The high-profile clash hasn’t been selected for broadcast by either Sky Sports or TNT Sports
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Newcastle United v Chelsea has missed out on a prime slot this weekend, as the Premier League action returns after the last international break of 2023.
Followers of the English top flight will be excited to see what drama and entertainment unfolds in the latest round of fixtures, with all 20 teams in action between Saturday and Monday.
But one of the biggest games of the weekend isn't on TV. Why?
Why isn't Newcastle United v Chelsea isn’t being shown live on TV?
Sky Sports aren't broadcasting Newcastle this weekend (Image credit: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Newcastle United v Chelsea won’t be shown live in the UK at 3pm, because Sky Sports and TNT Sports have chosen to select other games for broadcast – and the football blackout rule means that no matches can be broadcast live on TV between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.
However, the game, which sees the Magpies look to recover from a shock 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, will be available to watch elsewhere in the world via local Premier League TV rights holders.
There are five televised games, starting with a top-of-the-table clash between Manchester City and Liverpool at 12.30pm on Saturday. Man City are currently in first place, a point clear of their opponents, after a thrilling 4-4 draw with Chelsea last time out.
Liverpool's game with Manchester City is the big game of the weekend (Image credit: Getty Images)
Liverpool are looking to hunt down Pep Guardiola’s side having lost just once in all competitions so far this season. The 5.30pm kick-off sees Brentford host Arsenal, who will have Aaron Ramsdale back in goal as the on-loan David Raya is ineligible to face his parent club.
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Chelsea travel to St. James’ Park, meanwhile, hoping to build on their recent resurgence, having beaten Tottenham Hotspur before taking a point from Man City in entertaining fashion.
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If you’re out of the country for a round of Premier League fixtures, then annoyingly your domestic on-demand services won’t work – the broadcaster knows where you are because of your IP address (boo!). You'll be blocked from watching it, which is not ideal if you’ve paid up for a subscription and still want to catch Steve Bruce’s extra-red face without resorting to illegal feeds you’ve found on Reddit.
But assistance is on hand. To get around that, all you have to do is get a Virtual Private Network (VPN), assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and t'internet, meaning the service can’t work out where you are and won't automatically block the service you've paid for. All the info going between is entirely encrypted – and that's a result.
(Image credit: Future)
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Sean Cole is a freelance journalist. He has written for FourFourTwo, BBC Sport and When Saturday Comes among others. A Birmingham City supporter and staunch Nikola Zigic advocate, he once scored a hat-trick at St. Andrew’s (in a half-time game). He also has far too many football shirts and spends far too much time reading the Wikipedia pages of obscure players.
