The final away league game of the season has the Blues taking the longest journey of all. Awaiting at the end is a match between two in-form sides and three points that can keep the title race alive. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton preview.

Rick recalls a time when the Toon were shoulder-to-shoulder with Man United.


Had Alan Curbishley's XI put up a better show against the ten men coached by his close friend 'Mr Amazing' at Old Trafford on Saturday, this match would have had more chance of prompting the 'travesty' the West Ham manager warned about in his notorious newspaper article.

Curbishley based his opinion on his sense that United play superior football to Chelsea. And yet anyone watching the two sides over the last few weeks would not have known what he was on about. Not only did Chelsea outplay the Red Devils last weekend with an excellent display of power and passing, but the clashes between the Blues and Liverpool were far more pulsating, emotional and action-packed affairs than the Mancunians' meetings with Barcelona.

In any case, the Premier League trophy is not like Crufts' best in show, handed out to the cutest or most obedient. The only team that 'deserves' to win it is the one that has accrued the most points.

If you don't believe that, think back to 1996 when Manchester United were supposedly the Ugly Sisters and Kevin Keegan's Newcastle the Cinderellas.

Keegan has certainly thought back. 'The best team usually win [the title] except the time when we lost it,' he said last week. 'That time the best team came second.' He was referring to the time his side was 12 points clear at the top in the third week of January, and chasing a first league title in 69 years.

His all-out attacking side played what was described as 'Kamikaze football' - and it could be wonderful to watch if you weren't a defensive coach. But like Arsenal today, Keegan seemed to have mastered the art of winning friends while losing trophies.

When the two sides had played 36 games in that campaign 12 years ago, they were level on points. Yet in reality the fixtures had already conspired against the Toon. Extraordinarily, when Newcastle played their 36th game at Elland Road, Sir Alex Ferguson's team had already played their 37th the day before - and won handsomely to take a morale-boosting six-point league.

Newcastle closed the gap to three with a narrow win over Leeds but stumbled to draw their final two matches 1-1. They actually had to play their last three games in six gruelling days, while the Mancunians' fixtures were spaced out over two-and-a-half weeks.

Ferguson's team were crowned after winning 3-0 on the final Sunday against Middlesbrough, whose manager, Bryan Robson, had been playing for him two years earlier.

Coincidentally in this season's finale Ferguson faces Wigan, coached by another of his acolytes, Steve Bruce.

Once again, Ferguson found the fixtures working in his favour and his side took full advantage to move three points ahead with one game to play and a goal difference that is 19 better than the Blues'.

Beating Newcastle would put Chelsea on level pegging but if that happens, it would require a better result at home to Bolton next Sunday than United's at the JJB for Chelsea to win a third Premier League title in four years.

The odds are against it, but it would be an exceptional achievement to lose out only on goal difference - the first occasion in the history of the Football League and Premier League, in fact.

Beating Bolton may not be the hard part. Wanderers' have virtually secured their top-flight status for another season because they are three points above relegation rivals Reading, and their goal difference is 11 better.

The tough part may be this visit to St James' Park - the last Chelsea manager to win here in the league was Claudio Ranieri, with an Eidur Gudjohnsen brace, although we have won twice on Tyneside in the League Cup since.

This would have looked a far easier game a few months back. The hoped-for Keegan Revolution was not realised at first and after a period out of football his appetite and motivational skills were called into question.

It was a visit to another old haunt, Anfield, that changed things. After the impotence of Newcastle's performance at Liverpool in March Keegan was convinced he needed to play more players capable of scoring.

With personnel returning from injury too, he switched from a 4-4-2 formation to 4-3-3, meaning Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka coming in to form a three-striker frontline with Michael Owen. The hapless Alan Smith, whose last league goal came in November 2005, made way and the former Leeds man hasn't started a game since, even though Viduka suffers pain from an Achilles tendon injury.

Owen has scored six goals in seven matches since. His first in that formation, at Birmingham, earned a spirited 1-1 draw, and Newcastle have only dropped four points in the six matches since, beating Spurs 4-1 at White Hart Lane and seeing off local rivals Sunderland 2-0.

Still, Kevin Keegan has already suggested he will be glad when the season is over. Soon major squad rebuilding can begin, with Chelsea legend Dennis Wise, now Toon's executive director, having already prepared much of the ground.

