Chelsea edge Newcastle to go joint top

CHELSEA kept up their 100 percent start to the Premier League season by snatching a 2-1 win at a stubborn Newcastle United yesterday, grabbing victory thanks to a late own goal by DeAndre Yedlin.

Eden Hazard had blasted Chelsea ahead in the 76th minute from the penalty spot after Swiss defender Fabian Schar had tripped Marcos Alonso, allowing the visitors a breakthrough after they had monopolised possession.

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez had played a dogged 5-4-1 formation in an effort to shut out his former club. They created little at the other end, but they drew level when Spanish forward Joselu headed in at the near post in the 83rd minute. Chelsea got back in front with a fortuitous goal four minutes later from Yedlin, who had stretched his foot out to block a shot from Alonso which had looked to be going wide. Chelsea join Liverpool and Watford at the top of the table on nine points after three games, while Newcastle have one.

Elsewhere two goals in three minutes by Aleksandar Mitrovic helped promoted Fulham to a first win of the Premier League campaign yesterday when they beat Burnley 4-2 at Craven Cottage.

Jean Michael Seri, an Ivory Coast international who was another of the Londoners’ expensive close-season signings, opened the scoring in only the fourth minute but Jeff Hendrick soon equalised.

Mitrovic, signed from Newcastle after a loan period last season, struck in the 36th and 38th minutes before James Tarkowski cut the arrears to 3-2 by halftime.

Andre Schurrle scored late on to confirm Burnley’s drop into the bottom three.

Meanwhile, unfancied Watford beat visiting Crystal Palace 2-1.

It is the first time they have begun with three wins out of three in the top tier of English football.

Etienne Capoue might have been sent off for an early foul on Wilfried Zaha, so Palace were aggrieved that he made the opening goal for Roberto Pereyra in the 53rd minute.

Defender Jose Holebas doubled the lead with what he confessed was a cross before Zaha reduced the arrears 12 minutes from the end. – Reuters