Roberto Di Matteo has revealed there were still FA Cup final places up for grabs in his Chelsea side as he refused to rule out shock comebacks for David Luiz and Gary Cahill.

Caretaker Blues boss Di Matteo is confident his squad will not hold back in tomorrow night's crucial Barclays Premier League game against Newcastle, regardless of the match taking place less than three days before their Wembley meeting with Liverpool.

The Stamford Bridge clash against the Magpies is arguably more important than Saturday's showpiece, with Di Matteo's number one priority ensuring Chelsea qualify for next season's Champions League.

And while the Italian has not resorted to banning any mention of the final ahead of tomorrow's game, he left no doubt where his focus lay.

"We've not talked about it at all,'' he said of the Liverpool game, insisting he had yet to pick his team for Wembley.

"I'm deciding for the game tomorrow.

"We'll see how the game goes tomorrow and then I'll be thinking about Saturday.''

Asked if that meant performances against Newcastle would be taken into account, he said: "Yes. Not just on Wednesday.

"I look a little bit more back and look at maybe the last three or four weeks and the way we played and the different players in positions and so on.''

It would only be human for players to subconsciously hold back for fear of injuring themselves, but Di Matteo said: "We cannot allow ourselves to think like that and I think we've shown before that we don't do that, in the semi-final against Spurs before the Champions League semi-final, and at Arsenal and so on.

"I don't think that'll be an issue for us.

"We know how important the game is for our club and the players who are going to be playing will be fully committed.''

Defenders Luiz and Cahill will miss the match, both with hamstring injuries, but both were seen running at Chelsea's training ground.

Di Matteo said they will be reassessed again on Thursday and Friday and while it looks unlikely Cahill in particular will be fit for the weekend, Di Matteo was optimistic of both being back before the Champions League final.

He said: "Hopefully, they'll be ready before. I have hope but we don't know yet.''

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has admitted his players might have had one eye on the Champions League as their chances of getting there were dealt a major blow.

The Magpies head for Chelsea having slipped out of the top four as a result of their 4-0 drubbing at Wigan on Saturday, a result which allowed Tottenham to climb back above them on goal difference and the Blues to close the gap to a single point.

With three games left to play, Pardew's men could yet finish anywhere between third and sixth in the Barclays Premier League, and that means the prospect of Champions League football returning to St James' Park remains alive, if less likely than it was on Saturday morning.

In that respect, the game could be regarded as a dress rehearsal for the type of fixture that might lie ahead.

Pardew said: "Absolutely, and that's how we should approach it. Our players, perhaps you could argue, might have had one eye on it, I don't know.

"But we certainly didn't turn up in the first half at Wigan, and I am pretty sure we will have a different mentality on Wednesday night.

"There's no expectation on us, but there is pride because we hurt our pride on Saturday and we are all hurting a little bit.''


Match

@mukina2

The 7:45pm you posted is WRONG. If you wanna do this, pls check very well b4 making it public, otherwise you'll mislead people. Check: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html

LAX89: @mukina2

The 7:45pm you posted is WRONG. If you wanna do this, pls check very well b4 making it public, otherwise you'll mislead people. Check: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html

So what time do you think it should be? 8:45pm? Dude do you know anything about BST? Currently London (UK) is in the same "time-zone" as Lagos (Nigeria).

logica: So what time do you think it should be? 8:45pm? Dude do you know anything about BST? Currently London (UK) is in the same "time-zone" as Lagos (Nigeria).

@logica

Why would you INSIST on responding out of ignorance and stewpidity, did you click on the link I referenced? It says: 14:45, and that is GMT. What does 14:45 indicate to you, einstein? People like you are why Nigeria is such a mess!

Torres to continue his goal scoring streak? I hope so
#elnino

LAX89:

Why would you INSIST on responding out of ignorance and stewpidity, did you click on the link I referenced? It says: 14:45. What does 14:45 indicate to you? People like you are why Nigeria is such a mess!

wow true! Its 2.45pm...thanks guy. I wud have missed this match!

