Barclays Premier League

FT: CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0

Chelsea maintain their 100 per cent start to the season, making it three wins out of three after seeing off a subdued Newcastle side at Stamford Bridge. The Blues never really got out of first gear, but in truth they did not have to as the visitors set up defensively and failed to cause their backline any degree of discomfort in a one-sided opening period which saw Fernando Torres and Eden Hazard both help themselves to a goal and an assist. Torres was foolishly felled by Vurnon Anita on 22 minutes and Hazard calmly slotted home the resulting penalty. Scorer turned provider in first-half stoppage time, Hazard backheeling the ball into the path of Torres, who still had much to do, but did it in style with a delicious shot from the edge of the box with the outside of his right foot which found the top corner. It was the sixth assist of Hazard's young Premier League career and he looks a fantastic acquisition who will give Chelsea hope that they can end Manchester's monopoly on the title. Newcastle's best chance fell to Papiss Cisse, but he headed wastefully wide midway through the second half and when Demba Ba also failed to beat Petr Cech late on their hopes of salvaging anything from the game were extinguished. On the evidence of this display the Toon will do incredibly well to match their fifth-placed finish of last season. Chelsea, meanwhile, can have far loftier ambitions.

LUIZ RETURNS TO ACTION

David Luiz is back on, his head heavily bandaged.

INTO STOPPAGE TIME

There will be four minutes of added time.

TREATMENT FOR LUIZ

David Luiz is down inside his own penalty area after a clash of heads with Demba Ba.

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTION

Lampard is on, for Raul Meireles.

CHANGE IN THE OFFING

Frank Lampard is getting ready to come on for Chelsea.

BA PASSES UP GLORIOUS CHANCE

Ba is gifted a golden chance after a cross from the left by Marveaux, but after miskicking with his first attempt the second is scuffed, allowing Cech the opportunity to save.

DEFENDING STOUTLY

Newcastle look to hit on the break, but Mikel does well to cut out what could have proved to be a dangerous cross from Ryan Taylor.

GOOD SAVE FROM KRUL

Ryan Bertrand unleashes a rasping left-foot shot which Krul is adjudged to have tipped wide of the post. The goalkeeper claims he never got a touch.

NEWCASTLE SUBSTITUTION

James Perch takes the place of Yohan Cabaye.

TOO HIGH FROM MEIRELES

Another Chelsea free-kick this time sees Raul Meireles go for goal. It's just as bad as the effort from David Luiz before him.

NEWCASTLE SUBSTITUTION

Sylvain Marveaux comes on for Newcastle, taking the place of Davide Santon.

FREE-KICK CHANCE FOR CHELSEA

Jonas Gutierrez fouls Raul Meireles 22 yards from goal and Chelsea have a chance to go for goal from the free-kick. David Luiz shoots timidly over the bar. What a waste.

BAD MISS FROM CISSE

Ryan Taylor picks out Papiss Cisse at the far post with an excellent free-kick, but from a good position he heads lazily over the crossbar.

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTION

Juan Mata is replaced by Ramires.

NEWCASTLE SUBSTITUTION

Danny Simpson is replaced by Ryan Taylor.

TIMELY TACKLE BY JONAS

Cole picks out Mata on the right and he looks to set up a second for Torres. Gutierrez nips in in the nick of time to stab the ball back to his goalkeeper.

CECH CALLED INTO ACTION

Back come Newcastle again, with Ba's low left-footed drive being smuggled out for a corner by Cech at his near post.

JOB DONE FOR CHELSEA?

Chelsea are just going through the motions at the moment, they feel like their job is done, which is dangerous.

TRIVIA ANSWER

The last Chelsea player before Eden Hazard to score a penalty for Chelsea other than Frank Lampard or Didier Drogba was Michael Ballack in 2008.

CISSE HEADS WIDE

Simpson crosses from the right, Cisse heads well over. Still, this is more enterprising by the visitors than their first-half display.

WIDE FROM BEN ARFA

Newcastle create their best chance of the match. Ben Arfa cuts inside Meireles but drags a left-foot shot wide of the post.

IT'S TRIVIA TIME

Who was the last player before Eden Hazard to score a penalty for Chelsea (not including shoot-outs) apart from Frank Lampard or Didier Drogba? Answer in a few minutes.

WEATHER REPORT

It is tipping it down again at the moment. You feel a waterlogged pitch and a postponement is Newcastle's only hope.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Newcastle kick off the second half. Yohan Cabaye has received treatment on that injury at the break and is fit to retake his place in the Newcastle midfield.

