Cole Palmer underlines Chelsea's top four credentials with display of power against Newcastle

Cole Palmer was the star of the show as Chelsea extended Newcastle’s winless run in the Premier League to five games to earn a deserved three points.

Palmer was unusually quiet in Chelsea’s defeat at Anfield last weekend, but was back to his brilliant best as the Blues returned to winning ways in the Premier League.

Newcastle’s defence just couldn’t deal with the effortless excellence of Palmer, who drifted around the pitch and caused them all sorts of problems, playing a key role in the first goal before netting his seventh league goal of the season to win it.

His dazzling display started in the fourth minute when Palmer latched onto Nicolas Jackson’s through ball and found the bottom corner, but VAR chalked it off because the England midfielder was marginally offside.

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They didn’t have to wait long for their bright start to be rewarded when Palmer released Pedro Neto with a brilliant pass and the Portuguese winger squared for Jackson to put in his sixth Premier League goal of the season in the 18th minute.

Neto continued to threaten before the Blues were caught cold by an incisive Newcastle attack that was led by Tino Livramento.

Having played out from the right-back position, Livramento shepherded the ball to the opposite flank where Lewis Hall picked out Alexander Isak on the overlap and the unmarked Swede bundled it home from close range, with another lengthy VAR check clearing to tight offside calls.

Nick Pope made a flying save to tip a deflected shot around the post from the lively Neto, but it took blocks from Malo Gusto and Wesley Fofana to deny the away side at the other end.
Referee Simon Hooper had both sides furious after turning away Bruno Guimaraes’ appeals for a penalty and Noni Madueke’s shout for a tug back by Dan Burn.

Chelsea took the lead just two minutes into the second half when Isak failed to hold up the ball and the hosts pounced.

Romeo Lavia poked the ball through to Palmer, who had acres to run into in front of a retreating Newcastle defence and smashed a low shot past Pope at the near post. It was nearly 3-1 just minutes later when Neto hit the post with a header from Madueke’s cross.

Newcastle came into this match with the fourth-worst attack in the Premier League, having failed to score in their last two games and missed Anthony Gordon, who was ruled out with a groin injury.

Top-scorer Harvey Barnes and Miguel Almiron were ineffective and Isak was denied a third Premier League goal of the season when his header hit Reece James.

Chelsea eased off the gas and should have been punished when Isak pounced on a mistake by Fofana and rounded Robert Sanchez, only to get tackled by the retreating Moises Caicedo while dallying with the goal gaping and Joelinton wide open across the box.

Hooper changed his mind on a late Chelsea penalty, having initially penalised Burn for pulling back Christopher Nkunku, but it didn’t matter for the home side who survived a late scare when Reece James headed over his own crossbar.

Eddie Howe’s side have now gone 42 days since they last tasted victory in the Premier League, while Chelsea continue to improve under the management of Enzo Maresca.

If they can keep Palmer fit, then they will be well placed to clinch a place in the top four come May.

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