Newcastle 0 - 0
Chelsea
Chelsea failed to close the gap on Premiership leaders Manchester
United after a goalless draw at Newcastle. The Blues would have
been just one point behind the Reds had they won at Newcastle but
never really found their form and created few openings.
Frank Lampard shot over, Salomon Kalou had a tame stab at goal and
Joe Cole missed by inches in injury time. Chelsea keeper Petr Cech
made a good save from Kieron Dyer, while Obafemi Martins headed
over from a corner. But in truth it was a poor game - and an
especially disappointing performance from Chelsea given the
opportunity that was before them.
Jose Mourinho's team rarely looked like taking advantage of
United's draw at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday. The weekend's
results mean Chelsea are three points behind United, who they play
on 9 May, but with a vastly inferior goal difference.
There were no clear-cut openings in the first 45 minutes, though
Newcastle played with the greater sense of urgency and did create
several half chances. Kieron Dyer hooked the ball wide under
pressure, while a deflected Martins strike missed the target and a
promising position for Stephen Carr came to nothing after he cut in
from the left.
Chelsea went in to the match with Michael Ballack and Claude
Makelele restored to the starting line-up. But German Ballack
limped off after 18 minutes following a heavy challenge from Titus
Bramble. The Blues did have one opening in the first-half, but John
Terry headed wide from a Frank Lampard free-kick under pressure
from Antoine Sibierski.
Terry cut a frustrated figure as he appealed for a penalty, claming
that Sibierski had impeded his run. Chelsea played with more
endeavour and purpose after the break - and soon created an
opening, though Lampard drilled the ball over from 10 yards.
Newcastle underlined their attacking threat with two chances in a
minute. Cech smothered Dyer's shot after Nicky Butt had played him
in, and from the resultant corner Martins, unmarked, headed over.
Chelsea responded, with Butt clearing up after Kalou guided the
ball goalwards following a low drilled cross from substitute Joe
Cole.
Mourinho introduced Andrei Shevchenko with 15 minutes remaining and
the visiting team - with a great record of scoring late on - pushed
forward in search of a decisive goal. Terry's entanglement with
Sibierski continued - and the Chelsea skipper's rant at referee
Mark Halsey hinted at his growing frustration. Cole deflected a
Paulo Ferreira cross narrowly wide in the third minute of stoppage
time as Newcastle held on to claim a point and dent Chelsea's title
aspirations.
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Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder:
"I'm very proud and pleased for them. They have taken a bit of flak
recently but they have put on a real performance against the
champions. "I think we played some very good football at times. "I
think that over the full 90 minute a draw was the fair result. I do
not think that there was a bad performance from any of my
players."
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho:
"It was a chance missed to close the gap - but at the same time we
had an away game and Man United had a home game and at the end of
it the gap between us is the same."
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Newcastle: Harper, Solano, Bramble, Taylor, Carr, Milner, Butt,
Dyer, Emre, Sibierski (Carroll 78 ), Martins.
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, N'Zogbia, Ramage, Babayaro.
Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Essien, Terry, Bridge, Wright-Phillips
(Joe Cole 55), Makelele (Shevchenko 76), Lampard, Ballack (Mikel 18
), Drogba, Kalou.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Boulahrouz.
Booked: Essien, Mikel, Lampard.
Att: 52,056
Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire).
