Surely fixtures are worth looking at if you eliminate the teams where both teams play them. This takes away any subjective view on how easy or hard the majority of the fixtures are because you both play the same teams

But how good are the league positions of teams in consistently judging the difficulty of games? Brighton are high enough to be pretty well safe from relegation. But at present, despite Burnley’s result yesterday I would rather play Brighton than Burnley, who are in big danger of relegation.

Not in this league. Bar Liverpool and city it’s very hard to call results in the premier league. Sporadic refereeing and form.

Need 3 points today if possible and a point Wednesday

My gut feeling is that we will finish 5th for some reason. We will maintain our form to an extent and give our utmost but united or spurs will finish above us but not both. Just a hunch

Also Tommy aside we have had few injuries and have been quite fortunate so that could play a factor

Injuries could be a big factor, it's one of those things that can throw all predictions out the window. But other than that, I'm starting to feel pretty confident of fourth place. Just the fact that we can get a maximum of 87 points, whilte Tottenham and Man Utd can get 77 and 78 respcetively tells us we have a much bigger margin for error than those two. It will take a pretty substantial drop in form for us not to get to that 70 point mark, while it's looking unlikely for Man Utd and Spurs at this point.

I don’t feel confident when we are two goals up with 5 minutes to play.

There’s no way that I’d be confident about us finishing fourth. I’m fully expecting an extended period of jangling nerves.

Chelsea fans rolling out a big banner with the colors of the Russian flag and the words "The Roman Empire". They're working really hard to not make a single person feel sorry for them.

Newcastle fans singing to the Chelsea fans 'Mike Ashley, he's coming for you'

Someone called todays match between Newcastle and Chelsea the 'despot derby'.

Chelsea Women beat Aston Villa 1-0 with their goal coming two minutes into injury time. Sod it!

Having watched games yesterday and today I can only conclude that Rich is wrong. Referees don’t save all their rubbish decisions for Arsenal. There have been some horrors elsewhere. No idea what VAR brings to the party.

Looks like their mens team are repeating the late 1-0 trick.

I can also understand the point that singling out Chelsea (fun though that is) is not really fair. Klopp is pretty much on the money:

"“It is pretty obvious where the money is coming from. Everyone knew it, but we accepted it. That’s our fault. It is society’s fault, so we accepted it.

Now we cannot accept it anymore and so we punish them, it is not Chelsea’s fault. Not at all.”

Having said that, the Chelsea fans doubling down and waving the Russia flag really does make it very easy not to be fair!

How unpleasant.

Newcastle fans (assuming they are knowledgeble about world affairs) must be hoping that MBS doesn't go completely nuts and dismember someone, or invade a country, that the British government cares about.

I wouldn't put it past him!

One of the most blatant penalties you’ll ever see NOT given for Newcastle v Chelsea today. Easily a clear foul for a shirt pull and another for a clear trip. Totally incompetent
https://twitter.com/afcjxmes/status/150 ... 63137?s=21

At least the refs aren't allowing the anti-Chelsea sentiment to affect them. Chelsea certainly got away with a couple today.

Yep some real horror shows. That Havertz elbow was a red.

Emile Smith Rowe on the bench.Tomiyasu missing, the rest as you'd expect.

Come on Arsenal.................

I thought it was a red as well but those very, very rarely get given. So if it was given as a red I think as a chelsea fan you’d feel hard done by because whilst it can be justified in the rules of the game you rarely see straight reds for elbows when contesting a header like that

Here we go!

Leicester starting the game with a high, energetic press. Six of their outfield players started their Europa League game against Rennes three days ago, no way they can keep pressing like that for the full 90.

Looks like they will attack down Soares' side all day

Partey!

Partey!!!!!!!!!

Thomas Partey!!!

Partey hits the crossbar, a very good shot actually

Partey hit the post. He's so useless !

There are not many better wingers in the world getting the ball to feet and spinning their man to drive at the defence than Saka

Living very dangerously there, great sliding tackle by White

Martinelli 's decision making at times leaves a lot tobe desired.

He's itching to score all the time

Another good chance for Leicester, excellent save from Ramsdale

Feels like we’ve let them back in the game since the goal. Becoming a bit of a common thing for us. The first 10 minutes the entire game was played in their half. Much more even game since

I some times feel that with too many of our players shoot when it’s very obvious that any shot would be blocked relatively easily

The no conceding goal from a corner streak seems to be in jeopardy.

I agree. Several instances where it was crystal clear the shot would be blocked but they tried any way. Patience needed.

1 nil at the half - Nice.

Good opening 20 mins, got the goal then took our foot off the gas and conceded too much possession to Leicester.

Too many sideways and backwards passes made at too slow a pace. Ødegaard looks on his game but some of the others need to sharpen up.

Maybe bring on Emile Smith Rowe for Martinelli. At the moment it seems Martinelli doesn't seem to know if he's a winger or a forward. He needs to beat his fullback and create some opportunities that way, its all too predictable.

Need to up the tempo in the second half, we have the fresher legs here. Leicester are dangerous going forward, but so are we and their defense is a lot shakier than ours. This is far from over, but we should win