EDDIE HOWE does not expect the off-field crisis that has engulfed Chelsea in the last 48 hours to affect events on the field when Newcastle United head to Stamford Bridge tomorrow looking to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to ten matches.

Chelsea’s entire future was thrown into turmoil on Thursday when the club’s Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, was sanctioned by the UK Government because of his close links to Vladimir Putin, who is waging war in Ukraine.

As part of a wide-ranging raft of restrictions, Chelsea are no longer able to sell match tickets, although tickets that were sold for today’s game prior to the imposition of sanctions will be honoured. The reigning World and European champions cannot buy or sell players or issue new contracts, have been forced to close their club shop, and can only pay ‘reasonable costs’ towards hosting home fixtures, ‘not exceeding £500,000 per fixture, per team’.

Chelsea’s travelling supporters chanted Abramovich’s name as their side won at Norwich on Thursday evening, and there are expected to be demonstrations outside Stamford Bridge tomorrow afternoon, but once the again gets under way on the field, Howe is expecting it to be a case of ‘business as usual’.

“I can only answer in terms of the football, and I don’t think it will have any bearing on Chelsea and how they play,” said the Newcastle head coach, who watched his side move ten points clear of the relegation zone as they won at Southampton on Thursday. “For us, it can’t change our preparation in any way.

“I’ve been watching Chelsea historically, and I’ll be trying to build a game plan to go there and win. I don’t expect anything on the pitch to be any different really. In terms of the wider impact, it’s difficult to know. Any comment I give on that would be a guess, so it’s pointless me doing that. I’ll not really get into that.”

Tomorrow’s match is the second of three away games in the space of a week for the Magpies, and Howe accepts he will have to rotate his squad in order to keep things fresh.

Joelinton has a chance of being involved tomorrow, with the Brazilian having travelled to Southampton on Thursday even though was not involved at St Mary’s. Newcastle’s squad have remained in the south ahead of tomorrow’s game, with Howe hoping Joelinton’s groin injury will have improved sufficiently for him to be able to train today.

Further changes are also anticipated though, with the likes of Matt Ritchie, Sean Longstaff and Miguel Almiron potentially coming into the equation for a starting spot.

“Everyone in our squad is in contention to play,” said Howe. “We’ll let the dust settle from the Southampton game and see how we are physically. There were some very tired bodies in the changing room, and a bit of cramp with a couple of players as well. We’re going to have to be physically good against Chelsea, so we might have to rotate.”