Newcastle edged closer to securing a Champions League berth by beating direct top-five rival Chelsea 2-0 on Sunday afternoon.
The Magpies capitalized on the Blues’ reduced numbers for the last hour of the match, clinching a win with goals scored at the beginning and the conclusion of the game. Standout midfielders Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes netted for the home side, securing their sixth consecutive Premier League triumph at St James’ Park.
With Sunday’s outcome on Tyneside, Newcastle is poised to finish the weekend in third place with two matches remaining, while Chelsea faces dropping to sixth if Nottingham Forest manages a victory over already relegated Leicester City at home.
An early start didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the spirited Toon Army for this critical clash as Newcastle hosted an in-form Chelsea at St James’ Park on Sunday. After the Blues initiated action with a set-piece, Sandro Tonali made sure the hosts had an ideal start.
The goal sequence encapsulated the very best of the Italian, who dispossessed Romeo Lavia and distributed wide before ghosting behind Chelsea’s defence and finishing from Jacob Murphy’s cross at the back post.
That set the tone, with the Magpies utterly dominant in the first 15 minutes. Chelsea, perhaps flummoxed by Eddie Howe’s 3-4-3, couldn’t cope with Newcastle’s trademark aggression and directness. Alexander Isak ought to have done better with a volley after receiving possession in the box from a Dan Burn header, while Harvey Barnes and Bruno Guimaraes also came close to doubling the hosts’ lead.
While Newcastle were unable to produce a second first-half goal, they received a massive boost before the break when Nicolas Jackson was sent off for charging into Sven Botman with his forearm. John Brooks initially booked the Chelsea striker but upgraded the card to red after VAR got involved.
The Blues offered very little in a tough opening period, with Nick Pope barely tested and their only source of inspiration arriving via Pedro Neto’s bursts into open space down the right.
You’d have backed the hosts to take full control of the contest a man-up in the second period, but Chelsea, who were aided by Reece James’ half-time introduction, enjoyed their best spell of the bout up until the hour mark. There was little by way of sustained Newcastle pressure as Howe reverted to a 4-3-3, and Pope was forced into an excellent save to deny Marc Cucurella.
Guimaraes then squandered a good chance to seal all three points, flashing wildly wide with an effort from close range, and their slender advantage heading into the game’s final act meant a once rampant St James’ evolved into an amphitheatre of tension.
James spurned the moment Chelsea cultivated in the closing stages, as his header failed to hit the target, and Newcastle’s triumph was confirmed soon after the captain’s miss via Guimaraes, whose effort from outside the area cruelly deflected over Sanchez.
Check out player ratings from Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea here.
Howe threw a spanner in the works by opting for a 3-4-3, and Newcastle were content with spending periods in a 5-4-1 block when Chelsea had settled possession. The system matched up perfectly with the Blues’ 3-2-4-1 possession shape, and there’s no denying that Howe’s change contributed to the visitors’ first-half struggles.
Maresca’s men were seemingly taken aback by the ploy, with Newcastle seizing the initiative from the get-go. The system brought about great balance to the hosts’ play while allowing Murphy, Barnes, Gordon and Isak to feature in the same XI.
The manager reverted to type at the start of the second half in a bid to restore control after a basketball-like start to the restart, with Howe opting to shuffle his personnel around plenty.
A willingness to adapt to the opponent has proven key to Howe’s success on Tyenside, and although they had to grind out the second half, this was another example, of the manager’s tactical shrewdness.
There’s no defending Nicolas Jackson here. That was silly.
While not particularly malicious, his eyeing up of Botman before planting a forearm into his face hinted at some intent and VAR had no choice but to recommend John Brooks to check the monitor after the referee booked him on-field.
With Christopher Nkunku absent, Maresca was forced to go striker-less for the remaining hour. The Blues had some initial joy on the breakaway, and sustained pressure pretty well despite their man disadvantage in the second period, but they lacked a focal point against a Newcastle defence forced to defend their box for stretches.
Chelsea arguably performed better with ten men compared to 11, as Jackson endured a frustrating start to the contest, and he certainly wouldn’t have won over any doubters with his antics on Tyneside. Now, he’ll serve a three-game suspension and won’t be seen on the pitch again until the Conference League final against Real Betis on May 28.
The Blues entered the contest in a buoyant mood after downing the champions last week, a third Premier League win on the bounce, but their momentum was stifled on Tyneside.
A predictable structure allowed Howe to adjust, and although Maresca adapted pretty well to Jackson’s dismissal, there’s no denying that the Englishman, who brought to light the limitations of the Italian’s game model, won the battle on the sidelines.
Chelsea’s defeat means they’ll surely have to win out to secure a top-five finish and play in next season’s Champions League. The Blues could be down in sixth by the end of the day, and have to win at Nottingham Forest in what’s poised to be a shootout for Europe’s premier club competition on the final day.
While the defeat arrives at a critical juncture, Maresca may well be encouraged by his team’s second-half display. Jackson is a big miss, however.
