Diego Costa suffers broken nose but will face Newcastle

Gus Hiddink’s side stole a point last weekend against Manchester United as they seemed beaten only to snatch a late draw with a Diego Costa goal in injury time.

The striker has been in fine form recently, scoring six times in the last seven League games, and will play in a mask similar to what Nemanja Matic and Cesar Azpilicueta have already worn this season.

Costa had his custom-made mask fitted on Friday, with Guus Hiddink confident the 27-year-old will be able to feature in Saturday’s encounter with the Magpies.

The injury was picked up in what Hiddink described as a “duel” with an unnamed academy player, and the collision left Costa needing treatment on his nose.

“It was a very small incident”. He was very unlucky.

Of course it would help if Hiddink’s men stopped going behind in the first place, but they do look a more motivated and cohesive unit than they did in the final days of Jose Mourinho’s reign. “We’ll see how he reacts this afternoon in a very light session, but I hope – I’m not sure – that he will be available”.

Kurt Zouma underwent surgery in Barcelona this week after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament in last weekend’s 1-0 draw with Manchester United. When you don’t keep winning at home, people have less fear.

“I think they have had as good a transfer window as anybody with the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Andros Townsend coming in”.

“It was a must three points for us, a massive game for us today”, Mitrovic said.

Loic Remy has been linked with a move to China before the end of the month, but Hiddink intimated that no players would now leave the club before the end of the season.

“Pato is in the second week of pre-season. But after 10 days he is progressing and we’ll see how he will go into the tough programme next week”.

“I don’t believe he will play for another club in England but plenty of clubs will want to take him”.