Palmer shines as Chelsea cling onto three vital points to go fourth in 2-1 win over determined Newcastle
By Paul Lagan at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea 2 v Newcastle 1
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The show that is Cole Palmer looks set to run and run, just like he does on the pitch as he inspired Chelsea to three hard-fought for points against a rugged, determined Newcastle United - scoring one and starting the move that got the other as the Blues hung on for a 2-1 victory.
Chelsea move up to fourth in the Premier League but if they are going to press the big boys for a title push, then they are going to have to do better.
The thinking is that Chelsea has to score three goals for them to feel confident of inning. Anything short of this allows the opposition to press, push and intimidate – something the Toon were doing for much of the second half. But they could not get the break they needed and Chelsea clung on to the very end.
Both sides had half chances early on, but it was the home side who, with their second attack, opened the scoring.
On four minutes, it was pretty basic stuff, but Cole Palmer who bisected the Newcastle defence still had to finish the ball off which he did coolly.
But VAR intervened and judged that his right knee was offside and so the goal was disallowed.
Wesley Fofana fell to the ground, injured on 10 minutes after he overstretched himself but he was soon back on the pitch.
Newcastle had a shout for a penalty turned down when in-running Joelinton hit the deck on 15 minutes, but referrer Simon Hooper dismissed the claim.
But on 18 minutes, Chelsea scored a sensational quick breakaway goal .
Cole Palmer picked the ball up midway in his own half, he produced the defence -splitting pass of the season to set of Pedro Neto on the left. The Portuguese skipped over a desperate late challenge by Fabian Schar, before sending in the perfect square pass to Nicolas Jackson, who timed his run which saw him smash the ball past Nick Pope.
Newcastle responded well and should have scored on the 26th minute, when they had a host of shots on target, a couple were last-gasp blocks, the third an Miguel Almiron shot, that was well saved by Robert Sanchez.
The Toon deservedly equalised on 32 minutes, when the Blues needlessly gave the ball away from their own goal kick, the away side effectively moved the ball to the left. It was then pinged into the centre where Alexander Isak tucked home.
But again VAR intervened for a possible offside and judged that Fofana's right leg had kept Isak onside and the goal was given.
Pope was called I to action, five minutes from the break, when Neto cut in from the right and left fly with a left-footer. The ball took a wicked deflection, but Pope was equal to the task and parried the ball away for a corner.
The Palmer show continued on 47 minutes when the attacking midfielder simply went on a run, and kept on going. He wasn't closed down by any Newcastle player and so decided to have a shot, which zipped along the grass with sufficient pace to beat Pope – to put the Blues back in front.
Pedro was unlucky on 50 minutes when his header, from a deep byline cross by Noni, rattled the upright and was cleared,.
Reece James, playing in the left back position was on the spot, on 58 minutes, clearing off the line a deft Isak left byline cross.
To keep the Blues ahead.
Mykhailo Mudryk came of for Noni on 67 minutes.
James was at it again, getting to an Isak header on 71 minutes as the Toon started to assert themselves once more.
Enzo then entered the fray a minute later replacing Romeo Lavia.
Moises Caicedo then did something similar, except this time, on 75 minutes Isak was clear on goal, albeit at an angle, the midfielder managed to hook the ball away before he could produce the fatal strike.
Marc Cucurella and Christopher Nkunku came on for Malo Gusto and Noni.
Mudryk could have finished the game, but is goal-bound shot was hacked away by Pope.
Chelsea snatched a penalty at the death when Nkunku fell to the ground after coming together with Dan Burn. VAR once again took centre-stage calling the ref to the monitor. Hooper rightly turned it down.
Teams: Chelsea: Sanchez, James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto, Caicedo, Lavia, Noni, Palmer, Neto, Jackson
Subs: Jorgensen, Cucurella, Tosin, Veiga, Enzo, Felix, Mudryk, Sancho, Nkunku
Newcastle: Pope, Schar, Joelinton, Tonali, Barnes, Isak, Hall, Livramento, Almiron, Burn, Guimaraes
Subs: Vlachodimos, Ruudy, Krafth, Osula, Murphy, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley
Referee: Simon Hooper
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