Chelsea vs Newcastle: Cesc Fabregas proves the beating heart as Eden Hazard steals the show

Five things we learned: Chelsea will figure in the title battle, Andreas Christensen one of the success stories of the season and Dwight Gayle gives Newcastle an extra dimension

Eden Hazard celebrates after scoring the first of two goals against Newcastle (Getty)

Chelsea can still challenge City

On this showing, the Premier League title battle is more than just a two-horse race. Manchester City remain by far and large the title favourites, but if they slip up, you get the idea that it’ll be Chelsea who are there to try and capitalise.

When Chelsea click, they can be unstoppable. Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata are building a stronger relationship with each game they play together, while the likes of Danny Drinkwater and Antonio Rudiger are starting to make a good impression on the side since their summer arrivals.

Going somewhat under the radar in the shadow of the two Manchester clubs may well be exactly what Chelsea need, and come March when the title battle heats up, you would not put it past Chelsea to still be in with a shout of retaining their silverware.

Gayle gives Newcastle an extra bite

Having Dwight Gayle lead the Newcastle line gives the Magpies something a little different. While the striker was absent, Newcastle struggled for goals and, without Gayle’s penetrating runs in behind, were unable to unlock sturdy defences.

Chelsea’s would fall onto that category, but inside 12 minutes, Newcastle had found a way to break them down. Gayle needed a slice of luck for Jacob Murphy’s mazing run to break in his direction, with the ball striking Gayle’s arm on the way through to his path, but the fact that he was able to get in behind in the first place meant that Chelsea’s defence was suddenly in retreat.

Gayle had the whereabouts to ignore the penalty claim as Murphy went flying through the air due to Thibaut Courtois’ tackle to tuck home the opportunity and put the away side ahead. But having done his duty, the defence could not do theirs.

Morata can play the rough and rugged

Alvaro Morata certainly has a delicate touch when on the ball, but the striker also proved that he can fulfil the rough and rugged role that Diego Costa made his own at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard led the line for his side well, attracting the Newcastle centre-backs that created space for Eden Hazard to float in to.

But it was his goal where Morata really showed what he can do. The forward realised where Victor Moses was going to put the ball from his cross on the right of the area, and as the winger chose to drill the ball in towards goal, Morata knew that a simple touch on the ball would be enough to direct it goalwards.

The problem was that Chancel Mbemba was between him and the ball, yet Morata wrestled the centre-back out of the way with about as much contact as a striker would get away with in the box to ensure he reached it first and put Chelsea ahead.

Fabregas is Chelsea’s beating heart

Much of the praise often goes to Hazard when Chelsea play well, but the creative genius of Cesc Fabregas should not be overlooked as he played a magnificent part in getting Chelsea back into the game.

Fabregas delivered a ball that few players in football worldwide can produce, chipping it over the Newcastle defence with an inch-perfect pass to Hazard that the Belgian just failed to tuck away. He also sprayed balls across to Moses and Marcos Alonso at will, giving Chelsea the width required to free Hazard and Morata.

Given that he looked to be the expendable midfielder that would drop out of the side to accommodate Tiemoue Bakayoko, Fabregas’ resurgence this season has been nothing short of fantastic.

Andreas Christensen has been one of the success stories of the season (Getty)

Christensen’s development a triumph for Chelsea

Watching Andreas Christensen week in, week out, it’s clear to see that the Dane is going to be a star of the future. The 21-year-old has the composure and awareness to remain alert at the back, and he also showed a side to his game that hadn’t really been seen before as he charged forward through the Newcastle midfield and played in a lovely ball to Moses that should have resulted in a goal.

With David Luiz watching on from the stands once again, it appears that the Brazilian’s time at Stamford Bridge will soon be up. Christensen’s emergence means that Conte has been able to retain his three-man defence this season – something that didn’t look a possibility with the unreliable Luiz in the middle – and it is also a success story for the Chelsea academy.

The club’s problems with developing its own talent have been well documented, with the ridiculous number of players out on loan at times topping the 40 mark. Not since John Terry has a player come through the youth ranks and made such an impression on the first team, but it looks like Christensen might just make the grade at Chelsea.