Match ends, Chelsea 1, Newcastle United 0.
Chelsea snatched a dramatic winner against Newcastle in the first game at Stamford Bridge since Blues' Russian owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.
The game looked to be heading towards a goalless draw before Kai Havertz expertly controlled a ball forward and fired into the net in the 88th minute.
It was a tough goal to concede for Newcastle who had wanted Havertz to be sent off in the first half for catching Dan Burn in the face with an elbow when jumping, but the German only received a booking.
Before the goal, both sides had struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Chelsea taking 75 minutes to produce an effort on target.
Newcastle's Miguel Almiron had earlier forced a fine save from home goalkeeper Edouard Mendy with a well-struck 25-yard volley and Burn headed just wide.
Just as had happened in Chelsea's 3-1 away win over Norwich on Thursday, a small section of fans chanted Abramovich's name, for a brief period in the second half.
Abramovich has been sanctioned as a part of the government's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, meaning his assets, including Chelsea Football Club, have been frozen.
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A good end to a tough week for Chelsea and Tuchel
Chelsea stay third, but are now only seven points behind second-placed Liverpool and 10 adrift of leaders Manchester City. Meanwhile, Newcastle, beaten for the first time in nine Premier League matches, are 14th, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
The relief and delight shown from Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, both at the goal and again at the final whistle, showed what this meant to him by screaming at the fans and punching the air.
And it was easy to see why he was so emotional with the club's very existence potentially under threat.
Abramovich has been the Chelsea owner for nearly 19 years, a period in which they have won 21 trophies, including the Premier League on five occasions and the Champions League twice.
But the current sanctions against him have stopped him selling Chelsea, and mean the club are unable to buy or sell players, cannot sell any more tickets for games, have had their credit cards suspended and have had to close the club shop.
The government said it would issue a special licence that allowed fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches, although the club's wage bill stands at Β£28m a month.
It seemed fitting that Newcastle, another side with hugely controversial owners following their takeover in October by the Saudi Arabian-backed Public Investment Fund (PIF), were Chelsea's opponents on a day when events off the field were talked about as much as those on it.
Newcastle's takeover and the potential huge investment into the club was celebrated by their fans a few months ago, although Amnesty International said "it represented a clear attempt by the Saudi authorities to sportswash their appalling human rights record with the glamour of top-flight football".
Plenty of positives for Newcastle
Despite the late defeat, this was another sign of the progress Newcastle are making on the pitch. There was plenty for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe to be positive about given his side were only a few minutes away from securing a point away at the current European and world champions.
Arriving at a club without a league win and with only six points from 12 matches, he began with five defeats in his first eight games in all competitions, including a humiliating home loss to third-tier Cambridge United in the FA Cup third round.
But, after spending Β£80m in the January transfer window, the Magpies had been on a run of eight games unbeaten, including six victories, before this narrow loss.
The visitors had defended superbly up until Jorginho's excellent ball over the defence found Havertz, who showed his class to control it and then score the winner to delight the packed crowd at Stamford Bridge.
Howe said he thought Havertz could have been sent off but was also disappointed his side did not get a second-half penalty when Trevoh Chalobah had a hold of Jacob Murphy's shirt.
Player of the match
BurnDan Burn
Chelsea
Avg
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
6.27
- Squad number7Player nameKantΓ©Average rating
6.20
- Squad number16Player nameMendyAverage rating
5.96
- Squad number2Player nameRΓΌdigerAverage rating
5.91
- Squad number19Player nameMountAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number8Player nameKovacicAverage rating
5.74
- Squad number22Player nameZiyechAverage rating
5.61
- Squad number14Player nameChalobahAverage rating
5.61
- Squad number4Player nameChristensenAverage rating
5.57
- Squad number10Player namePulisicAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number5Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
5.45
- Squad number31Player nameSarrAverage rating
5.19
- Squad number11Player nameWernerAverage rating
5.18
- Squad number9Player nameLukakuAverage rating
4.89
Newcastle United
Avg
- Squad number33Player nameBurnAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number39Player nameBruno GuimarΓ£esAverage rating
7.04
- Squad number13Player nameTargettAverage rating
7.00
- Squad number5Player nameSchΓ€rAverage rating
6.87
- Squad number1Player nameDΓΊbravkaAverage rating
6.75
- Squad number36Player nameS LongstaffAverage rating
6.60
- Squad number23Player nameMurphyAverage rating
6.59
- Squad number20Player nameWoodAverage rating
6.58
- Squad number10Player nameSaint-MaximinAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number19Player nameManquilloAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number24Player nameAlmirΓ³nAverage rating
6.49
- Squad number6Player nameLascellesAverage rating
6.20
- Squad number21Player nameFraserAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number34Player nameGayleAverage rating
4.66
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 4-3-3
- 16Mendy
- 14Chalobah
- 4Christensen
- 2RΓΌdigerBooked at 90mins
- 31SarrSubstituted forPulisicat 78'minutes
- 7KantΓ©
- 5Jorginho
- 19MountSubstituted forKovacicat 63'minutesBooked at 87mins
- 22ZiyechBooked at 58mins
- 29HavertzBooked at 39mins
- 11WernerSubstituted forLukakuat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 3Alonso
- 6Thiago Silva
- 8Kovacic
- 9Lukaku
- 10Pulisic
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 17SaΓΊl
- 18Barkley
Newcastle
Formation 5-4-1
- 1DΓΊbravka
- 19ManquilloSubstituted forGayleat 90+1'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 6Lascelles
- 5SchΓ€r
- 33Burn
- 13Targett
- 24AlmirΓ³nSubstituted forSaint-Maximinat 69'minutes
- 39Bruno GuimarΓ£esBooked at 80mins
- 36S Longstaff
- 23MurphyBooked at 50minsSubstituted forFraserat 90+1'minutes
- 20Wood
Substitutes
- 3Dummett
- 10Saint-Maximin
- 11Ritchie
- 17Krafth
- 21Fraser
- 26Darlow
- 29Gillespie
- 34Gayle
- 50De Bolle
- Referee:
- David Coote
- Attendance:
- 40,026
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home73%
- Away27%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea 1, Newcastle United 0.
Post update
N'Golo KantΓ© (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Matt Targett (Newcastle United).
Post update
Attempt saved. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by N'Golo KantΓ©.
Booking
Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Jorginho (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United).
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Ryan Fraser replaces Jacob Murphy.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Dwight Gayle replaces Javier Manquillo.
Booking
Antonio RΓΌdiger (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea 1, Newcastle United 0. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jorginho with a through ball.
Post update
Offside, Chelsea. Mateo Kovacic tries a through ball, but Romelu Lukaku is caught offside.
Booking
Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).
Post update
Bruno GuimarΓ£es (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Fabian SchΓ€r (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Targett with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).
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Matt Targett (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by N'Golo KantΓ© (Chelsea).
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Comments
Join the conversation
They need to explain how they come to some of these decisions and not just slink off home via the back door.
Time & again in rugby you hear the referee say to the TMO who are more active βyouβve got the best view, letβs look at it thenβ Football thinks they need to be different but frankly look ridiculous.
A neutral supporter totally frustrated when teams are wronged far too regularly
The are so weak. And I know it has always been like that.Var was supposed to help them make the right decisions.
But all VAR has done, is put the same referees in a box who agree with the same weak decisions.
I think there should be a complete clear out of the current refs and independent adjudicator should sit in on the VAR decisions.