Chelsea increase gap over Arsenal with slim win against Newcastle

Re-live the action from Stamford Bridge

Sarri bemoans VAR after Spurs' win over Chelsea

Willian's sublime strike earned Chelsea a 2-1 victory over spirited Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.

Pedro's ninth-minute lob saw the Magpies trailing, but Ciaran Clark headed in a deserved equaliser before half-time.

The Blues had plenty of chances, but only prevailed when Willian curled in a decisive second, following another assist by Eden Hazard, who was again deployed as Chelsea's 'false nine'.

Goalscoring remains an issue for Chelsea, who faced the prospect of a third top-flight home game without scoring for the first time since November 1993, but finished the day with a six-point advantage over fifth-placed Arsenal.

Re-live the action in the blog below:

Key Points

• Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Hazard, Willian.

• Newcastle: Dubravka, Yedlin, Lejeune, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Perez, Longstaff, Hayden, Atsu, Rondon

[12 January 2019 17:49 · Michael Jones]

18 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle  

Azpilicueta sends the ball down the right and Kante makes a forward run and wins a throw in. Newcastle defend the throw well but Chelsea reclaim possession. 

[12 January 2019 17:52 · Michael Jones]

21 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle 

Solid bit of possession from Newcastle, they string a few passes together before looking for Atsu up front with a long ball. Atsu is caught offside and Chelsea have it back.  

[12 January 2019 17:55 · Michael Jones]

24 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle

Chelsea free kick. Pedro sends Azipilicueta on the overlap and Ritchie brings him down getting a yellow for his efforts. Willian puts the free kick into the box and David Luiz wins the header but puts the ball over the bar.

[12 January 2019 17:57 · Michael Jones]

27 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle

Newcastle win a corner and play it short. They try to run the ball into the box but get denied by Chelsea's defensive line. 

[12 January 2019 18:01 · Michael Jones]

30 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle

Atsu and Rondon combine up top for Newcastle, first Rondon gives the ball to Atsu before Atsu returns the favour sending him into space. Rondon shoots with his weaker left-foot but Azpilicueta makes the block. 

[12 January 2019 18:04 · Michael Jones]

33 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle

Chelsea try to probe Newcastle for any gaps in their defence but the North East side have the holes plugged. Pedro tries to switch the play and puts the ball out. 

[12 January 2019 18:06 · Michael Jones]

36 mins: Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle

The long ball comes forward and Rondon beats David Luiz in the air and flicks it on to Perez who runs the ball into the box, looks up and shoots sending it wide of goal. 

[12 January 2019 18:10 · Michael Jones]

39 mins: Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle - Clark

Atsu wins a corner for Newcastle. Ritchie delivers and wins a second corner. He delivers a second time and Clark jumps, meets it and guides it into the bottom left corner, great header!

[12 January 2019 18:12 · Michael Jones]

42 mins: Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle

Pedro sends Willian in on goal. Dubravka is quick off his line, stays big and makes the save by cutting off the angle. 

[12 January 2019 18:19 · Michael Jones]

45 mins: Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle

Chelsea easily dominated the first half, scoring early and then taking their foot off the gas. Newcastle grew into the half and found their attacking feet in the last 10 minutes scoring an equaliser courtesy of Clark's header.