For Newcastle United and Chelsea, their respective outlooks heading into the final fixture before the World Cup couldn't be much more different.

While Eddie Howe's side are enjoying a brilliant season that at this point looks set to end with a European spot at the very least, Chelsea have endured a difficult few weeks and are on the slide.

Essentially, the World Cup break comes at the worst possible moment for Newcastle, but for Chelsea it's perfectly timed as it can potentially act as a circuit-breaker.

Nevertheless, there's still time for Chelsea to improve their collective mood heading into the break – though Saturday's trip to St James' Park is going to be a real test.

Newcastle a different beast

In the world of football, people love to look back for omens. Chelsea and their fans might be able to trick themselves into some confidence if they reflect on the club's record against Newcastle.

The Blues have won three of their past four Premier League away games against the Magpies – if they rack up another, they'll make it three victories in a row at St James' Park for the first time since 1958.

Similarly, Chelsea have won seven of their previous eight league games against Newcastle (L1), including the past four in a row without conceding.

But this Newcastle is obviously a rather different proposition. They'll be playing a Premier League game after starting the day in the top three for the first time since November 2011, and it'll be the first time they've faced Chelsea while above them in the table in 12 and a half years.

Newcastle also head into the game knowing a win will see them tally five top-flight triumphs in a row for the first time in eight years. 

Chelsea have the blues

Graham Potter made history after going unbeaten in his first nine games at the Chelsea helm, but since then they've lost three out of four matches.

Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the EFL Cup third round was hardly a major shock, but it'll have done little to improve their state of mind after the team's confidence took a battering – literally and figuratively – in the 4-1 defeat to Potter's former side Brighton and Hove Albion and a 1-0 reverse at home to Arsenal.

The latter two were both in the league and were only separated by a slender Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb, meaning defeat on Saturday would see them lose three top-flight games in a row for the first time since November 2015 when Jose Mourinho was in charge.

Shot-shy Chelsea

Part of Chelsea's problem has been their struggles in front of goal, which perhaps shouldn't be seen as hugely shocking given they let two strikers in Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku leave in pre-season.

Only five clubs have had fewer shots in the Premier League this term than Chelsea (151), with their average of 11.6 shots per game their lowest on record in a single campaign (since 1997-98).

By comparison, their hosts are having no such issues.

Only Liverpool and Manchester City have had more shots than Newcastle (208), with their average of 14.9 attempts per game their highest since 2013-14 (15.2).

Chelsea do at least have two players who've enjoyed facing Newcastle in the past. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been involved in nine goals in as many meetings with them in all competitions, his best return against one team in English football, while Raheem Sterling has recorded six goal involvements in his past six league games against the Magpies.

However, neither could be considered in a rich vein of form – that's certainly not something you could say about Newcastle's Miguel Almiron.

Almiron's on fire

Almiron's turnaround at Newcastle has genuinely been quite heart-warming, particularly against the backdrop of those disparaging comments made by Jack Grealish earlier this year.

The Paraguayan has been utterly lethal for Newcastle this season, and his form received the recognition it deserved on Friday when he was announced as the Premier League's Player of the Month for October.

But his excellence hasn't just been localised to October. Almiron has eight goals in 14 Premier League games this term, just one fewer than he managed in his first 110 in the competition combined.

Clearly, though, he's really found his groove in the past few weeks, as a goal against Chelsea will see him become the first player to net in five successive league games for the club since Joe Willock's remarkable run of seven at the end of the 2020-21 season.

Jurgen Klopp believes England manager Gareth Southgate should have no concerns about playing Trent Alexander-Arnold in the knockout stages of the World Cup.

The Liverpool right-back has come in for criticism from sections of the media for his defensive displays this season, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville claiming he should not feature in knockout games should the Three Lions make it that far in Qatar.

Alexander-Arnold was named in Southgate's 26-man squad on Thursday, and Klopp has backed his player, pointing to the numerous finals he has played in and trophies he has won.

"It's nice. It's a big tournament, everybody dreams of these kind of things and he was very pleased about the news and I am very happy for him," Klopp said at a press conference on Friday.

Though Alexander-Arnold has been questioned about his defensive work, he has averaged more progressive passes per 90 minutes (9.5) than any other player in the Premier League this season.

The 24-year-old has played in three Champions League finals, winning one, as well as lifting both the EFL Cup and FA Cup with Liverpool last season.

"I know Trent now for long enough, he knows that apart from playing football he has no influence [on selection decisions], it's a lot of talk around him," Klopp added.

