Chelsea FC vs Newcastle - Guus Hiddink expects Costa to play against Newcastle

Posted Friday, February 12, 2016 by PA

Chelsea striker Diego Costa is expected to be fit to play in a mask against Newcastle on Saturday after breaking his nose in training on Thursday.

Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink revealed on Friday that the striker suffered the injury in a training ground collision with an unnamed academy player.

"Yesterday in training Diego got in a duel, got his nose broken," Hiddink said.

"It was not this tough duel, but he put his nose on the back of the head and he was very unlucky."

Costa is poised to join full-back Cesar Azpilicueta in wearing a protective face mask, which was due to be fitted on Friday before a light training session to test Costa's readiness. Azpilicueta is recovering from a facial injury.

Hiddink added: "Today is the day they put on a mask. We are a team with a lot of masks. A Zorro team.

"I hope. I'm not sure, but I think he will be available."

Defender Kurt Zouma suffered a serious knee injury in last Sunday's draw with Manchester United and is out for the rest of the season, so Gary Cahill is expected to come into central defence.

Former Newcastle striker Loic Remy (calf) has been out in recent weeks along with Radamel Falcao (thigh), while Alexandre Pato is still short of match fitness and unlikely to be included.

Meanwhile, Steve McClaren has insisted Newcastle would not settle for a point at Chelsea as they attempt to ease themselves further clear of relegation trouble.

The Magpies head for Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening desperate to claim back-to-back Barclays Premier League wins after climbing out of the drop zone as a result of last weekend's 1-0 home success over West Brom.

A draw at Chelsea would represent a creditable return but head coach McClaren admits his team cannot sit back and try to soak up pressure, so will go for all three points.

He said: "We are going there to win, and that's what we have always done all season.

"Maybe that's to our detriment that we have gone for the win. We can't sit back, we can't soak up pressure and hit teams on the break, we have to be quite front foot.

"That's how we play. It's not got us results and we are hoping to turn that around, starting tomorrow."

Injuries continue to blight the Magpies and they will once again go into a game without a specialist left-back with Paul Dummett and Massadio Haidara both injured.

Winger Rolando Aarons played there against the Baggies, but midfielder Jack Colback, who has also filled that role in the past, is available once again after a hamstring problem and could replace him.