THE BLUEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

timbros:
wow true! Its 2.45pm...thanks guy. I wud have missed this match!

Wait a minute, www.livescore.com says its 19.45...confusing

timbros:
wow true! Its 2.45pm...thanks guy. I wud have missed this match!

[quote author=timbros]

@Timbros

Anytime bros! Btw, I like your quote "Aspire to Inspire, before you Expire", On Point!

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html and www.livescor.com, which one will you TRUST more about this match?

timbros:
wow true! Its 2.45pm...thanks guy. I wud have missed this match!

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/matches/2011-2012/epl.match-preview.html/chelsea-vs-newcastle

That's not 2.45pm but 7.45 that we have always known. Stop being mischievous.

LAX89:

@logica

Why would you INSIST on responding out of ignorance and stewpidity, did you click on the link I referenced? It says: 14:45, and that is GMT. What does 14:45 indicate to you, einstein? People like you are why Nigeria is such a mess!

pls stop embarrassing urself, 7:45pm is still the time.

Godman_n:

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/matches/2011-2012/epl.match-preview.html/chelsea-vs-newcastle

That's not 2.45pm but 7.45 that we have always known. Stop being mischievous.

@Goodman n

Pity, my people suffer out of ignorance and lack of knowledge and commonsense!

mikeywise:

pls stop embarrassing urself, 7:45pm is still the time.

@mikeywise

You're correct, tune in @ 7:45 and watch the replay ok!

lol goal.com also says 7.45...the thing is, i'll check by 2.45 if it starts, good but if not then its 7.45.
But i think it should be 2.45 considering that FA cup final is on saturday and Liverpool have played yesterday!

LAX89:

@mikeywise

You're correct, tune in @ 7:45 and watch the replay ok!

what sort of uneducated ignorant man are u? d game is 7.45, ive checked almost all d sport sites

crusifis:

what sort of uneducated ignorant man are u? d game is 7.45, ive checked almost all d sport sites

Your utterance indicates your level of education. Did you bother to check my reference; http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html. What does 14:45 gmt mean to you?

make this prophecy true o .becos i wan bet all my life savings for willem hill betting o.cos am sure of ur prophecy o..this is my month of blessing n glory and prosperity.thank u TB JOSUA.

Chelsea and Juve lets go

Who's dis Guy sef

LAX89: @mukina2

The 7:45pm you posted is WRONG. If you wanna do this, pls check very well b4 making it public, otherwise you'll mislead people. Check: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html

When ur Brain is Balanced, u can come back and apologise. mtcheeeew

mkmyers45: Chelsea and Juve lets go

Juve?

Newcastle is going to win

mkmyers45: Chelsea and Juve lets go

Hmmm! Sign of MAYDAY! Hangover....

Welcome chelsea.

Ignoramus club. Its 7:45
Can BBC be decieved too ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united

Please dont derail the thread with your agama lizard heads.

A must win 4 chelsea today

ANd Chelsea doesnt win the "must win". They only win that which you do not expect them to win.

up chealse

game over- Torres scores another hattrick

Wow, its now 4:17 pm, i must have missed the match by now. So what was the score please.
<
<
is there no one that watched the game ? *frowns*
Where is that stupid, idiotic, gbongbolastic LAX89

LAX89:

@logica

Why would you INSIST on responding out of ignorance and stewpidity, did you click on the link I referenced? It says: 14:45, and that is GMT. What does 14:45 indicate to you, einstein? People like you are why Nigeria is such a mess!

LMAO. The irony.
Indeed I am Einstein compared to you. I don't know whether it's blindness or insanity you suffer from, but can you please point out to us where you saw 14:45?

Canisma: Wow, its now 4:17 pm, i must have missed the match by now. So what was the score please.
<
<
is there no one that watched the game ? *frowns*
Where is that stupid, idiotic, gbongbolastic LAX89

LMAO. You dey listen to person wey the prefix of his name is "lax"? I don't think "LAX" here refers to Los Angeles airport.

I think the fool must have checked another site reporting EST (Eastern Standard Time).