"I heard now that Gary Neville said something about in the knockout games [Alexander-Arnold] cannot play or whatever, I'm not sure he said it really or somebody wrote it down and changed the words a little bit.

"He is now 24, he won quite a few finals, that's a very important game where you have to defend, he played finals against Chelsea last year for example, they were incredibly intense and world-class players were in moments better than players they face at the World Cup, definitely.

"[Champions League] finals against Tottenham and Real Madrid, he was always there and he always defended well. I don't know exactly why we have this discussion but it's fine.

"I think he would have been disappointed if he had not been there... I saw his face and realised he was really happy about it."

Klopp's Liverpool host Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday in their final game before the World Cup, with the visitors bringing a new manager to Anfield after Ralph Hasenhuttl was replaced by Nathan Jones this week.

"I actually thought Ralph Hasenhuttl did an exceptional job there," Klopp said. "Everything has its time, but if Southampton showed anything then it was for sure attitude. They were a highly-motivated team, always really going for it.

"Yes, with a new manager there might be an extra few per cent if that's possible but for us that's not our problem because we always expect a really motivated opponent."

Chelsea boss Graham Potter believes Reece James and Ben Chilwell will react well to the disappointment of missing out on England's squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

James sustained a knee injury in a Champions League game against Milan last month, and an estimated eight-week timescale for his recovery immediately threw his World Cup hopes into doubt.

The right-back initially vowed to do everything in his power to feature, but Gareth Southgate said there were simply "too many unknowns" concerning James' recovery as he left him out of the Three Lions' 26-man squad.

Fellow Blues full-back Chilwell will also miss the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury, and while Potter says the duo are understandably down, he believes they will bounce back.

"It's a natural reaction, they're disappointed. Reece thought he would be close and did everything he could to give himself a chance, but in the end, he fell a little bit short," Potter said on Friday.

"Obviously, I can understand the decision and understand Reece's frustration and disappointment. We just have to focus on the rehab on try to get them back as soon as we can.

"It's normal, World Cups don't come around very often and to miss them is disappointing, but they're strong characters. They'll be fine."

After Saturday's trip to Newcastle United, Chelsea are not in action until they face Bournemouth in the Premier League on December 27 – having been eliminated from the EFL Cup in midweek – and Potter hopes to use that break to nurse his injured stars back to fitness.

"If you're going to look at the positives, it's a time to do the rehab as thoroughly as possible without a timescale hanging over them," Potter said. "Hopefully, we have them when we restart and they're fit, strong and well.

"I wouldn't say I'm really looking forward to it, but we have to use it as what it is, and it's an opportunity to take stock.

"It's been incredibly intense, we've learned a lot. It's a chance to reflect. It would be stupid of me not to use that time to rejuvenate, to recover and to improve."

Midfielder Conor Gallagher was included in England's squad after making 17 appearances for Chelsea this season, and Potter believes he deserves it after breaking into the Blues' first team.

Asked if Gallagher's selection was a surprise, Potter said: "It's not something I really gave too much thought, to be honest; it's just nice for us and great for Conor. He's going to have a really positive experience, I think. 

"He's worked really hard, and he's a fantastic person, so it's nice. It's a fantastic honour for him, everyone is really pleased. 

"It's a nice story, he's been out on loan and come through the club, so to get the chance to play at the World Cup is great news for him."

England's all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney hopes Harry Kane smashes his record during the World Cup.

Kane heads to the tournament with 51 goals for the Three Lions, two behind Rooney's record hail, with the pair standing as the only England players to have hit the half-century mark.

Having scored six times in Russia four years ago to win the Golden Boot, Kane will be confident of surpassing Rooney's tally in Qatar.

While others may wish to hold onto such a record, Rooney is fully behind Kane taking a record that is "there to be broken".

"I'm delighted for him, I think he'll go on and smash the record, I think he'll end up on 70-odd goals," Ronney told TalkSPORT.

"He deserves it for the work he puts in. It's a huge honour to have the record but the record is there to be broken and I couldn't think of anyone better to take that record.

"Hopefully, he gets it during this World Cup because it will mean he's doing well for England."

Kane was one of the sure-fire picks for Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad, which was named on Thursday, though the England manager's selection of Harry Maguire has come under some criticism.

Rooney, who took up a coaching role with D.C. United in MLS earlier this year, believes Southgate has made the right choice in picking the Manchester United centre-back, though he questioned the exclusion of Milan's Fikayo Tomori.

