How to watch Chelsea v Newcastle United plus team news, manager quotes and streaming details

Chelsea will continue their preparations for their first season under Mauricio Pochettino when they meet a familiar opposition in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The Blues got their pre-season schedule underway with an entertaining 4-3 win over Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday and their Premier League Summer Series continues when they face Newcastle United on Thursday. The Magpies surpassed all expectations last season when they secured a fourth place finish in the Premier League and ended their two-decade absence from the Champions League.

The two sides actually met on the final day of last season as they battled to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge - but with the new campaign now just a fortnight away, all thoughts are on taking the next steps in their preparations for what should be exciting seasons in West London and in the North East.

Where and when will the game take place?

Chelsea continue their pre-season preparation in Premier League Summer Series with a fixture against Champions League qualifiers Newcastle on Wednesday, July 26.

The game takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and starts at 8:15 pm local time, which is at 1:15 am on Thursday, July 27 in the UK.

What is the latest team news?

The Blues have been boosted by the return of Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah after both defenders missed the draw with Brighton and Hove Albion and Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether they are fit enough to make a start against the Magpies.

Newcastle are expected to be without Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff but new signing Harvey Barnes could make his first start after making a substitute appearance in the draw against Aston Villa.

What has been said ahead of the game?

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino: “We’re focused on our objectives and building a base for next season. We want to make sure Chelsea gets back to where they deserve to be. Some teams like Newcastle are preparing for the Champions League and other teams have th continuity like Brighton, that’s not an excuse, we come here to try to build, at the end of the day all we want to do is win.”

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe: “I think Chelsea will be strong this year, no doubt about that. They’ve got a top manager and they’ve got top players as well. They’ve gone very young in the transfer market but young with top players who will only get better from the experiences they get playing in the Premier League this year.”

When and when will the game be broadcast?

Following pre-season action from abroad can be a pricey and inconvenient task for football fans, but Chelsea’s clash with Newcastle will be broadcast live on UK TV.

Sky Sports hold the rights for the match and will show the action from 1am on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. It can also be streamed via the Sky Go app.