HT: CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0

Chelsea lead at the break and are halfway towards a third straight victory to start the season. The opening goal came on 22 minutes, Fernando Torres going to ground after an ill-judged attempt at a tackle by Vurnon Anita. Eden Hazard assumed penalty-taking responsibilities with Frank Lampard only on the substitutes' bench and expertly beat Tim Krul from 12 yards. Torres added a magnificent second with a classy finish in stoppage time. Newcastle's approach has been very cautious and that second goal might have ended their hopes of taking anything from this game. You would like to see Alan Pardew unshackle his attacking players and let them cause Chelsea's defence some problems. The Blues showed on Wednesday against Reading they are quite capable of leaking goals if they are put under pressure, but it has been all too easy so far with the visitors sat very deep.

NEWCASTLE INJURY

Yohan Cabaye limps off with an inury after a challenge with Ryan Bertrand.

GOAL: CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE 0

Fernando Torres scores a stunning second for Chelsea, slotting home with the outside of his right foot from the outside of the box after good play by Hazard in the build-up.

INTO STOPPAGE TIME

We'll have four minutes of added time at the end of the first half.

TOON SHOT ON TARGET

Cisse tries a snap-shot on the turn after Ben Arfa wins the ball, but Cech gathers easily.

BA HEADS WAY OVER

Cisse's cross is just too high for Ba, who cannot get above the ball and heads well over the crossbar.

BOOKED FOR DIVING

Fernando Torres is shown the yellow card for taking a tumble over the right foot of Fabricio Coloccini. It's a little harsh because there was contact.

IN SEARCH OF A SECOND

Hazard finds space down the inside-left channel and sets up Mata outside him. The Spaniard looks to thread a low ball into Torres, but it is cut out by a Newcastle defender. Moments later, Hazard shoots wide from the edge of the area.

IVANOVIC AN AERIAL THREAT

Branislav Ivanovic meets an Ashley Cole cross from the left with a powerful header that forces Tim Krul into a save to his right.

LUIZ IN THE WARS

Now David Luiz has treatment after falling awkwardly following an aerial challenge with Papiss Cisse.

MEIRELES BACK IN ACTION

Raul Meireles has come back on to the pitch, but he is certainly not moving freely.

MEIRELES INJURED

Raul Meireles appears to have a problem behind his left knee and will have to go off. Frank Lampard is getting ready to come on.

NAIVE DEFENDING FROM ANITA

The penalty was perfectly dispatched into the corner by Hazard, who now has one goal and five assists in two games and 24 minutes of football. It was a foolish tackle by Anita, who stuck his foot in and although he tried to withdraw it Torres was already going to ground.

GOAL: CHELSEA 1 NEWCASTLE 0

With Frank Lampard on the bench, Eden Hazard steps up and beats Tim Krul from the spot.

CHELSEA PENALTY

Fernando Torres is tripped by Vurnon Anita and Chelsea have a penalty.

SPOTTED IN THE STANDS

Among those watching in the stands is former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. The Swede looks decidedly bored.

TAME SHOT AGAIN

Meireles plays a marvellous ball in to Torres, who controls it on his chest before teeing up Bertrand. The shot from the Chelsea man is tame and again easy for Krul.

CAGEY OPENING

Newcastle have not figured in this match as an attacking force as yet, they are happy at present to keep Chelsea's flair players shackled.

FIRST SHOT ON GOAL

Vurnon Anita is robbed by Mikel, who dinks a pass forward to Hazard. His shot is on target, but very tame and easy for Krul to collect.

VOLLEY WELL OVER

Ben Arfa plays an angled ball over the top for Demba Ba, who volleys well over the crossbar at full stretch.

THE EDEN PROJECT

Two assists against Wigan, three against Reading, can Eden Hazard keep improving or has the man from Belgium already peaked?

PULLING THE STRINGS

Eden Hazard shows wonderful skill down the right, but Fernando Torres is not on the same wavelength and the ball rolls out for a goal-kick.

PLENTY LEFT IN THE TANK

Papiss Cisse is making his second start in less than 48 hours for Newcastle, having played in the Europa League on Thursday. Alan Pardew, though, is not worried, saying the Senegalese had been asked not to do any defensive work in Greece and had taken him at his word. Therefore he should still have bags of energy remaining.

PARDEW ON THE TOUCHLINE

Although Alan Pardew has admitted a charge of improper conduct for pushing a linesman last week, he has requested a personal hearing so any punishment will not kick in until after he has made his case to the FA.

WELL WIDE FROM MEIRELES

Meireles tries his luck from 30 yards, but his effort is well wide of the right-hand upright.

CHELSEA CALLING THE TUNE

Branislav Ivanovic plays a teasing ball in from wide on the right, but it's just beyond Fernando Torres.

WEATHER REPORT

There was a fearsome old storm here not long before kick-off. Torrential rain was bucketing down, but there was no danger of this match being called off, as Sunderland's match with Reading was earlier in the day.