"Harry has been great in the last two tournaments. When I was in the squad, Gareth reiterated to me that he is picking players on form and I wasn't playing, so I didn't get picked, but he seems to have gone away from that now," he added.

"There's a couple of players within the squad who haven't been playing but I think Harry is a very good professional, he'll start the games, I have no doubt, and I'm sure he won't let England down.

"The squad is probably as strong as it could be, if I'm being honest. The only one really is Tomori, from my point of view. He was the one who was pushing to be in the squad, and he will be disappointed that he is not. Everything else is really what I expected.

"With Maguire not playing as much as he wants, I think Southgate might go for the protection with three centre-backs and that is obviously why he's gone with Eric Dier ahead of Tomori, because he fits into the back three.

"I hope we go for four [at the back] and get an extra attacker on the pitch but I think he might go for the back three."

England kick-off their group stage campaign against Iran on November 21, then tackle the United States and Wales in Group B.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for his behaviour this season and questioned why other former team-mates are defending him.

Ronaldo was left out of the United squad for a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in October after refusing to come on as a substitute in the previous game against Tottenham, where he also left the dugout before the final whistle.

The veteran forward has since returned to the side, captaining United in their most recent Premier League match at Aston Villa.

But speculation around Ronaldo's future persists after he pushed for a move away from Old Trafford ahead of the season, and Rooney warns he will be an "unwanted distraction" if he does not change his attitude.

"I don't think they're a better team with him in the side. I just think the things he has done since the start of the season are not acceptable for Manchester United," Rooney told talkSPORT.

"We've seen Roy Keane defending him, Roy wouldn't have accepted that at all. It's a distraction that Manchester United don't need at the minute, it's time to rebuild.

"Cristiano needs to get his head down and work, be ready to play when the manager needs him. If he does that, he'll be an asset. If he doesn't, I think it will be an unwanted distraction."

Ronaldo and Rooney arrived at United in consecutive years in 2003 and 2004 as two of the most exciting young players in world football.

And Rooney now wants to see United pursue a 2023 equivalent in the form of Jude Bellingham, who he was immediately impressed by when facing the Borussia Dortmund midfielder during his time at Birmingham City.

"I played against Bellingham when he was at Birmingham and I was at Derby, he actually man-marked me during that game," Rooney said. "I think he was about 16, maybe just 17, and what I really liked about him is every time I passed the ball off, he'd leave a stud in on me.

"And I remember thinking that he's got something about him, just to show the character to go out to Germany and take that league by storm.

"That mentality to perform, obviously he's been captain in quite a few of the games as well, he's going to be a huge player for England. Even though he's young, he can put some of that character into some of the rest of the squad.

"I hope Manchester United are targeting him. I hope he doesn't go to Liverpool or Manchester City. I'm sure they're doing their work, he's probably the hottest youngster in world football at the minute.

"I'm sure United are looking at that as well, I know they tried to get him a couple of years ago. He's a player that United could really do with at the moment."

Pep Guardiola joked both he and Jurgen Klopp will need to play for Manchester City and Liverpool when the sides meet after the World Cup.

The Premier League rivals will meet for the third time this season, having faced off in the Community Shield and the top-flight already, with the Reds victorious on both occasions, when they play each other in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

But their next encounter will come immediately in the shadow of Qatar 2022, with the tie set to take place only a handful of days after the World Cup final on December 18.

That has led Guardiola to suggest both managers may need to lace up their boots, while conceding he does not know how his team will look once the dust settles after the tournament.

"He's going to play at left-back," he quipped on Klopp in a press conference. "I'm going to play holding midfielder. [But] I don't know how many players we will have.

"If [their national teams] don't get through the group stages, then they will be able to play Liverpool. If not, then we will see. Players will come back, but I don't know in what condition [yet]."

Both City and Liverpool will see several key players head to Qatar with their respective nations, though a fleet of players will not be called up.

That includes those, such as Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah, whose countries have not qualified, while others like Roberto Firmino and Thiago Alcantara have not made the cut.

In the case of Haaland, Guardiola does not necessarily see the Norway international's break from action as a blessing in disguise, despite the striker's recent struggles with fitness.

"I'd prefer him to go to the World Cup," he added. "[But] unfortunately they didn't qualify. He'll recover hopefully perfectly from his injury. He'll be in Marbella or Norway, and will hopefully come back to train."

City play Brentford in the Premier League this weekend, in their final game before the mid-season break, but will be without Kyle Walker as he continues to recover from injury.

The defender was named in England's World Cup squad alongside club-mate Kalvin Phillips, who only returned to action himself in midweek, with Guardiola saying Gareth Southgate's call to take the duo to Qatar is backed by City.

