Chelsea increase gap over Arsenal with slim win against Newcastle
Re-live the action from Stamford Bridge
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Your support makes all the difference.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:
75 mins: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle
There's going to be a few minutes added on at the end of this half. David Luiz is down now and need treatment.
78 mins: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle
Newcastle put together a string of passes resulting in a corner. Alonso heads it away though.
81 mins: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle
Pedro is replaced by Hudson-Odoi.
Murphy and Manquillo come on for Newcastle as Yedlin and Perez go off.
Ritchie gets himself into some space on the edge of the box and sends a shot over the box.
84 mins: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle
Arrizabalaga is a little flat-footed as the ball comes into Rondon. Rondon chooses the near post as to where he wants his header to go but he misses his mark.
90 mins: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle
The game seems to be winding down but no-one told Hudson-Odoi who receives the ball and runs it down the left. Willian wins a corner for Chelsea but they do nothing with it.
90+4 mins: Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle
Four added minutes at the end of the match. Newcastle get one more chance with a corner, they play it short and waste it. Chelsea take possession and safely negotiate the remaining time.
That result means that Chelsea secure their position in the top four. The gap between them and Arsenal increasing to six points.
Other results mean Newcastle drop into the relegation zone and have a tough battle ahead to avoid the drop down to the Championship.
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