Newcastle gained momentum towards qualifying for Europe with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Anthony Gordon’s first-half goal (18 points) was the only goal of the game as Newcastle put in a textbook away performance to pick up a crucial three points in the European race.
Tino Libramento’s pass sliced through the Chelsea defense and Joe Willock ran into goal. The midfielder teed up Gordon, who scored the winning goal.
The performance was the perfect tonic for Eddie Howe’s side ahead of their midweek trip to Barcelona, with victory lifting them into ninth place, six points behind fifth-placed Chelsea, with eight games remaining.
Chelsea dominated the ball for long periods but could not find a way through Newcastle’s solid defence. Chelsea’s bad week continued as substitute Liam Delap squandered a golden chance and Reece James’ free-kick hit the post late on.
A win would have been a chance to move up to third place for Liam Rosenior’s side, whose Champions League hopes were all but extinct after a 5-2 loss to PSG in midweek, but there was no sense of urgency to trouble Newcastle, who suffered their eighth defeat of the season.
Manchester United face Aston Villa on Sky Sports on Super Sunday, and defeat means they missed a huge chance in the race for Champions League qualification. Despite having played more games, they remain three points clear of both Villa and United.
Sunday, March 15th 1:00 p.m.
Kickoff at 2pm
Sunday, March 15th 4pm
4:30pm kickoff
Howe praises defensive mentality: We stood up
Eddie Howe was full of praise for Newcastle’s defensive performance at Stamford Bridge in an interview with Sky Sports.
“I thought our defensive mentality was incredible today, especially after a huge week for us. I thought we were really good off the ball, we pressed well in the first half in all respects, we went deeper in the second half, we rode our luck at times, but I think we more than deserved it considering how many injuries we’ve had this season.”
“We haven’t played enough defense this year. I mean, it’s been a while since we’ve had a clean sheet. But today we stood up and defended really well at times.”
Rosenior: It wasn’t the result we wanted.
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Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has reacted to the bizarre moment referee Paul Tierney was caught in the middle of a huddle of players before the Premier League game against Newcastle.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior reflected on the loss to Newcastle.
“The result was not what we wanted. We just lacked the cutting edge today. The players are not getting what they deserve at the moment. We need to find a way to get more quality in the final third.”
“In the first 15 minutes you could see that Cole (Palmer) and Joao (Pedro) were in a really good position. That goal took the wind out of them. Football is all about momentum and that goal gave them momentum.”
“We tried to find tactical solutions rather than personnel solutions, and tonight we couldn’t do that.
“When things are going well, they’re not always as great as you think they are, and when you’re in a difficult situation, things aren’t always as bad as you think they are. Rob[Sanchez]doesn’t remember a lot of things to do.
“We need to make sure the players recover. We need to monitor them and see who is fresh (to PSG).”
Where was Chelsea’s plan B?
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones said:
Chelsea have been dangerous and creative so far under Liam Rosenior’s reign, but this felt like the first sign that the project was hitting Newcastle’s stubborn wall.
It was a reminder that clever attacking patterns and fluid football can only go so far in the Premier League when space is running out and opponents refuse to cooperate. Chelsea have never failed to score in the league under Rosenior. There have always been breakthroughs. Always a moment of incision. There’s always a solution.
There was nothing against Newcastle.
When Chelsea can play through their team, they look very attractive. When the pitch stretches and the transition opens, the attacking players will be active. However, once the game is condensed, the system can start to seem a little fast-paced.
Newcastle asked Rosenior a simple question. “What if Plan A isn’t good enough?” Chelsea had no answer.
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Ahead of kick-off against Newcastle, a special guest appeared in Chelsea’s pre-match huddle!
Newcastle have a template that troubles Barça
Sky Sports’ Oliver Yu at Stamford Bridge:
It was like watching the old Newcastle under Eddie Howe.
It was a performance filled with the energy and organization that characterized Howe’s success at Newcastle, and was epitomized by the hard-working Anthony Gordon, who produced the game-clinching moment.
This is a huge result for Eddie Howe’s side and could be a springboard for their season in terms of moving up the Premier League table.
Newcastle United’s Joe Willock (left) and Chelsea’s Romeo Rabia playing at Stamford Bridge
There was a risk that the season would stagnate for a bit, but they are now firmly back in the European qualifying bracket, with a six-point difference over fifth-placed Chelsea.
They also have a template for success as they head to Barcelona for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
If they can replicate what they produced at Stamford Bridge, they will have enough tools and pace to trouble Barça during the break.
