Newcastle United smash Chelsea at St James’ Park – Newcastle 4 Chelsea 1

Newcastle 4 Chelsea 1 – Saturday 25 November 3pm

Newcastle fans stunned to see an even weaker bench than that at Bournemouth!

Nothing wrong with the starting eleven but with the subs made up of three keepers, a group of kids and the more mature Ritchie and Dummett…

Newcastle starting really well and great value for their 13th minute opener, a brilliant Lewis Miley ball threaded through to Isak who lashed it past Sanchez.

Eddie Howe’s men pushing for a second and well on top, only for a horrendous mistake from Lascelles as he gifted possession in the middle of the pitch. Trippier chasing back as Sterling ran towards goal and as he reached the edge of the box, the Newcastle defender ran into him. It was a foul but not intended. A superb Sterling free-kick up and over the wall giving Pope no chance.

Straight up the other end and a Trippier corner from the left eludes everybody, Joelinton a free header and an empty net five yards away, somehow puts it wide!

A couple of smart saves from Pope and then the NUFC keeper with a howler, his attempted pass only finding Gallagher on the edge of the box. He could have shot with his right but cut back on his left and his feeble shot crawling wide a shocker.

A very open game with Newcastle the better team but Chelsea dangerous on the break.

Just before half-time Trippier almost restoring the lead, his 25 yard free-kick hitting the bar with the Chelsea keeper beat.

A great first half and maybe 1-1 a fair scoreline.

Into the second-half and another gifted possession from Lascelles, the Newcastle captain booked as he dragged Jackson down. This time the super arrogant Reece James insisted on taking the free-kick thankfully, his effort woeful with Sterling clearly not happy.

The match looking like it could go either way and then in the space of 90 seconds it certainly went one way!

A superb cross from Gordon on the left and Lascelles powering a header home, you could feel his release of tension after the earlier mistake.

Newcastle not sitting back and instantly pressuring Chelsea again. The ultra experienced Thiago Silva caught in two minds and ended up only kicking the ball a few feet, Joelinton pouncing and lashing it home, a very similar tension release as it had been for Lascelles.

Chelsea falling apart and the diving / cheating throughout from James, Jackson and Sterling was simply embarrassing. The icing on the cake, the moment when Reece James followed up his yellow for kicking the ball away, with another for tripping Gordon on 73 minutes.

Gordon then taking full advantage ten minutes later, a beautiful Almiron through ball releasing him and the former Everton player sweetly striking into the far bottom corner.

Such a dominant Newcastle United half after edging the first.

Stats via BBC Sport:

Newcastle 4 Chelsea 1 – Saturday 25 November 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 13, Lascelles 60, Joelinton 61, Gordon 83

Chelsea:

Sterling 23, James 73 red card

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Chelsea 45% (44%)  Newcastle 55% (56%)

Total shots were Chelsea 7 (6) Newcastle 14 (6)

Shots on target were Chelsea 4 (4) Newcastle 5 (1)

Corners were Chelsea 2 (2) Newcastle 4 (1)

Referee: Simon Hooper

Attendance: 52,227 (Chelsea 3,000)

Newcastle team v Chelsea:

Pope, Trippier, Lascelles (Dummett 86), Schar, Livramento, Bruno, Lewis Miley (Diallo 90+2), Joelinton, Almiron (Alex Murphy 87), Gordon (Ndiweni 90+2), Isak (Ritchie 81)

SUBS:

Dubravka, Gillespie, Karius, Parkinson

Newcastle United confirmed matches to mid-January 2024:

Tuesday 28 November 2023 – PSG v Newcastle (8pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 2 December 2023 – Newcastle United v Man U (8pm) TNT Sports

Thursday 7 December 2023 – Everton v Newcastle (7.30pm) Amazon

Sunday 10 December 2023 – Tottenham v Newcastle (4.30pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 13 December 2023 – Newcastle v AC Milan (8pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 16 December 2023 – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Tuesday 18 December 2023 – Chelsea v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 23 December 2023 – Luton v Newcastle (3pm)

Tuesday 26 December 2023 – Newcastle v Forest (12.30pm) Amazon

Monday 1 January 2024 – Liverpool v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

(Weekend of Saturday 6 January 2024 – FA Cup third round matches)

Saturday 13 January 2024 – Newcastle v Man City (5.30pm) TNT Sports