"It's a decision from Gareth," he added. "One-hundred per cent, we support his decision. After Saturday, the players belong to their national team, not us. I'm not worried."

Lionel Messi returned to training ahead of Paris Saint-Germain's final Ligue 1 fixture before the World Cup, as Christophe Galtier insisted he will not rest players against Auxerre on Sunday.

Messi missed PSG's 2-1 win at Lorient as a precautionary measure after suffering from inflammation in his Achilles tendon last week, though Galtier maintained the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was likely to return before the tournament in Qatar.

Just 11 days before Argentina begin their Group C campaign against Saudi Arabia, Messi has handed the Albiceleste a boost by joining France's Presnel Kimpembe in returning to PSG training.

While Galtier reiterated his desire to treat the concerns of his players seriously ahead of the World Cup, he is not planning to use Sunday's match as an opportunity to make changes.

"All the players are available except Fabian Ruiz," Galtier said on Friday. "No player came to tell me that he did not want to play or that he was afraid of making this last match.

"My door is always open. They know they can come and talk all the time. I wouldn't be surprised if a player came to see me and told me that he was apprehensive about the last game. 

"I have an obligation to put up a very competitive team against Auxerre. If there is strong restraint, I will be attentive to the comments of my players."

Senegal and Bayern Munich attacker Sadio Mane became the latest big name to suffer an injury scare on the eve of the tournament this week, but Galtier is confident in his medical team's ability to manage players' fitness levels.

"When I see an injured player like Sadio Mane, I'm always sad for him," Galtier added. "The relationship is very direct between my medical staff and the medical staff of the national teams. 

"All the doctors of the teams are informed of the state of our players. Our selected players will be operational for Sunday's match. The most important thing is to train well. 

"These players who are going to the World Cup are very high-level athletes and competitors. There may be this fear, but it is more around the environment of the players than from themselves."

Miguel Almiron and Eddie Howe have each claimed monthly Premier League awards in a stunning Newcastle United treble.

Almiron is the Player of the Month for October and also takes the Goal of the Month prize, with coach Howe named the Manager of the Month.

Newcastle become the first club to collect all three awards in a single month since November 2016, when Chelsea trio Diego Costa, Pedro and Antonio Conte stood out in their title-winning campaign.

The Magpies' wins are reward for an outstanding October, in which Newcastle claimed 16 points from a possible 18 and scored 16 goals in the process – two league highs.

No player contributed more to that success than Almiron, scoring six often spectacular goals in six matches from chances worth just 2.7 expected goals (xG).

Only Erling Haaland matched Almiron's October goals return, while no player in the Premier League outperformed their xG for the month by such a margin.

Almiron, who also scored in his first appearance of November to move to eight for the season, had never previously netted more than four goals across an entire Premier League campaign.

The winger is the first Newcastle player to receive the award since Joe Willock in May 2021, although two of Almiron's team-mates – Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes – were also nominated in October. Guimaraes encouraged fans to vote instead for Almiron.

A Goal of the Month triumph is a little less rare, given Allan Saint-Maximin's volley against Wolves was the August pick, while Almiron himself earned the honour in April of this year when he netted at home to Crystal Palace.

It was the first of two Almiron goals in the 4-1 defeat of Fulham that saw him recognised on this occasion, a dipping strike from Guimaraes' pass.

Howe likewise followed up late-season 2021-22 success in his own category, having been the Manager of the Month back in February.

That was Howe's first such win as Newcastle boss but his fourth in all, taking the award on three occasions in his time with Bournemouth.

Howe beat off competition from Arsenal's Mikel Arteta and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola – the only two managers above Newcastle in the table heading into the final round of fixtures before the World Cup.

Uncapped trio Andries Noppert, Jeremie Frimpong and Xavi Simons have been named in Louis van Gaal's Netherlands squad for the World Cup, but there is no place for Sven Botman or Ryan Gravenberch.

Van Gaal has opted for Bayer Leverkusen right-back Frimpong over Newcastle United centre-back Botman, while in midfield 19-year-old Simons secures his spot ahead of Gravenberch – who has struggled for minutes since joining Bayern Munich.

Gravenberch's Bayern team-mate Matthijs de Ligt does make it, while Premier League defenders Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake are also both unsurprisingly named along with Manchester United's Tyrell Malacia.

In midfield, Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong is in alongside Atalanta duo Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners, with Ajax's 20-year-old Kenneth Taylor also looking to add to his two caps to date.