HERE WE GO

Chelsea get the game under way, attacking the goal to our left.

TODAY'S TEAMS

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Meireles, Mata, Hazard, Bertrand, Torres. Subs: Turnbull, Essien, Romeu, Ramires, Lampard, Oscar, Sturridge. Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, S. Taylor, Santon, Cabaye, Anita, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa. Subs: Harper, Williamson, Perch, R. Taylor, Amalfitano, Marveaux, Obertan.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea make three changes to the side that beat Reading in midweek. John Terry is sidelined with that neck injury, allowing David Luiz to make his return. Frank Lampard is given a rest, he starts on the bench with Raul Meireles taking his place and Ryan Bertrand comes in for Ramires. Newcastle show two changes to the side that beat Spurs on opening day. Skipper Fabricio Coloccini returns in place of James Perch and Cheik Tiote is out with a knee injury, so Vurnon Anita makes his first Premier League start.

PREVIEW

With all due respect to Wigan and Reading, we should get a much better idea of Chelsea's true potential as title challengers after the visit of Newcastle to Stamford Bridge this afternoon. Both these sides have yet to drop a point and with all the attacking flair on show, this promises to be one of the matches of the weekend. It is only three months ago that Newcastle went to Chelsea and came away with a 2-0 victory that will be remembered for that audacious long-range right-foot swerver hit by Papiss Cisse from wide on the left which dropped over the head of Petr Cech and under the crossbar for one of the goals of the season. Ultimately, it was that result which enabled Newcastle to finish in fifth place in the table, one place above the Blues. Chelsea fans will argue that their side had one eye on the upcoming FA Cup Final that day. The Toon have had their own distractions this time around, with some daft scheduling meaning they played a Europa League qualifier in Greece less than 48 hours before. Even though Alan Pardew fielded a greatly weakened starting line-up for that match it surely has to take some kind of toll. Today's game kicks off at 1730BST, so join us around 30 minutes beforehand when we should have the confirmed team news, which will be followed by a match commentary.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Which new signing has made arguably the biggest impact in the opening week of the season? It's hard to look past Chelsea's Eden Hazard, who created both goals in Sunday's win at Wigan and followed it up with three assists against Reading. The Belgian formerly with Lille is justifying his hefty transfer fee, if £32million splashed out on a 21-year-old football player can ever look like money well spent. As for the visitors, Newcastle's front three are capable of doing damage to any team on any day. On this ground last year it was Papiss Cisse, while Demba Ba's sublime strike against Spurs last weekend means the Senegalese has started this season in as impressive form as he began last term. Hatem Ben Arfa has been a revelation for the Toon over the last 12 months and he also appears to be firing again with a goal and an assist against Spurs.

FORM GUIDE

Chelsea have kicked off the season with two victories and have won their last three in a row in the Premier League going back to the final day of last season. Newcastle won eight games away in the top flight last term, but their form away from home was flaky and all but one of their eight defeats on the road came by more than one goal. They conceded five at Tottenham and Fulham and four at Norwich and Wigan, one of the contributory factors to them having the worst defensive record away from home of any side in the top half of the table.

HEAD TO HEAD

Chelsea have the better head-to-head record in league meetings between the sides with 53 wins to 45 by Newcastle and 36 games being drawn. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have 37 wins to 11 for Newcastle, with a further 19 meetings ending up all square. As already mentioned, Newcastle won 2-0 at Chelsea in May, avenging the 3-0 defeat inflicted upon them by the Blues at St James' Park the previous December, with Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge the scorers on Tyneside. That Newcastle win at Chelsea last season was their first in the Premier League era (11 defeats and six draws) and their first at the Bridge since November 1986.

EARLY TEAM NEWS

John Terry is rated highly doubtful for Chelsea with a sore neck, but David Luiz is expected to be fit again having missed the win over Reading. Marko Marin is still sidelined with a hamstring problem. Newcastle will gave late fitness tests to captain Fabricio Coloccini (thigh) and striker Demba Ba (shin). Cheick Tiote (calf) and Shola Ameobi (hamstring) are also doubtful.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Taking charge of today's game is Phil Dowd, who has been a member of the elite panel of Premier League referees since 2001. The man from Stoke-on-Trent showed 105 yellow cards in 28 games last season, the second most among Premier League officials and he had a higher yellow cards per game ratio (3.79) than anyone else. He also dismissed three players and awarded more fouls than any other referee. Dowd kicked off last weekend with Liverpool's match at West Brom, and got an early red card under his belt with the second-half dismissal of Reds defender Daniel Agger. His assistants today are the same as they were last weekend, Scott Ledger and Harry Lennard, while Chris Foy is the fourth official.