Many of the team have nothing more to play for now than a place in Keegan's plans next season.

Could Manchester United stumble? Despite qualifying for a dramatic season finale in Moscow to face Chelsea, United's record in their last five league games is won two, lost one, drawn two. Thanks in part to our dynamic win over them last weekend, they had lost momentum until Saturday.

The way Chelsea have clawed back even to be in contention after the injuries of autumn and Africa Cup of Nations in January and Febuary has been hugely impressive. On Boxing Day the Blues were seven points behind United. On March 19 it was a five-point gap. Last week it was level pegging.

The lack of games in some previously injured legs may be helping now. Frank Lampard's ten league goals have come in just 22 games; Didier Drogba's eight in 17. Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry, Michael Ballack, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien are others who have played far fewer matches than last season.

New players aside, only the Coles, Ashley and Joe, Petr Cech, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Salomon Kalou and Mikel have featured more this campaign than they did last season. But by the end of this campaign the squad will have played an incredible 62 competitive matches.


NEWCASTLE UNITED V CHELSEA - Paul Dutton with a stats package for the St James' visit.

Chelsea arrive at St James' Park on the back of reaching our 10th final in 11 years and first ever European Cup final.

Chelsea and Newcastle are two of the in-form teams in the Barclays Premier League.

The Blues are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League of 19 (14 wins and five draws) matches since the defeat at the Emirates in December. We have won 26 from the last possible 30 points.

Newcastle are unbeaten in seven and have won their last three at St James' Park, all with a clean sheet, and have only dropped six from the last 21 points available.

Although Chelsea remain unbeaten against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge since 1986, our recent league record at St James' Park is indifferent. Our last Premier League victory was in 2001 although we have won twice there in the League Cup in 2004 and 2006.

Newcastle are the only team to have lost to Derby this season.

Only Reading and Derby have conceded more than Newcastle's 60 Premier League goals this term.

The Magpies have conceded 10 goals in the last five minutes which is more than any other club.

Chelsea have the best away record in the Premier League with 39 points from 18 games having won at Reading, Bolton, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Derby, Blackburn, Fulham, Birmingham, West Ham, Sunderland, Man City and Everton, drawn at Liverpool, Portsmouth and Tottenham and lost at Arsenal, Aston Villa and Man Utd.

Newcastle's league record at St James' Park this season is won eight (Wigan 1-0, West Ham 3-1, Everton 3-2, Tottenham 3-1, Birmingham 2-1, Fulham 2-0, Reading 3-0, Sunderland 2-0), drawn five (Aston Villa 0-0, Arsenal 1-1, Derby 2-2, Bolton 0-0, Middlesbrough 1-1) and lost five (Portsmouth 1-4, Liverpool 0-3, Man City 0-2, Man Utd 1-5, Blackburn 0-1).

Our away Premier League record at St James' Park in full is as follows:
1993/94 Drew 0-0
1994/95 Newcastle won 4-2
1995/96 Newcastle won 2-0
1996/97 Newcastle won 3-1
1997/98 Newcastle won 3-1
1998/99 Chelsea won 1-0
1999/00 Chelsea won 1-0
2000/01 Drew 0-0
2001/02 Chelsea won 2-1
2002/03 Newcastle won 2-1
2003/04 Newcastle won 2-1
2004/05 Drew 1-1
2005/06 Newcastle won 1-0
2006/07 Drew 0-0

Chelsea have played 59 games in all competitions this season winning 38, drawing 15 and losing six. We have scored 102 goals, conceded 42 and have kept 31 clean sheets. We have failed to score on 10 occasions.

Didier Drogba's first goal on Wednesday was our 100th goal this season and is only the ninth occasion the club has achieved that milestone. The full list: 121 (1964/65), 117 (1960/61 & 2006/07), 109 (1988/89), 108 (1997/98 & 2004/05), 105 (1971/72), 102 (2003/04) and (2007/08).