PSV's Cody Gakpo is the standout name in attack, along with Barcelona's Memphis Depay, but there is no spot for Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen or Villarreal's Arnaut Danjuma.

The Netherlands begin their World Cup campaign on November 21 against Senegal, before also facing Qatar and Ecuador in Group A.

Netherlands squad: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Andries Noppert (Heerenveen), Remko Pasveer (Ajax); Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Nathan Ake (Man City), Daley Blind (Ajax), Jurrien Timber (Ajax), Denzel Dumfries (Inter), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen); Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Steven Berghuis (Ajax), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Kenneth Taylor (Ajax), Xavi Simons (PSV); Cody Gakpo (PSV) Memphis Depay (Barcelona), Steven Bergwijn (Ajax), Vincent Janssen (Antwerp), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Noa Lang (Brugge), Wout Weghorst (Besiktas)

Gareth Southgate should leave his role as England manager "with his head held high" after the World Cup, according to Jamie Carragher, who says the Three Lions have overachieved during his reign.

Southgate has led England to at least the semi-finals in consecutive major tournaments, becoming the only boss to do so since Alf Ramsey (World Cup winners in 1966, Euro 1968 semi-finalists). 

However, he has faced heavy criticism since he oversaw England's relegation from the top tier of the Nations League in September, and was jeered by supporters following a defeat in Italy.  

While Southgate signed a contract extension to run until the end of Euro 2024 last year, Carragher believes he should call time on his tenure after the trip to Qatar, but says he has earnt the right to make his own decision.

"If I was Gareth Southgate, I would make the Qatar World Cup my swansong as England manager," Carragher wrote in the Telegraph. "Hopefully England will produce to a strong enough level to ensure that is Southgate's call.

"After his excellence in the job to this point, the least he deserves is to leave on his own terms when he feels the time is right. 

"The natural cycle should be for a rethink every four years, so a coach builds towards the next World Cup. Unless Southgate has the energy for that, it is wiser to step away.

"Southgate may win over the doubters for a third time over the next few weeks. My hope for Qatar is for England to again retain interest in the competition until the final week, to give Southgate the option of leaving the job through the front door with his head held high."

Southgate has been charged with adopting a negative approach in several big games during his reign – notably 2018's World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia and the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy.

However, Carragher described criticism of his tactics as a "joke" as he insisted England had not underperformed in recent years.

"He is intelligent enough to have sensed a mood shift over the last few months, even if some of the negativity surrounding him during the build-up to the tournament is a joke," Carragher added.

"It is unreasonable to suggest he should change course from the formula that took England so far in their last two competitions.

"He has not failed to get the most of a talented squad, as some argue. He has over performed with a very good bunch.

"Go through the current England team and there are three players who would be a regular first choice in any club side in the world – Harry Kane, Phil Foden and, in the future, Jude Bellingham.

"The suggestion that this is the greatest England team since 1966 is a myth, but the more it gains traction, the more Southgate must deal with unrealistic demands."

Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann says the club will continue to assess Sadio Mane's injury after he was named in Senegal's World Cup squad.

The forward suffered a knock to his right fibula head in the midweek thrashing of Werder Bremen and will not be available for Saturday's trip to Schalke, Bayern's final game before the tournament in Qatar and their winter break.

Reports initially suggested Mane may not be fit to compete at the World Cup, but he was named in the squad for the Lions of Teranga on Friday.

Nagelsmann does not consider the matter closed, however, and has made it clear Mane should not play unless he is fully fit.

"We'll do another check in 10 days and then we'll see how the recovery is going," he said in Friday's press conference.

"Of course, Senegal would like him to play. But if he's in pain, he can't play. Health is above football. That's the case with us and also with everyone else."

Bayern moved to the top of the Bundesliga after last week's win at Hertha Berlin having seen previous leaders Union Berlin lose to Bayer Leverkusen, before opening up a four-point gap in midweek, displaying a considerable improvement from the opening rounds of the campaign.

After starting the season with three wins, Bayern went four without victory, but have since won six from seven, including three points in each of their last five Bundesliga outings.

Nagelsmann praised his squad for the turnaround and outlined the desire to head into the mid-season break on the back of another win.

"It was a turbulent half-year, probably one of the most turbulent in my professional life. We want to win the game against Schalke tomorrow, then we have done a good job in all competitions. Not a perfect one, but a good one," he added.

"As a whole team, we have also developed again since the early crisis. If we go into the break as championship leaders, then that's very valuable. We definitely want to maintain our lead."