CHELSEA impressed to beat Newcastle United and pick up all three points on Monday Night Football – Cole Palmer scoring one and providing one in another top performance.
Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring for the Blues with a brilliant flick from a Palmer shot that snuck past Martin Dubravka.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak then levelled just before the break with a smart finish into the corner to make it 1-1 at half-time.
But it was Palmer, so often Chelsea’s hero this season, who broke the deadlock – firing in from outside the box to put the Blues in the lead.
Mykhailo Mudryk then showed some smart footwork to wriggle himself free and around Dubravka to give Chelsea a commanding lead.
Jacob Murphy rifled in a powerful late goal to set up a nervy finish but the Blues held on to take all three points.
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That’s all from West London
Three goals for Chelsea, three points for Chelsea, and renewed optimism among Mauricio Pochettino’s men and the Stamford Bridge faithful.
It wasn’t always pretty, but there were enough glimpses of class to hint that this season may yet offer something for the Blues to be proud of.
It’s the FA Cup and Championship leaders Leicester next for Chelsea on Saturday, and we’ll be back here to bring you all the action.
Until then, thanks for joining us and goodnight.
Extra! Read all about it!
Before we sign off for the evening, enjoy a recap of Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Newcastle with Andrew Dillon’s match report from Stamford Bridge.
England head coach Gareth Southgate will have been impressed by Cole Palmer as he prepares to name a squad on Thursday for the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium. The best and most consistent player at Chelsea in a wobbly season has a fighting chance to make it to the Euros this summer with the kind of maturity he is showing in his first big season.
Andrew Dillon
Improving Palmer has no regrets
Chelsea may be languishing in mid-table, but Cole Palmer has no issues with his decision to leave European champions Manchester City in pursuit of regular first team football.
I thought I was ready to play football week in, week out and that’s the reason. I just wanted to showcase my ability and thankfully it has paid off. It was a very difficult decision to leave City, I was there since six years old. I was ready to play football, had a chat with my family, had a chat with the club and moved to Chelsea.
Cole Palmer
Blues keep European hopes alive
With their win this evening, Chelsea stay in 11th position but close the gap on Newcastle and the top half to a single point – with a game in hand too.
With 11 matches remaining for the Blues, those at Stamford Bridge have not given up on qualifying for Europe via their league position.
Credit: premierleague.com Chelsea’s Cole-den boy
With a goal and an assist this evening (brilliant and inadvertent respectively), Cole Palmer scored and provided in a Premier League game for the fifth time this season – more than any other player in the division.
The forward’s superb second half strike also meant that he hasnj0w scored in his last five home starts, making him the sixth Chelsea player to do so in the Premier League-era, and the first since Olivier Giroud in December 2020.
Palmer has now been directly involved in 19 goals (11 goals and eight assists) this season. Only four players have had more goals and assists combined in their debut Premier League campaign for the Blues.
Match stats from Stamford Bridge
No corners for Chelsea, Newcastle scoring with two of their three shots on target, and a referee who wouldn’t allow another ten seconds of play so that the visitors could clock up 500 passes.
Full time – Chelsea 3-2 Newcastle
The final whistle goes, and – despite a late Newcastle flourish – Chelsea hang on for all three points.
You’ll do well to watch a stranger game of football this season, although perhaps it’s quite fitting.
Five superb goals highlighted the talent in these two expensively-assembled squads, but the sloppiness of play on display said much more about the inconsistency and lack of confidence that has hampered their season.
The result takes the Blues within a point of their opponents, but the upshot remains that both clubs are heading for a mid-table finish this term. More will be expected the next time they meet.
Chelsea 3-2 Newcastle – White yellow card
90+5. Mudryk has been a bundle of energy since his introduction, and he may well have just sealed the game for Chelsea – aside from scoring the decisive goal – by winning a free-kick high up the pitch.
The Ukrainian leaps on to a one-two, and goes down under the challenge of Joe White, a misdemeanour that earns the youngster a very harsh yellow card.
That should be that.
Chelsea 3-2 Newcastle
90+2. Out of nowhere, it’s nervy times for Chelsea, who have retreated into a low block, content to break the remainder of the game up with a series of fouls and free-kicks.
Chelsea 3-2 Newcastle
90. On a night of brilliant goals, this is the best of the lot.
Jacob Murphy shrugs off the feeble challenge of Marc Cucurella by rolling away from him and bursts into the penalty area.
With the angle against him, the Newcastle substitute unleashes an absolute rocket of a shot that soars into the roof of the net via the crossbar, beating the stunned Djordje Petrovic at his near post.
Newcastle are not done yet, and there will be six minutes of stoppage time to play.
What a hit!
Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle
87. The game is meandering towards its conclusion.
Supporters are already thinking about their plans for the week, and whether the shops will still be open on the way home.
Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle
84. Mudryk goes fast and direct again, powering his way to the right byline and thumping a cross into the chest of Dubravka.
It’s impressive if a little aimless from the Ukrainian, who takes a sore one as his momentum carries him crashing into the advertising hoardings.
Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle
82. The visitors continue to plug away, and Isak almost gets on the end of a hopeful delivery from the right.
However, Newcastle’s injuries – particularly in attack – are once again being highlighted with the lack of options available to support their tiring striker obvious.
Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle – Newcastle substitutions
80. Here come the kids.
Miley and White are on as Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock are taken off to preserve energy for other battles ahead.
Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle
78. Eddie Howe knows the game’s up, and calls for two of his youngsters from the bench.
Lewis Miley and Joe White are going to get some game time.
Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle
76. Three goals for Chelsea – and it should mean three points too!
Yet again – in what has been a largely unforgettable and sloppy game – it’s a goal of the highest quality.
Nicolas Jackson spearheads the attack on the left, eventually moving the ball to Mykhailo Mudryk on the charge though the middle.
The substitute barely breaks pace as he nips the ball through the legs of Sven Botman, dribbles around the lacklustre Martin Dubravka and steers into the empty net despite Emil Krafth’s last-ditch attempt to clear.
It’s the Ukrainian’s fourth Premier League goal of the season, and his first of 2024.
It’s three!
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle – Caicedo yellow card
73. Enzo Fernandez attempts to take out Tino Livramento and misses.
No bother thinks Moises Caicedo, who duly obliges in flattening the right-back and receives a yellow card.
Finally, the Chelsea midfield partnership is beginning to flourish.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle – Petrovic yellow card
71. The Chelsea goalkeeper goes into the book for time wasting.
I wonder if referee John Brooks had to check whether his name is Petrovic or Petkovic like I have to every time he merits a mention.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle – Chelsea substitution
70. After those Newcastle changes, Mauricio Pochettino responds by making his first of the night.
Mykhailo Mudryk joins the action, replacing Raheem Sterling.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle – Newcastle substitutions
69. Burn wants to continue, but Eddie Howe appears to have decided that it’s the end of the night for the defender.
It’s one of two changes made by the visitors with Emil Krafth and Elliot Anderson both introduced into the action.
Miguel Almiron joins Burn in making way for the new arrivals.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
67. Gordon header! Wide!
Murphy clips the free-kick across, and the Newcastle defender gets up high above Disasi to nod just past the near post.
However, Burn hasn’t picked himself back up off the floor, having landed very awkwardly. The Newcastle physios are on once more.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
65. Newcastle win a free-kick deep inside the Chelsea half, out on the right.
It’s fair to say that the majority of Newcastle’s most threatening moments tonight have come from set-plays.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
63. On the touchline, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is deep in conversation with assistant and influencer Jason Tindall.
Are the Toon plotting further changes?
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
