Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Newcastle United and Chelsea. While the Magpies have little but pride and 10th place to play for, Chelsea know that a win is required to retain hope of ending the campaign in the top four. Let's see who features in each of the starting lineups...

NEWCASTLE UNITED XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Ritchie, Shelvey, Diame, Murphy; Perez; Gayle

NEWCASTLE UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Darlow, Manquillo, Haidara, Gamez, Hayden, Merino, Joselu

CHELSEA XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Moses, Barkley, Kante, Bakayoko, Emerson; Hazard, Giroud

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTES: Caballero, Rudiger, Alonso, Fabregas, Willian, Pedro, Morata

Let's start with Newcastle as Rafael Benitez makes just the one change from the team which suffered a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night. Kenedy does not feature due to being unable to face his parent club, meaning that Jacob Murphy is brought into the side.

It means that Dwight Gayle keeps his place in the Newcastle attack, despite having not scored a goal since February 24. Joselu takes his place among the replacements.

The defence and midfield are as expected, and the only change on the substitutes' bench sees Jesus Gamez come into the 18-man squad.

As for Chelsea, Conte makes a number of alterations to his side and it sees the players rested in midweek all come back into the starting lineup. Gary Cahill, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Eden Hazard and Olivier Giroud are notable inclusions.

Conte can also call upon Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper missed the stalemate with Huddersfield Town and appeared to be a doubt for next week's FA Cup final but the regular number one is fit enough to take his place between the sticks.

There is also a surprise start for Ross Barkley. The midfielder has had to remain patient having returned to the squad a number of weeks ago, but the playmaker finally gets to add to the 54 minutes that he has played in the Premier League this season.

Emerson Palmieri is back in the team at the expense of Marcos Alonso. The former Roma man is another who has endured a frustrating few months since his January arrival, but the 23-year-old has impressed on his four appearances in the top flight thus far.

VOTE! It's that time of the season again where awards are being handed out left, right and centre and Sports Mole are no different. You have 15 categories to choose from so click here to give your opinion on the season both home and abroad.

Newcastle head into this match sitting in 10th place in the standings but Benitez feels that the Magpies are capable of more in the seasons to come. Click here to read the Spaniard's thoughts.

If Newcastle are to become a top-10 side, their consistency will have to improve. In their last eight fixtures, the Magpies have recorded four-match winning and losing streaks!

The goals have also dried up with only one coming in Newcastle's last four outings. Just six have been scored in seven matches.

However, the North-East outfit have been superb at the back in recent months, especially at St James' Park. Not counting a trip to Manchester City, Newcastle have not conceded more than two goals in a Premier League match since December 9 when they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Leicester City.

It will not be lost on you that Benitez is facing one of his former clubs today but the Spaniard has lost eight of his 13 fixtures against the Blues, winning just three.

If Newcastle could win today, they would have overcome Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea in home matches in a single season for the first time in 49 years!

As has been the case pretty much every week this season, Conte has been speaking about his future at Stamford Bridge. Want to hear the latest? Click here.

For all of the criticism which has been directed at Chelsea, the Blues are currently the form team in the division having registered 14 points from six matches. If Liverpool beat Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon though, it will count for nothing!

Chelsea have also won their last three games on their travels, although victories on their travels have not been a problem. The West Londoners have 33 points from 18 away fixtures this season.

Giroud has been recalled to the starting lineup this afternoon and it comes as little surprise when you consider that the January signing has scored eight goals in nine Premier League games against Newcastle.

The Frenchman is yet to spend three-and-a-half months at Chelsea but he has still featured in more minutes for the Blues in the Premier League than he did for Arsenal by a margin of 159 minutes.

One factor behind Chelsea's inconsistent form in the Premier League may be Conte's rotation. Only three outfield players - Azpilicueta, Alonso and Kante - have made more than 27 top-flight starts this season.

Looks like Chelsea will be wearing their new kit this afternoon...

PREDICTION! Chelsea will no doubt adopt a positive strategy in the North-East and that should lead to frequent opportunities being created in the final third. However, the Blues do not possess a great record at St James' Park and we are backing Newcastle to earn a share of the spoils.

HEAD TO HEAD! Sunday's encounter will represent the 163rd competitive meeting between the two clubs, with Chelsea registering 71 wins in comparison to 52 victories for Newcastle.

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last five matches with Newcastle in all competitions but the West Londoners possess a poor record at St James' Park, with three defeats and a draw coming from their last four visits.

