OPINION
Newcastle United will be going into their game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with absolutely no fear.
The Magpies will be filled with confidence after beating Manchester United 1-0 at St James’ Park, with the international break after giving them the opportunity to rest before the trip to London.
Steve Bruce will believe that his squad can go and pick up three points against when they face Chelsea, as they have done it against Tottenham earlier in the season.
Newcastle fans will be hopeful that the win against the Red Devils last time out can fully kickstart their season, and will have preferred a so-called easier game next up in the Premier League.
Frank Lampard appears to be in confident mood ahead of the game and has even questioned the threat that the Magpies possess in their side.
“I saw them at Tottenham put in some resilience, they have got templates to get results in that way,” he said as quoted by the Shields Gazette.
“What can they do to hurt us? I expect nothing different.”
Has Lampard just handed Steve Bruce his team talk at Stamford Bridge? There is no doubting that the players will be desperate to show the Chelsea boss he is wrong in his assessment.
Newcastle must prove that they have the threat to hurt Chelsea, and not just sit behind the ball for the full game and expect to earn three points.
The win against Manchester United proved they are much more than that, with the Longstaff brothers epitomising their strengths.
The midfield duo never stopped running in the game, and the counter-attacking skill of Allan Saint-Maximin is set to cause the Blues real problems on Saturday.
Lampard also confirmed that his side are plagued with injuries, with Ngolo Kante, Andreas Christensen, and Antonio Rudiger are all ruled out [Shields Gazette].
That will make his side weaker through their spine, and Newcastle can certainly take advantage of Chelsea’s youthful team with a disciplined performance at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle should go into the game looking to prove Lampard wrong, and there would be no better way to do that than by walking away from London with all three points once again.
