Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said he would be “silly not to be excited” for the second half of the season after a statement win against Chelsea kept his side third in the Premier League.
Having slipped to fourth following Tottenham’s win over Leeds earlier in the day, Joe Willock’s delightful goal lifted the Magpies back up to third, meaning they will be in the Champions League at Christmas for the first time since 2001. .
A fifth successive Premier League victory, against an admittedly out-of-form Chelsea, was achieved with England striker Callum Wilson starting on the bench after illness, and with a tenacity and fluidity that showed their opponents. Couldn’t match.
After Graham Potter worked hard in the first half, and Sean Longstaff missed two great chances shortly after the break, Wilk finally found a breakthrough when Miguel Almiron’s surging run Headed in from 18 yards.
A young Chelsea, without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling, improved after the introduction of Christian Pulisic in the second half.
A run by the Americans resulted in a Conor Gallagher shot, well saved by Nick Pope, but they could not break through a well-drilled Newcastle.
Following Liverpool’s win over Southampton, Chelsea’s third successive Premier League defeat means they drop to eighth in the table, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.
Asked if he was excited by what was in store when the Premier League restarted on Boxing Day, Howe said: “When you’re in the position we are in now you’re not crazy about what could happen. I’m excited about it, while respecting the quality of the league.
“We didn’t think about any changes or any outcome of the game. We just tried to win them and I think that’s the best way for us to attack in the second half of the season.”
Newcastle Are Already Built for European Challenge.
It was a match that once again highlighted the rapid progress made by Howe in the 13 months since taking over the club, and the team celebrated with their fans at the final whistle after a strong finish to the game. , when some challenges were exchanged.
The clash continued after full-time, with Dan Byrne and Kai Havartz brawling, and angry Chelsea players kept up their arguments as they left the field.
But after a lap of the pitch, Newcastle’s players walked down the tunnel with big smiles on their faces after a win that could have their fans dreaming of a European campaign next season, perhaps even in the Champions League.
For long periods, they have been more fluid than their opponents, perhaps due to a more consistent team selection than Chelsea, and the addition of Bruno Gomaris to their midfield.
But with Chris Wood replacing Wilson up front, Newcastle failed to truly test Chelsea before the break, with top scorer Almiron flashing a volley over and Gallagher parrying Dan Byrne’s shot. Referee Robert Jones also canceled his penalty appeal after the ball was hit by Travo Chalobah.
The hosts should have taken the lead shortly after half-time when Elmiron’s cross was nodded on by Joelinton, Longstaff had his effort saved by Mendy and then fired over.
But another dart from Paraguayan Almiron, who has seven goals in seven games, helped set up Willock’s curling strike to send St James’ Park into rapture.
For two teams that have recently undergone takeovers, it is perhaps no surprise that Newcastle look more advanced than Chelsea given that they are six months into their newfound status.
The new owners have preached that their evolution will take time, but the result, the performance and the feeling around the ground on Saturday suggested that Howe’s side are already built to challenge for the Premier League hierarchy. .
Chelsea’s Season is Coming to an End.
While Newcastle fans head home basking in the glory of a 10-game unbeaten run, Chelsea supporters will be wondering what is happening to their side as they face a third straight defeat in all competitions. 2002 for the first time, excluding penalty shootout defeats.
Potter later admitted that there was “a lot to learn” since he was appointed two months ago.
There were plenty of efforts from the visitors, but once again an unlikely Potter team selection looked cut short, their injury situation summed up by three players performing at right wing-back at various points during the game.
There was little he could do about Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s early injury, but after Cesar Azpilicueta was withdrawn at half-time, Gallagher got into position – and came close to scoring for Chelsea.
Potter’s side also included Lewis Hall, who made his Premier League debut at left wing-back, and had Almiron for company. But the 18-year-old still had the potential to go further with support from Gallagher, Mason Mount and Armando Bruja.
He set up Bruja for a shot that failed to test Pope in the Newcastle goal, and played a part in another attack, where Sven Boatman stepped forward and almost connected Bruja with Mount’s cross. was
Chelsea had Thiago Silva to thank for them in the first half when the Brazilian replaced Loftus-Cheek, but Newcastle’s second-half pressure finally told.
Pulisic was one of the few bright sparks and his run helped bring the visitors back to Newcastle, but his desperation to find an equalizer led to unpleasant scenes at the end and more questions for Potter. pointed to an unhappy Chelsea camp.
The Blues boss said the club had experienced an “incredibly challenging period” with a busy run of games and injuries to key players.
“Not getting results is not good, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “But I have to look at why that is and the situation we have to deal with. It’s not straightforward at all.”
Asked if the break came at a good time, he added: “We’ve got to look at it that way. We’ve got to use it as a positive and like I said we’ll have some players coming back. Time to refocus. Reflect and get ready for the second half of the season.”