The teams have already squared off on two occasions this season, with Chelsea running out convincing 3-1 and 3-0 winners in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively.

It's time for the two teams to make their way out in the North-East. It's the same around each of their 10 Premier League grounds this afternoon. We will look to bring you updates from Liverpool against Brighton & Hove Albion as and when we can.

A quick reminder of the two teams...

NEWCASTLE UNITED XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Ritchie, Shelvey, Diame, Murphy; Perez; Gayle

CHELSEA XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Moses, Barkley, Kante, Bakayoko, Emerson; Hazard, Giroud

KICKOFF! Chelsea get us underway.

It's been a quiet opening two minutes at St James' Park with both teams looking to gain some time on the ball.

Still not a lot doing in the North-East but Newcastle have managed to win a free kick in a threatening area on the right-hand side of the box. Shelvey or Ritchie will take.

The set piece comes to nothing with Ritchie's delivery lacking height and being easily cleared by a Chelsea defender. The visitors have not got going in attack at the moment.

Chelsea's first flurry forward sees Barkley get on the ball down the right after good work from Moses but the playmaker decides to turn back and keep it conservative.

SHOT! What a strike this is! The ball is knocked down for Shelvey to hit a volley on the edge of the area and the midfielder forces Courtois into a solid save, with the Belgian punching the ball away.

SHOT! Newcastle are well up for this. It's Diame's turn to try his luck from distance with Courtois tipping the ball wide of the near post. The touch wasn't required, however.

It's still early days but Chelsea look off the pace. They are not applying enough pressure to trouble Newcastle and the home side are enjoying the time that they are having on the ball.

More of the same from Newcastle who really are being allowed to do what they want. This is a high-stakes game for Chelsea but so far, it looks like they have one eye on the FA Cup final.

The visitors launch a counter-attack through Bakayoko and Palmieri but Yedlin is soon back into position to halt the danger. Better from Chelsea but I don't think that Dubravka has touched the ball yet.

Barkley is playing much deeper than you would probably expect and it is doing nothing for Chelsea's efforts to create some momentum in the final third.

CHANCE! Nearly an opener for Newcastle. A cross came in from the right and it resulted in Kante diverting the ball towards his own goal, only for Courtois to pull off a fine reaction save.

SHOT! Newcastle have their tails up and another long-range effort comes in from Diame, who narrowly misses the post with a low strike.

It had been coming. Ritchie's inswinging delivery finds Murphy - who sees a looping half-volley clawed out by Courtois - but Gayle is on hand to convert from close range for his sixth league goal of the season.

SHOT! Newcastle could run away with this if they wanted to. Shelvey moves into the penalty area before lashing a left-footed strike wide of the post from around 16 yards out.

LATEST! There has been a goal at Anfield and Liverpool lead Brighton thanks to a Mohamed Salah goal. This isn't going to be a very dramatic day as far as the top four is concerned...

SHOT! Newcastle's ninth shot in the opening half-hour comes from Gayle, who is only denied a second goal thanks to an excellent stop from Courtois down to his left. Chelsea are yet to have an attempt on goal.

Conte looks agitated on the touchline but it doesn't appear that he has changed anything tactically. It's difficult to see Chelsea making a dent in Newcastle if they don't.

It's worth noting that it is worth Newcastle giving everything to win this match. A defeat could result in the club dropping down the table, potentially costing the Magpies around £8m in prize money.

CHANCE! Perez nearly gets in on the act when getting a shot away from inside of the penalty area but Christensen gets himself in the way to divert the ball behind for a corner.

Chelsea's use of the ball is pedestrian and the same can be said regarding their movement off it. This really is as poor as it gets from the West Londoners.

LATEST! It's still 1-0 to Liverpool against Brighton. The Merseyside giants currently stand to finish in third because Tottenham Hotspur are losing to Leicester City.

LATEST! Liverpool lead 2-0 now. Dejan Lovren has got on the scoresheet. The race for the top four is all but over for Chelsea.

We are currently having a break in play for Gayle to receive some treatment. The half-time whistle cannot come quick enough for the Blues and this delay won't help matters.

Finally, some kind of threat from Chelsea. Palmieri's cross is headed behind by Dummett and the Blues win a corner. However, that's it. Palmieri's corner does not beat the first man.

There will be two minutes of added-on time.

CHANCE! Yet another chance for Newcastle. Ritchie advances down the right before playing the ball inside for Perez, who scuffs a shot marginally wide of the far post from 14 yards.

