With John Terry out for another month, the dynamic centre-back pairing of Tal Ben-Haim and Alex will be called upon to kick start Chelsea into the New Year.
Ricardo Carvalho's two-footed lunge on Gabriel Agbonlahor deserved a date in court for GBH rather than a three-match suspension for a straight red card he recieved.
With Ashley Cole waiting to hear his red card appeal - he too could be missing for the Magpies match.
Wayne Bridge will step in.
At right back the position is clearer - both Juliano Belletti and Paulo Ferreira are fit and raring to play.
Belletti said: "I like to play. Every football player likes to play football, but it is necessary some days to rest. This year we have a lot of players and it's very important in this moment. We have many injuries, including John Terry and Didier Drogba, but Avram still has a lot of players to choose from.'"
Of his competition for the right back spot with Ferreira, Belletti adds: "We get on well. Never in my life when I compete for a position have I had problems with another. At Barcelona, I was up against Gianluca Zambrotta, no no, never. It's a friendly rivalry, it's normal.