Afternoon everyone! I, for one, am expecting a great game of attacking football today.

TEAM NEWS JUST IN! Newcastle unchanged from midweek win at Aston Villa.

NEWCASTLE XI: Krul; Debuchy, Taylor, Coloccini, Santon; Perch, Cabaye; Gouffran, Sissoko, Gutierrez; Cisse

We're still waiting on the Blues' lineup but while we wait let's take a closer look at that unchanged Magpies XI. New boys Yoan Gouffran and Moussa Sissoko retain their places from Tuesday night. The latter, in particular, impressed by setting up the first goal for Cisse with a precise pass.

There's no place in the starting lineup for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. The young centre-back came off the bench at Villa and big things are expected. Sylvain Marveaux also returns after missing Tuesday's game through injury but he only makes the bench.

NEWCASTLE SUBS: Elliot, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bigirimana, Anita, Marveaux, Obertan, Shola Ameobi

There's no place in the starting lineup for Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. The young centre-back came off the bench at Villa and big things are expected. Sylvain Marveaux also returns after missing Tuesday's game through injury but he only makes the bench.

NEWCASTLE SUBS: Elliot, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bigirimana, Anita, Marveaux, Obertan, Shola Ameobi

BREAKING TEAM NEWS: Demba Ba starts against his former club.

CHELSEA XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Oscar, Mata, Bertrand; Ba

It's three changes for the Blues as Petr Cech, John Terry and Ba come in for Ross Turnbull, Cesar Azpilicueta and Fernando Torres.

It's three changes for the Blues as Petr Cech, John Terry and Ba come in for Ross Turnbull, Cesar Azpilicueta and Fernando Torres.

The dropped trio move to the bench and here are the seven Chelsea substitutes in full: Turnbull, Ferreira, Azpilicueta, Ake, Benayoun, Marin, Torres

By Chelsea's standards, that's a rather weak bench. We always talk of their strength in depth but with John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses away at the Africa Cup of Nations and Eden Hazard serving out his three-match ban for 'ballboygate', it's a little bare for the Blues.

Away from the game at St James' Park, there is one Premier League game that has just entered its final 10 minutes. QPR vs. Norwich kicked off at 12.45pm and you can follow the last few minutes of action with Liam Apicella by clicking here.

Today also marks the start of the 2013 Six Nations in Rugby Union and the opening match between defending champions Wales and Ireland is at half time in Cardiff. The Irish are all over the Welsh at the moment and it's 23-3 in the visitors' favour at the interval. Follow the second half with my good man Jack Prescott here.

We also have two other exclusive live commentaries of 3pm kickoffs in the Premier League. For Everton vs. Villa with Michael Penkman, click here, while Arsenal vs. Stoke with Mark Langshaw is here.

The big news from the Emirates is that Nacho Monreal goes straight into Arsene Wenger's starting lineup with Kieran Gibbs out injured. Interestingly, Santi Cazorla fails to start a league game for the first time since he joined the Gunners in the summer.

Aaaaanyway, enough plugging of all our offerings. Let's get back to the game at St James'...

The last time these two sides met was way back in August when things were looking rosy for the-then Blues manager Roberto Di Matteo. Chelsea won it 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and even the faltering Fernando Torres scored a cracking goal.

In fact, Newcastle have only won one once in their 11 meetings against Chelsea. That victory came at the end of last season and it was a memorable game for one of the Magpies on show today. Remember Papiss Cisse's dream goal last season at the Bridge? Well that outside-of-the-boot, physics-defying goal was one of a beautiful brace that crushed Chelsea exactly nine months ago.

PREDICTION TIME! With 15 minutes until kickoff, it's time for my ill-fated prediction. I'm going to side with the visitors and think Rafael Benitez's men will just about come through 2-1. Ba to score one, Oscar the other and Cisse to poke home Newcastle's from some dodgy Chelsea marking. There you have it.

It finished as a bore draw between QPR and Norwich in the lunchtime kickoff with Adel Taarabt seeing his penalty saved by Mark Bunn with the best chance. Click here to read our match report.

REFEREE WATCH: Today's man in charge is England's top ref, Howard Webb.

There are five other Premier League kickoffs at 3pm and I'll keep you updated on all the big goals as they go in. Alternatively, keep your eye on our live scores box on the right of the screen >>> or you can also open up our full-screen scores page by clicking here.

The two sets of players have gone through the pre-match handshakes and we're just about ready to go.

