bruce is a great manager and he deserves great credit for the job he has done and the way he organises his team. It is a tough game on all fronts."
Chelsea XI vs Newcastle: Mendy; James, Rudiger, Zouma, Chilwell; Kante, Kovacic, Mount; Ziyech, Werner, Abraham
Substitutes: Kepa, Christensen, Emerson, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud
