GRAEME Souness is fearful of a Chelsea backlash.

While the majority of the country has taken a degree of smug satisfaction at the Premiership Champions' 'crisis' thanks to rare back-to-back defeats, Souness has adopted a slightly different view.

Stamford Bridge, where Newcastle tackle Chelsea today, has been something of a graveyard for their hopes in the past 18 years.

That aside, the worried Newcastle manager was already expecting the worst, despite having guided his side to four consecutive victories to place a brighter sheen on the campaign.

Stung by strong words from both the critics and their multi-billionaire owner, Roman Abramovich, Chelsea are out to prove a point.

If, to use the cliche, they are the wounded animal, then Newcastle are cast in the unwanted role of the prey.

Souness - who has ruled out a January move for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry - said: "I'm expecting the worst.

"We have to expect the worst because Chelsea are used to winning. They've had a bit of criticism and I'd expect them to come back stronger for it.

"When you're used to winning and you lose, it makes you doubly determined that it won't happen again because you don't want that taste of defeat."

Souness wisely stop short of talk of crisis at Stamford Bridge, preferring to keep some semblance of perspective when discussing a club still well clear at the top of the Premiership and backed by one of the world's richest men in Abramovich.

He added: "Crisis? What crisis? The manager can go out and spend £40m in January if he wants.

"I don't call that a crisis.

"Their success is down to having so many top players, even with injuries and suspensions they have other great players to come in.

"They've got eight or nine of the best players in their position in the Premiership.

"Their position has been dented somewhat, let's just see what happens on Saturday.

"We're in the entertainment business and in the last couple of years with Abramovich's involvement people want to talk about him and it's kept football right up there in the spotlight and that's good for football.

"But it's also made it more difficult to qualify for the Champions League and to win the title."

However the statistics are painted, there is little arguing that Newcastle have a quite appalling record at the Stamford Bridge.

They have not won there in 19 years, have picked up four points from a possible 36 in the Premiership while never scoring more than once in a game, and have shipped 12 goals in their last three visits.

Souness has urged his 10th-placed side to ignore history and accentuate the positives.

He added: "I'd hate to think any team of mine went there thinking we'd already lost.

"We lost 4-0 last season, but I was stood scratching my head at the end wondering how we'd lost so heavily because we didn't deserve that.

"Let's hope Chelsea have a hangover, that we can go there and are resilient and that one of our special players comes up with something special."

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho may have a team worth more than £100m at his disposal, but Souness insists Newcastle will also have plenty of potential match-winners on show today.

He added: "We've got a group of players who if they perform can conjure up something to win the game even if we're not playing well.

"Just look at how Michael Owen can turn a game on its head like he did for England against Argentina.

"In the games we've won this season, one of our players has done something special like Emre against Sunderland and Michael against West Brom.

"The games are so finely balanced nowadays, so that's what it's all about."

Alan Shearer misses his third straight trip to Stamford Bridge after being given an extra week to recover from hernia surgery, as has Stephen Carr. Shola Ameobi partners Owen up front.

Albert Luque is pencilled in to return from a three-month absence with a torn hamstring at Everton on Sunday week.

Titus Bramble partners Jean-Alain Boumsong at the heart of defence in the absence of Steven Taylor.Unsettled Lee Bowyer returns to the squad after a month out with knee trouble, although the midfielder may have to settle for a place on the bench.

Kieron Dyer continues his progress from a mystery liver complaint, and Souness added: "Without going into detail Kieron's improving and coming along nicely.

"It won't be long before we see him back.