STEVEN TAYLOR watched Sunderland successfully negate Chelsea’s attacking threat during Saturday’s goalless draw at the Stadium of Light – but the Newcastle United defender does not expect his side to mirror their neighbours’ tactics when the Premier League leaders visit St James’ Park this weekend.

Sunderland became the first side to prevent Chelsea from scoring this season five days ago, with their packed defensive ranks holding firm despite the best efforts of a visiting attack that had swept all before it in its previous matches.

With their central midfielders sitting deep, and their wingers doubling up with their full-backs to offer increased security in the wide positions, there were times when the Black Cats had nine outfield players close to the edge of their own penalty area, and while they offered a second-half threat on the counter-attack, even Gus Poyet conceded that containment was a key part of his game plan.

After the game on Wearside, Nemanja Matic admitted that other teams would be tempted to copy Sunderland’s approach in an attempt to keep a lid on Chelsea’s attacking threat.

But having helped Newcastle recover to claim a point at Burnley on Tuesday, Taylor claims it would be counter-productive for the Magpies to be too defensive as some of their biggest assets are at the other end of the field.

“I watched the game between Chelsea and Sunderland, but it’s going to be a completely different game when they play us,” said the centre-half, who could find himself back alongside Fabricio Coloccini in Saturday’s back four.

“I’m sure Chelsea will be wanting to bounce back from last weekend, and with the players they’ve got, you have to respect them. They’ve got outstanding players like Diego Costa and Eden Hazard, and when you go through their team, there’s class right the way through.

“But this is at St James’ Park and we’ll be going out to play our game. We’re not really set up to be defensive and pull a lot of players behind the ball, and I’m not sure we’d want to do that. We’ll be playing our natural game and looking to be positive because that’s the way we play.”

Newcastle have won their last two home games against Chelsea, with Taylor having started the 3-2 victory in February 2013 that was secured through Moussa Sissoko’s late winner.

Last November’s 2-0 win came courtesy of goals from Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy, and while Chelsea have tended to dominate recent meetings at Stamford Bridge, the Magpies will head into Saturday’s game buoyed by their strong showings on Tyneside.

“We’ve had some big games against Chelsea in the past where we’ve done well,” said Taylor. “Let’s hope we can do the same again and get the result.

“We were happy with the second half at Burnley, and we have to build on that from the start against Chelsea. We’re under no illusions though – it’s going to be a tough game.”

Nevertheless, having being comprehensively outplayed in the first half of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Turf Moor, at least Newcastle’s players can point to their second-half showing as proof that the momentum generated by their recent six-game winning run has not completely disappeared.

Last weekend’s defeat at West Ham was a setback, but the impact was tempered by Tuesday’s recovery to claim a ninth away point of the season.

The half-time introduction of Remy Cabella made a major difference, with the French midfielder providing some much-needed creativity as he successfully melded Newcastle’s midfield unit with the players further forward in attack.

Taylor’s replacement of Mike Williamson was equally influential though, with the 28-year-old successfully blunting the attacking threat of Danny Ings, who had run riot before the break.

“I don’t think we could have got any worse after the first half,” said the defender. “The main thing for us was just to get at them. We paid them too much respect in the first half and played into their hands.

“We were matching their game plan, but once we got the ball down and started to play, we had the players to hurt them. We started playing between the lines and you could see them tiring.

“It was very important not to lose that game. Having suffered a narrow defeat at West Ham, we couldn’t afford to lose another game coming off the back of such a good run, especially with having Chelsea next.

“That wouldn’t have looked good, and I’m sure some people would have started asking questions again. But the lads put in a second-half performance that was much more like what we’ve been doing in the last few matches.”