By Cole Palmer’s second-half goal helped Chelsea earn a well-deserved 2-1 win against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, as the Blues moved into the Premier League’s top four.
The match began with an entertaining display from both sides, with Noni Madueke looking lively on the wing and Palmer having a goal disallowed for offside. Chelsea took the lead through Nicolas Jackson, who tapped in his seventh league goal of the season after a wonderful pass from Palmer and a square ball from Pedro Neto.
Newcastle managed to draw level just after the half-hour mark when Alexander Isak converted from close range following a flowing move that ended with Lewis Hall’s cross. However, Chelsea regained the lead early in the second half when Palmer, who had been impressive throughout, fired a confident shot past Nick Pope after Levi Colwill won possession and Romeo Lavia played the decisive pass.
The Blues continued to attack with purpose, while Newcastle showed resolve in search of another equalizer. Joe Willock’s cross found Isak, but his header was blocked, and the Swedish striker later managed to round Kepa Arrizabalaga but couldn’t get a shot off in time.
Despite late shouts for a Chelsea penalty when Christopher Nkunku went down, no further goals were scored as the home side secured the three points, extending their strong recent form and stretching Newcastle’s winless run in the league to five games.
The result sees Chelsea move into fourth place in the Premier League table, while Newcastle have dropped into the bottom half following the defeat.
Player of the Match: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Palmer’s goal and overall performance were crucial to Chelsea’s victory, as the England international caused constant problems for the Newcastle defense with his vision and technical ability.
The win will be a significant boost for Graham Potter’s side as they look to maintain their push for a top-four finish, while Newcastle will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid slipping further down the table in the coming weeks.
Chelsea will now turn their attention to their next Premier League fixture, while Newcastle will aim to end their winless run when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James’ Park.