Both sides are in their home strips this afternoon, with Newcastle in black and white while Chelsea sport their royal blue.

KICKOFF: We're underway at St James' Park.

Newcastle begin well and get away the first shot through Gouffran. The number 11 doesn't get hold of it though and it dribbles through to Cech.

Early goal for Villa! Christian Benteke strikes for Paul Lambert's side at Everton in just the second minute.

Nice interplay between Sissoko and Cisse sees the latter use those quick feet to escape a pair of challenges before letting fly. He strikes it well from 20 yards but Terry loves getting in the way of a shot doesn't he? Strong block.

SHOT! Gouffran drives at Ivanovic before laying it out to Santon. The full-back cuts inside onto his right foot and hits it low towards the near post. The shot is far too close to Cech though and he holds on easily.

Goal for Reading! The Royals take an early lead against Sunderland through Jimmy Kebe.

No clear-cut chances after 10 minutes then but Newcastle have looked the more dangerous. The returning Ba has had nothing to pounce on yet.

Ba may not be getting provided many goalscoring chances but one thing he is getting is plenty of boos from the Toon faithful.

Wonderful cross from Bertrand from the left flies across the face of goal but Ba wasn't quite on the same wavelength.

CHANCE! It's the first time Chelsea have got in behind Newcastle and they should be ahead. Mata clips the ball over the Magpies' defence perfectly for Cole and his bouncing cutback is tough for Lampard but he doesn't get on top of it, volleying way over with his left foot.

It was a really solid start from Newcastle but the likes of Mata and Oscar have started to dictate the play in the last five minutes or so. Chelsea on top right now.

SHOTS! Oscar's performances have been on an upward trend of late and he's linking up with Mata very nicely. The Spaniard finds him with space about 25 yards out and he has a go but balloons it over Krul's crossbar. Down the other end, Cabaye also has a pop from distance but it's straight at Cech.

Chelsea give the ball away to Sissoko and he threads it through for Cisse who can't quite get it out of his feet and shoots straight at Cech. Should've done better with that.

Everton equalise against Villa. Victor Anichebe with the goal.

"OOOH!" yelp the Geordie crowd as Santon takes on a 25-yard volley. The Italian hit it well but it was always swerving away from goal and Cech was confident it was going wide.

Villa retake the lead! Everton weren't level for long as Gabriel Agbonlahor strikes for the visitors. Wigan have also gone ahead against Southampton through Gary Caldwell.

BOOKING! Ramires becomes the first player to be shown yellow for a reckless challenge on Gutierrez. It wasn't that bad a tackle but could have seen red if the referee had been overly harsh.

JUST WIDE! Ba has come within a few centimetres of scoring against his former club. Lampard curled the ball over the top for him and he held off Coloccini before seeing his original shot parried by Krul. It popped up for the Senegalese again and he bravely headed it just wide of the empty net. Coloccini whacked his nose with his boot and he's now off the pitch being treated for a bloody, maybe broken, nose.

CHANCE! What a chance for Newcastle. Cabaye lets fly from 30-odd yards and his shot hits the back of Cisse's legs and bobbles perfectly into the striker's path. All he has to do is beat Cech from the middle of the area but he's kept out by a fine save from the Chelsea keeper.

Ba is still off the pitch and we're still not sure if he can continue.

He is now back on the pitch but doesn't look too happy about his nose being strapped up.

And out of nowhere, Newcastle score. There's still plenty of concern for Ba but Newcastle aren't going to let it slow them down. The ball is pinged out to Santon and he cuts inside and clips over a cross that Gutierrez meets and flicks perfectly into the far corner.

SUB: As expected, Ba can't continue and his return to Tyneside is cut short. Fernando Torres is on in his place.

Newcastle win a corner out on the left and Cabaye swings over a good delivery that Terry has to flick out for a corner. Great end to the half for the home side.

Torres can't clear it out of his area and Sissoko almost swipes home from the penalty spot.

BOOKING! Perch is shown yellow for needlessly throwing the ball away from Cole on the touchline. Silly boy.

There were five minutes added on because of Ba's injury. It's Newcastle who lead thanks to Gutierrez's deft header in the 41st minute. Up until then both sides had had chances to score but couldn't beat either Cech or Krul.

These are the other half-time Premier League scores:

Arsenal 0-0 Stoke
Everton 1-2 Villa
Reading 1-1 Sunderland
West Ham 0-0 Swansea
Wigan 1-0 Southampton

You can find half-time reports on all the Premier League and Championship games by clicking here.