The half-time whistle goes at St James' Park and we have potentially just witnessed the most one-sided opening 45 minutes of the season. Newcastle have been outstanding and Chelsea have done nothing whatsoever. They've had one corner and no shots in a must-win match.

Newcastle's goal came midway through the first half and it had been coming for a while. Courtois made one of many excellent saves to hook a Murphy effort off the line but Gayle was on hand to convert from close range. Given that he hadn't scored since February 24, the Magpies striker has played with confidence this afteroon.

Conte must surely make changes at the break although with Liverpool coasting to victory at Anfield, the Italian may look to rest some of his key men for next week. The replacements can do no worse than what the current XI have produced.

It's time for the two teams to make their way back out. No changes from Conte...

KICKOFF! Newcastle get us back underway.

SUBSTITUTION! It looks like Gayle has picked up a knock so Joselu is going to be introduced in his place.

Almost a glimmer of a chance for Chelsea. Kante and Giroud do well to set up Hazard, but the playmaker runs out of space in the penalty area.

CHANCE! Wow, Giroud almost nets a worldie of a goal. The cross comes in from the right and the Frenchman produces the most elaborate flick on the half-volley, forcing Dubravka into a stunning stop.

LATEST! It's certainly game over as far as the top four is concerned now. Former Chelsea forward Dominic Solanke has scored Liverpool's third against Brighton.

Barkley has been much improved in this second half and the January signing does well down the right-hand side of the penalty area before drilling the ball across goal. However, Dubravka makes a solid claim in the six-yard box.

Chelsea have certainly perked up. It won't make much difference this afternoon but the players are at least showing their boss that they at least want to get a positive result on the board.

Just like that, it is probably game over. Bakayoko's poor clearance only finds Shelvey and the midfielder's well-struck volley takes a nick off Perez and goes into the far corner of the net.

The Newcastle fans are on their feet and their players are responding in kind. You wouldn't back against the Magpies netting a third.

CHANCE! How on earth has Barkley missed this? Hazard's cross finds its way to the Englishman who should score from six yards after sorting his feet out. However, Dubravka sticks out a leg to deny the playmaker a first Chelsea goal.

Chelsea are all over the place. A deep free kick finds Lejeune, whose first-time volley across goal is converted by Perez for his second in four minutes.

Chelsea have had two good chances since the start of the second half but Newcastle have been ruthless. The North-East outfit are going to be finishing in 10th place in the table.

The substitutions will probably start to come from both teams now. This match is over as a contest. Maybe expect Kante and Hazard to be withdrawn for the Blues.

Almost an opening for Chelsea as Barkley links up with Moses but the latter is shrugged off the ball as he attempts to get a shot away from 10 yards out.

CHANCE! This was a difficult chance but an opportunity nevertheless. Moses does well again and crosses for Giroud, but the Frenchman misses with a half-volley at the back post.

SUBSTITUTION! A second switch for Newcastle sees Hayden introduced as a replacement for Ritchie.

There's a bit more space starting to open up in the middle of the pitch as Chelsea look for a consolation goal but Newcastle are determined to keep this clean sheet. They've had a couple of let-offs but for the large part, they have dealt with Chelsea's attacks.

SUBSTITUTIONS! Here come two changes from Chelsea as Willian and Morata are introduced for Barkley and Giroud.

This game may be over as a contest but head over to the fixture involving Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City. There have been nine goals and there is still over 10 minutes to play!

We are into the final 10 minutes now and there are signs that this match is starting to peter out. Chelsea and their supporters are probably counting down the minutes before they can head back to the capital.

SUBSTITUTION! Chelsea's third alteration sees Hazard replaced by Pedro.

The visitors have just produced another flurry forward but it ended with a free kick being given to Newcastle.

LATEST! It matters little but a fourth goal has gone in at Liverpool with Andrew Robertson getting on the scoresheet for the Merseyside giants.

SUBSTITUTION! A final change for Newcastle sees Haidara replace Diame.

There will be just two minutes of added-on time.

The full-time whistle goes at St James' Park and Newcastle have sealed a very comfortable win over Chelsea, who offered little in the North-East. The Blues will be playing in the Europa League next season and who knows what that will mean for the futures of some of their star men. Newcastle end the campaign in 10th spot, which is a tremendous achievement.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this afternoon and throughout the Premier League campaign.

If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.