Chelsea 3-2 Newcastle: Player ratings as Blues ease pressure on Pochettino with needed win
FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE — Chelsea returned to winning ways with a 3-2 victory at home to Newcastle United on Monday night.
The Blues moved to within a point of the Premier League's top half again by picking up all three at Stamford Bridge to close out gameweek 28.
Eddie Howe's side didn't make enough of the periods either side of half time when their hosts looked at sea and weren't able to bring the game back to within one goal until the final minutes.
Chelsea took the lead with only six minutes on the clock. Sven Botman's clearance fell straight to Cole Palmer on the edge of the box, and his rather tame effort was deftly flicked on by Nicolas Jackson and beyond a confounded Martin Dubravka.
Newcastle's first real opportunity came just after the half-hour mark when Chelsea failed to deal with a long free-kick into the box, and Marc Cucurella had to get his body behind Anthony Gordon's drive.
The visitors went closer to an equaliser when Miguel Almiron's low cross found Joe Willock in the six-yard box, but Cucurella did enough to put him off and his effort sailed over.
Just before half-time, Newcastle found their leveller. Bruno Guimaraes won possession in midfield and danced away from Trevoh Chalobah before playing through Alexander Isak, who set himself and curled the ball around Axel Disasi like a training cone and past Djordje Petrovic.
Chelsea thought they had gone back in front when Palmer released Jackson on the counter, sitting Botman on his backside before lashing home, but a belated offside flag went up to deny him.
After withstanding some early pressure after the break, Chelsea found themselves in front again. Newcastle were undone by one Enzo Fernandez pass between the lines, with Palmer receiving the pass before firing
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