The stats also favour Newcastle after the first half. The Magpies had 55% of possession and had 12 shots to Chelsea's four, putting eight of them on target. Pardew will be pleased.

Looking at replays for the chance when Ba suffered his injury, it may well have been given as a penalty for Chelsea. Coloccini booted the Senegalese in the face and had he done that anywhere else on the pitch it would definitely have been a free kick. Tough call for Webb as Ba did get his header away.

KICKOFF: The second half is underway.

That's brilliant from Oscar, but not in an attacking sense. The Brazilian lost out on the halfway line but sprinted back to catch up with the menacing Sissoko and nick the ball off him on the edge of the area. Great effort.

Cabaye floats a corner to the back post and it originally comes to nothing before Cisse almost beats Cech in the air under the crossbar.

Still no goals in the second half of any of the Premier League games.

Oh yes, oh yes! This is such a classic Frank Lampard goal. The ball popped out to the number eight 25 yards and he thwacked it goalwards with a bit of swerve. No chance for Krul.

That's Lampard's 10th goal in 12 starts for the Blues. He becomes the first man to score at least 10 Premier League goals in 10 consecutive Premier League seasons. Stunning achievement.

Somehow, Lampard's goal has been bettered by Mata. The ball drops for the Spaniard on the right of the area and he hits it sidefooted first time into the far corner with delicious curl. I can't praise this goal enough, world class.

Oscar beats his man down the left and clips over a cross for Mata but he can't connect on the volley.

Chelsea were all over Newcastle but suddenly the game is level once more. Gouffran has all sorts of space to sprint into and he beats Oscar for pace to present a one-on-one with Cech. The Chelsea keeper beats it away but straight into the path of the supporting Sissoko who bobbles into an empty net for his first Newcastle goal.

Apologies for the slight delay in updates, we've had a few technical difficulties at SM HQ.

CHANCE! Sissoko almost completes the turnaround by displaying his immense power to burst into the box and shoot but Cech fingertips it wide.

UPDATE: There's been plenty of goals elsewhere, here are the latest scores:

Arsenal 1-0 Stoke
Everton 2-3 Villa
Reading 1-1 Sunderland
West Ham 1-0 Swansea
Wigan 1-1 Southampton

Torres has done little to show Benitez that he should be picked ahead of Ba in the next game. Mata, especially, and Lampard most impressive for Chelsea.

CHANCE! Oscar breaks into the right of the area and his cutback somehow manages to go behind all three blue shirts in the middle. One of them has got to make a different run there.

CHANCE! Newcastle counter immediately and the two new boys, Gouffran and Sissoko, link up well yet again. Sissoko is found on the left wing and he runs at Ivanovic, feinting to open up some space in the area before toe-poking his shot straight at Cech. Either side could win this, too hard to call.

It really is end-to-end stuff. It's Oscar again who skilfully gets into the area and his original cross is blocked before the ball falls to Lampard with plenty of space on the edge of the area. He takes it on first time but blazes it way over.

Goodness me, there's never a moment to take a breath! Down the other end go Newcastle and substitute Marveaux cuts the ball back for Cisse but his left-foot shot on the swivel is nearer row Z than the goal.

Plenty of late goals at the DW and it's now Wigan 2-2 Southampton as Shaun Maloney equalises for the home side in the 90th minute.

He's done it again and surely that's the winner for Newcastle! Santon is the architect once more as he squares up Ivanovic before laying it to the new Magpies number seven on the edge of the area who hits it true into the near corner. No chance for Cech who may have been slightly unsighted.

Newcastle sub: Sissoko receives a standing ovation as he is replaced by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. Mata is also booked for a petulant kick.

CHANCE! Oh so close to a Chelsea equaliser and even more drama! A long ball is won in the air by Torres and it drops for Lampard to volley. His effort is heading into the corner until Taylor gets in the way. Lampard screams for a penalty but Webb says no and it's hard to tell on replays what was the right call. Would have been a harsh decision.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant game of football at St James'. The hero of the day is Sissoko for his strikes in the second half, while Ba's return to Tyneside ended in the first half because of what looked like a nose injury.

That win puts Newcastle six points clear of the Premier League's drop zone while Chelsea's chances of finishing in the top two are all-but over, surely.

Click here to read our full-time report or you can head here for all of today's Premier League and Championship reports.

Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our coverage this afternoon. There is one late kickoff in the Premier League this evening so make sure you head over and join Liam Apicella for Fulham vs. Manchester United. Goodbye!