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Timo Werner scored and assisted as he ended a 14-game goal drought to help Chelsea to victory over Newcastle in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
Werner’s cross rebounded out to Olivier Giroud to net Chelsea’s opener in the first half, after the France striker replaced the injured Tammy Abraham.
Summer signing Werner then made it 2-0 eight minutes later, scrambling in a flick-on at the back post.
Victory sees Chelsea move back up to fourth place, ahead of West Ham.
The Hammers, who comfortably beat Sheffield United earlier on Monday night, are level on points with Chelsea but both sides sit above defending champions Liverpool as competition for Champions League places heats up.
1,000 minutes, 31 attempts, 14 games
Werner came into this match having not scored since a 4-1 win against bottom side Sheffield United on 7 November.
He had chances within the opening half an hour with the best coming from Marcos Alonso’s header which Werner poked wide.
It threatened to be a similar story for Werner, who has been creative for Chelsea this season but has failed to deliver goals following a high-profile move from RB Leipzig in the summer.
But after taking a whack in the face from Newcastle defender Jamal Lewis and running off to receive treatment, Werner returned to the pitch to provide a cross that ultimately came to Giroud to coolly thump into the net, and the German added Chelsea’s second from a corner before half-time.
It was Werner’s first goal in exactly 1,000 minutes of Premier League action for Chelsea and ended a run of 31 attempts without scoring – he even had to wait for a video assistant referee decision before being allowed to celebrate properly, which he did with a relieved smile.
His performance capped off another positive result for Chelsea under new boss Thomas Tuchel, who handed a start to out-of-favour goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and came through unscathed.
It was Arrizabalaga’s first league start since a 3-3 draw with Southampton on 17 October after losing his position under former manager Frank Lampard.
The Blues have now picked up 13 points from a possible 15 under the new leadership, winning four successive league matches in a row for the first time since November 2019.
Newcastle struggle to compete
Newcastle had picked up two wins from their previous three league matches after a burst in form but they struggled to compete with an in-form Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge.
Abraham’s injury, as a result of Jamaal Lascelles’ strong recovery tackle in the box, saw the introduction of Giroud, who has enjoyed playing Newcastle and scored his ninth goal against them in the league.
Werner caused the defence problems too, and when Newcastle were able to get on the ball creative players Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin were short of options.
Newcastle did ride a wave of pressure in the second half as Reece James, Werner and Mason Mount all came close to adding to Chelsea’s tally.
But the visitors’ best chance – Joe Willock’s header which was scrambled away by Arrizabalaga – did not come until the 74th minute, when Chelsea were in complete control.
Almiron drilled another effort wide minutes later and Newcastle had all four of their shots on target after the break but they never really threatened to get into game.
What’s next?
Chelsea travel to Southampton on Saturday, 20 February (12:30 GMT kick-off), while Newcastle go to Old Trafford to play Manchester United on Sunday, 21 February (19:00).
Tuchel emulates Mourinho – the best of the stats
- Newcastle have lost six of their last seven away Premier League games after losing just one of the six before that.
- Chelsea have won eight consecutive home top-flight matches against an opponent (Newcastle) for the first time since winning nine in a row against West Brom between 1984 and 2013.
- Tuchel has picked up 13 points from his first five Premier League games in charge of Chelsea (W4 D1), level with Jose Mourinho’s first five with the club and bettered only by Carlo Ancelotti and Maurizio Sarri (15 pts each).
- He is just the third manager to see his team concede just one goal in his first five games as a boss in the Premier League, after Mourinho with Chelsea and Peter Taylor with Leicester.
- In his 100th Premier League appearance as a substitute, Giroud scored his 21st goal in the competition from the bench, with only Jermain Defoe netting more (24).
- Arrizabalaga kept his first Premier League clean sheet in five appearances (11 goals conceded in previous four), since a shut-out against Norwich in July 2020.
More to follow.
Player of the match
WernerTimo Werner
Chelsea
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Squad number11Player nameWerner
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Squad number18Player nameGiroud
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Squad number17Player nameKovacic
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Squad number20Player nameHudson-Odoi
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Squad number19Player nameMount
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Squad number24Player nameJames
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Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
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Squad number3Player nameAlonso
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Squad number7Player nameKanté
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Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
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Squad number5Player nameJorginho
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Squad number4Player nameChristensen
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Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga
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Squad number9Player nameAbraham
Newcastle United
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Squad number26Player nameDarlow
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Squad number28Player nameWillock
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Squad number10Player nameSaint-Maximin
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Squad number24Player nameAlmirón
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Squad number14Player nameHayden
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Squad number2Player nameClark
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Squad number8Player nameShelvey
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Squad number6Player nameLascelles
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Squad number15Player nameLewis
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Squad number17Player nameKrafth
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Squad number12Player nameGayle
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Squad number21Player nameFraser
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Squad number7Player nameCarroll
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Squad number9Player nameJoelinton
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 28Azpilicueta
- 4Christensen
- 2Rüdiger
- 20Hudson-OdoiSubstituted forJamesat 78′minutes
- 5Jorginho
- 17Kovacic
- 3Alonso
- 19MountSubstituted forKantéat 70′minutes
- 11Werner
- 9AbrahamSubstituted forGiroudat 20′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Kanté
- 10Pulisic
- 15Zouma
- 16Mendy
- 18Giroud
- 21Chilwell
- 22Ziyech
- 24James
- 33Emerson
Newcastle
Formation 4-3-3
- 26Darlow
- 17Krafth
- 6Lascelles
- 2Clark
- 15Lewis
- 28WillockSubstituted forCarrollat 79′minutes
- 14Hayden
- 8Shelvey
- 12GayleSubstituted forJoelintonat 64′minutes
- 24Almirón
- 10Saint-MaximinSubstituted forFraserat 72′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Dubravka
- 3Dummett
- 4M Longstaff
- 7Carroll
- 9Joelinton
- 11Ritchie
- 21Fraser
- 23Murphy
- 36S Longstaff
Live Text
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Match ends, Chelsea 2, Newcastle United 0.
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Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Newcastle United 0.
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Foul by N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea).
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Jamal Lewis (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Newcastle United. Karl Darlow tries a through ball, but Andy Carroll is caught offside.
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Jorginho (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Miguel Almirón (Newcastle United).
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Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Andy Carroll (Newcastle United).
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Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Marcos Alonso.
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Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by César Azpilicueta.
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Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).
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Andy Carroll (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Miguel Almirón (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jamaal Lascelles.
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Hand ball by Timo Werner (Chelsea).
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César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Andy Carroll (Newcastle United).
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Substitution, Newcastle United. Andy Carroll replaces Joseph Willock.
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Attempt saved. Reece James (Chelsea) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by N’Golo Kanté.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Reece James replaces Callum Hudson-Odoi.
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