Newcastle's seven match unbeaten run
Mar 17 Birmingham (a) D 1-1
Mar 22 Fulham (h) W 2-0
Mar 30 Tottenham (a) W 4-1
Apr 5 Reading (h) W 3-0
Apr 12 Portsmouth (a) D 0-0
Apr 20 Sunderland (h) W 2-0
Apr 26 West Ham (a) D 2-2

Newcastle have played 41 games in all competitions this season, which is 18 less than Chelsea. They have won 13, lost 17 and drawn 11 scoring 50 goals, conceding 66, have kept 10 clean sheets and have failed to score on 14 occasions.

The Magpies are 12th with 43 points from 36 games, the same points total they ended with last season when they finished 13th.

Last weekend, The Magpies came from two goals down to draw at Upton Park against West Ham. Team (4-3-3): Harper; Beye, Taylor, Edgar (Diatta 90), José Enrique; Gérémi, Butt, Barton; Viduka (Smith 82), Owen (c), Martins. Their scorers were Martins (42) and Gérémi (45).

Michael Owen has scored eight in his last 12 Premier League appearances.

Premier League scorers:
Newcastle (44): Owen 10 (1 pen), Martins 9 (1 pen), Viduka 7, Butt 3, N'Zogbia 3, Gérémi 2, Milner 2, Barton 1 (pen), Beye 1, Cacapa 1, Emre 1, Faye 1, Taylor 1, own goals 2 (Duberry, Reading, Campbell, Portsmouth).
Chelsea (62): Lampard 10 (3 pens), Drogba 8, J Cole 7, Kalou 7, Ballack 6 (2 pens), Essien 6, Shevchenko 4 (1 pen), Alex 2, Belletti 2, Pizarro 2, Wright-Phillips 2, Anelka 1, Carvalho 1, A Cole 1, Malouda 1, Terry 1, own goal 1 (Dunne, Man City a).

Michael Owen is United's leading scorer in all competitions with 12. Frank Lampard still heads Chelsea's scoring chart with 19 and is hoping to reach 20 goals for the third successive season.

A Chelsea side minus Cech, Carvalho, Terry, Lampard and Drogba overcame Newcastle in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge on the 29th December. Essien opened the scoring on 29 minutes, Nicky Butt equalised (55) and Salomon Kalou clinched the victory with three minutes left.

Top of the Premier League after 37 games
Man Utd 84 pts (+56)
Chelsea [36 games] 81pts (+37)
Arsenal 80 pts (+42)

The race for the title
Mon May 5
Newcastle v Chelsea (4pm)
Sun May 11
Chelsea v Bolton (3pm)
Wigan v Man Utd (3pm)

The 'Big Four' mini league final table
Premier League games played between the four teams this season
                 P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
Man Utd    6  4   1  1  11  5  13
Chelsea    6   2   2   2  5   6   8
Arsenal     6   1   3   2  7   8   6
Liverpool   6  0   4   2   3   7   4

If selected, Ashley Cole and John Mikel Obi's will make their 50th Premier League appearance in a blue shirt and Claude Makelele his 200th start for the club.

There are no suspensions on either side.

Newcastle have won the Football League four times, the last being in 1926/27. They have been Premiership runners-up twice in 1995/96 and 1996/97. Their last major piece of silverware was the Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 when they beat Hungarian side Ujpest Dozsa 6-2 over two legs.

The referee is Steve Bennett. He has officiated four Chelsea away games this season: three wins? and Barnsley.

Chelsea's overall record against Newcastle in all competitions is: played 143, won 60, drawn 36, lost 47.

Head-to-head in the league at St James' Park: played 63, won 13, drawn 16, lost 34.

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Newcastle 0 Chelsea 0
Premiership, Sunday April 22nd 2007 at St James' Park.
Newcastle (4-4-2):Harper; Solano, Bramble, Taylor, Carr; Milner, Emre, Butt (c), Dyer; Martins, Sibierski (Carroll 78).
Manager Glenn Roeder
Booked None
Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Cech; Ferreira, Essien, Terry (c), Bridge; Makelele (Shevchenko 75); Wright-Phillips (J Cole 54), Lampard; Ballack (Mikel 17); Drogba, Kalou.
Manager José Mourinho.
Booked Essien, Mikel, Lampard
Referee Mark Halsey.
Crowd 52,056.

Full commentary is available on Chelsea Plus and on Real Radio London on DAB. The game can be followed on this website via the Matchday Centre.