Chelsea ahead at the death! A wonderful diagonal finds Willock at the far post and his head across the face of goal is intercepted by James who heads it out for a corner. Can Newcastle steal a draw? Pope goes up.Chelsea are looking anxiously at the clock, Sanchez is booked for time wasting.Chelsea are in Newcastle’s box. Palmer is again pulling the strings and eventually it lands for Mudryk who shoots but straight at Pope.Chelsea can enjoy a spell of possession and regain some control.Chelsea are holding on a bit here and seem ragged. Newcastle, with a bit of bravery and accuracy, can still nick a result.Chelsea who could do with a bit of spark.Chelsea press forward. More limbs in the middle might help.
As I type that, though, Isak headers towards goal and James has to make a timely block. Brilliant ball from Murphy after being set loose by Joelinton on the left.
Chelsea, and gets booked.Chelsea do win it back and now they’re forming something inside Newcastle territory. The Magpies have dropped deeper now, forcing Chelsea to play around them. The plan works. Chelsea lose their patience and a speculative long ball hands possession over.Chelsea break. Jackson is leading the charge but a sloppy touch on the edge of the box slows things down. He plays a ball to his right for Madueke who has to check his run. But rather than pass, the winger opts to cut onto his left foot and shoot. It’s a tame effort and Pope gathers it as it bobbles along the turf.Chelsea have the lead again 75 seconds after the restart.
Chelsea strip, though it does earn points for the absence of a sponsor on the front.Chelsea thought they had the lead when Palmer slid one into the far corner, but he was ruled off-side. Then Jackson scored, but Isak did likewise. Honours even at the break.Chelsea to test Pope on set pieces. Every ball they’ve played in has teased the keeper, inviting him to either punch or grab it.Chelsea have responded well since the goal. They’re a bit more controlled in possession with Lavia seeing more of it in central midfield.Chelsea nick the ball off Newcastle and the space opens for Caicedo on the edge of the box, but his shot is sliced and ends up well wide.
He’s onside! The check is over and the goal stands. A well worked move on the right of Chelsea’s box has Hall firing in a low ball across the face of the goal that takes out the keeper and two defenders. Isak is there to knock it home.
Has Fofana’s right boot kept Isak onside? It’s a long delay. I think he’s off.
We’re level! Or are we? They’re checking if Isak strayed offside before bundling in a goal.
31 min: It’s end to end! I can barely keep up. Now Newcastle have a corner and Isak gets away from his marker, but he can’t get his head around the ball enough and his effort from the near post goes wide.
29 min: Palmer delivers a wicked corner that forces Pope to punch from his own line. But Newcastle get a let-off when Fofana commits a silly foul.
27 min: Three Newcastle shots serve as a reminder that they won’t lie down. The first two – from Isak and Tonali – are blocked. Almiron gets his through the defensive wall but Sanchez saves easily. It all started with a great ball forward for Isak who then showed some neat footwork to hold up play in time for his mates to arrive in support.
Source: theguardian.com
