Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer scored to lead Chelsea to a 2-1 win over Newcastle United that leaves the visitors winless in five-straight Premier League games despite Alexander Isak’s goal at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues rebounded from a tough-luck loss to Liverpool and move into the top four prior to Arsenal’s match against those same Reds. Chelsea are fourth with 17 points, ahead of the Gunners on goal differential.
Newcastle are winless in five Premier League games and have lost two-straight. It won’t get any easier for Eddie Howe, whose men will go to Chelsea in the League Cup before a visit from Arsenal.
The Magpies sit 12th with 12 points, behind Bournemouth and Newcastle on tiebreakers.
Chelsea are pretty good. Newcastle are pretty predictable
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea are deep enough to use 21 different starters across games in Greece and England, and win both by a combined 6-2 score line. Only Pedro Neto reprised his starting role from Thursday’s 4-1 Conference League triumph at Panathinaikos, and he was joined by rested Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson in cooking Newcastle early. They earned this win and their current top-four placement, while Newcastle feel entirely deserving of their 12th-place spot. Their entire game is predicated upon Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon being sharp and freeing up space for their teammates, and Sunday showed how shallow the winger depth is beyond starter Harvey Barnes and injured Gordon. Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy combined for a whopping 34 touches on the right wing. Isak was not sharp and missed a few chances after his goal, and managers know exactly what Howe’s going to do each game: 4-3-3. Sub the wingers and Sandro Tonali (for no apparent tactical reason) around the hour mark. It’s predictable, and the reason a talented Magpies team is 15th in xG, 11th in xGA, and 13th in xPTS. It’s not time to cut ties with Howe with no top replacement in mind, but the Magpies hierarchy should probably have an eye open to the future at this point before Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, Tonali, and others want out of town.
Chelsea vs Newcastle player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Chelsea vs Newcastle player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Chelsea vs Newcastle player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
The two teams meet Wednesday in the League Cup at St. James’ Park.
Then Newcastle host Arsenal at 8:30am ET Saturday before Chelsea visit Manchester United at 12:30pm Sunday.
How to watch Chelsea vs Newcastle live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10 am ET Sunday (October 27)
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
TV Channel: USA Network
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Chelsea vs Newcastle final score: 2-1
Nicolas Jackson 18', Alexander Isak 32', Cole Palmer 47'
Chelsea vs Newcastle live updates — By Nick Mendola
Chelsea win penalty, but overturned by VAR
Christopher Nkunku is racing with Dan Burn into the Newcastle 18, and he goes to the deck after contact on his arm apparently stops him from getting to his cutback.
Simon Hooper overturns it for a dive from Nkunku.
Wasted chances for Newcastle
Alexander Isak beats Wesley Fofana and then dribbles around Robert Sanchez, cutting back toward goal.
He has runners comng but doesn’t see an angle to get the ball to Longstaff or Willock. Instead, he tries to dribble for a shot but is eventually cut off by Moises Caicedo.
The ensuing corner comes to nothing.
Chelsea ring in more changes — Marc Cucurella enters for Malo Gusto and Christopher Nkunku for Jackson.
Subs for both teams
Mykhailo Mudryk comes on for Noni Madueke.
Newcastle take off Barnes and Miguel Almiron as well as Sandro Tonali for Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock, and Jacob Murphy.
Magpies have improved, win free kick
Lewis Hall’s rush to support Joelinton’s long dribble earns him an off-ball foul from Noni Madueke and a left-sided free kick from 5-7 yards outside the 18.
Hall, Isak, and Fabian Schar are over the ball.
Schar curls it over the far upper 90.
2-1 Chelsea, 67'.
Cole Palmer gets his goal — Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle (47th minute)
Was it always coming? Maybe.
Romeo Lavia gets the ball to Palmer and he does the rest.
Nick Pope is not having a terrific day in goal and will feel he should’ve done better.
This has the potential to come off the rails for Eddie Howe’s men. How will he try to fix this?
Halftime — Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
Fair enough score line, you have to say, though the Blues could’ve had a blowout lead had they been a bit sharper in the very early stages.
Both teams’ right sides cost them on the goals.
Shots are 9-7 in favor of the hosts, who’ve held about 60% of the ball.
Newcastle lead in xG, 1.40-0.96, but the game of course is level.
Alexander Isak goal! Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle (32nd minute)
Now it’s Newcastle’s turn for a tight VAR offside/onside review.
The passage of play leading up to Isak’s goal was good.
Sandro Tonali is a huge part, and Lewis Hall and Isak are kept onside by Chelsea players before the latter slots the former’s pass.
Danger from Newcastle
Harvey Barnes has a chance blocked by a sliding Malo Gusto, then Sandro Tonali’s bid at the loose ball is also blocked by Reece James..
Nicolas Jackson goal! Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle (18th minute)
This one’s not coming off the board.
Cole Palmer tries an ambitious pass through traffic and it comes off!
Pedro Neto’s beaten a leaning Valentino Livramento and sends a perfect square ball across the field for in-form Jackson to bang past Nick Pope.
Bruno Guimaraes penalty shout
Guimaraes is furious and claiming injury inside the 18 after Alexander Isak played the Brazilian into the box.
Isak was downed by Levi Colwill, but the contact occurred outside the box. Since the referee did not call a foul, it cannot be retroactively applied to the play as a mere foul.
Cole Palmer scores, but is he offside?
This will be razor-thin, as Cole Palmer raced onto Nicolas Jackson’s through ball and slid a beautiful, precise low shot off the far post and over the line.
Palmer is right there with Bruno Guimaraes but a fraction offside! Newcastle is bailed out.
A warning shot nonetheless.
Chelsea vs Newcastle team news, analyzed
Of Chelsea’s Sunday starters, only Pedro Neto started in the midweek win at Panathinaikos, and he played 61 minutes, while none of Enzo Maresca’s Conference League subs are in today’s XI. Newcastle are without Anthony Gordon, who’s picked up a knock, while Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, and Jamaal Lascelles are still missing from a hampered back line. Ex-Chelsea starlet Lewis Hall will have to put in another shift at left back.
Chelsea lineup
Sanchez, James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto, Lavia, Caicedo, Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson
Newcastle lineup
Pope, Hall, Burn, Schar, Livramento, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Almiron, Isak, Barnes
Chelsea team news, focus
OUT: Omari Kellyman (thigh)
Newcastle team news, focus
OUT: Sven Botman (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Kieran Trippier (hamstring), Callum Wilson (back) | QUESTIONABLE: Martin Dubravka (knee)
Chelsea vs Newcastle prediction
It’s tough to see Newcastle kickstarting their season against Chelsea based on current form, but there will be chances aplenty on the counter and that’s when the Magpies are at their best. Close, but not quite. Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle.
