Hayden shows wasteful Blues how to finish
THEY passed and probed and passed some more, but for all of their huff and puff Chelsea never looked like blowing Newcastle away and Isaac Hayden punished the ponderous visitors with a home winner at the death.
Frank Lampard’s dominant side left with zero points and failed to prove a point in a month when the club are free to buy players once more — and the manager would be right to consider adding some inspiration in the final third after this toothless performance.
Tammy Abraham did his hopes of emerging as Harry Kane’s England replacement no favours with a clumsy display in front of goal, while fellow Three Lions hopeful Mason Mount was among many in blue who did not do enough to break down the resilient Magpies, who ended a four-game winless run in the league thanks to Hayden’s 94th-minute header.
That has eased any relegation fears that were beginning to creep in and Steve Bruce’s side are now seven points clear of danger.
In 22 previous matches against Chelsea, Bruce the manager had won just one. Ten of those were winless at home. Another foreboding statistic was that, as a player, Lampard had never lost to Bruce in 17 games.
But this Newcastle side have made a habit of defying the odds this season, especially when Bruce has needed a result.
The last time they went four without victory was entering October and the response was a 1-0 victory over Manchester United.
It was no surprise, then, to see Bruce start with the fit-again Allan Saint-Maximin, the maverick wideman without whom they had won just once.
The head coach spent much of Friday deliberating over the decision as to whether he included the Frenchman from the off. The concern was Saint-Maximin’s springy hamstring, which has snapped twice already this season.
But that muscle was showing no ill effects as he skipped clear of two blue jerseys early on, although his subsequent shot — row Z and rising — could perhaps be attributed to rustiness.
Newcastle’s injury problems have been well documented of late and, just as they appeared to be easing, left-back Jetro Willems twisted his knee inside 12 minutes. The sight of him exiting on a stretcher caused Bruce to mutter to the heavens with language anything but holy, although he had every right to curse their luck. And he was dispensing with yet more expletives after 21 minutes as Joelinton’s header crashed back off the crossbar. This was the Brazilian’s 20th league game since his last goal but, after netting against Rochdale in the FA Cup during the week, he was playing with a renewed vigour.
Federico Fernandez had created that chance with a whipped centre from the right and the defender should have scored himself when connecting with Jonjo Shelvey’s free-kick only to head aimlessly wide from six yards.
Chelsea’s best chance of a bitty first half fell to N’Golo Kante but he drilled straight at Martin Dubravka having been sprung clear by Reece James.
For all of their possession — 65 per cent before the break — the Blues had done little with it. Lampard’s body language betrayed his frustration and the wasteful Callum Hudson-Odoi was a particular source of angst for the manager.
His mood did not improve early in the second half when, after hurrying Newcastle out of possession 40 yards from goal, Chelsea failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage and Abraham’s pass to Mount left his team-mate with little hope of working an opening.
Mount showed him how it should be done moments later when releasing Willian amid another break but his effort rolled wide of the far post with Dubravka beaten. Dubravka then saved from Cesar Azpilicueta as Chelsea set up camp in Newcastle’s half. The hosts, with so many in their side returning from injury layoffs, were in retreat.
Hudson-Odoi, somewhat belatedly, began to use his pace to explore avenues previously untrodden and one burst to the byline presented a chance for Abraham, who slipped on connection and volleyed wide.
The striker kept his balance when nicking by Dubravka in the 73rd minute after pouncing on an errant pass but, with the angle against him, he failed to organise his feet and stabbed into the side-netting.
With Lampard readying Michy Batshuayi as a replacement for Abraham, the 22-year-old had the chance to win a reprieve — and probably the match — when Azpilicueta headed into his path six yards from goal. Abraham, though, made yet another unconvincing connection and, while his stab beat Dubravka, it lacked pace and allowed Matt Ritchie to hook from the line. Off Abraham came.
Moments later Batshuayi was involved in a move that led to fellow substitute Emerson lashing narrowly wide and it looked like Chelsea were going to have to settle for a point. Little did they know or expect what was to come.
Newcastle, having barely made it out of their own half, managed to piece together an attack that saw Saint-Maximin load a cross from the left flank and, with Chelsea’s backline caught square, Hayden stole in to steal the three points. NEWCASTLE (3-4-3): Dubravka 6.5; Fernandez 7.5, Lascelles 7, Clark 7; Krafth 5.5 (S Longstaff 71min, 6), Hayden 7, Shelvey 5.5 (M Longstaff 84), Willems 5 (Ritchie 12, 6); Almiron 7, Joelinton 6.5, Saint-Maximin 6.5. Booked: Hayden. Subs (not used): Darlow, Schar, Lejeune, Atsu. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1): Kepa 6; James 7 (Emerson 75, 6), Rudiger 6.5, Christensen 6.5, Azpilicueta 6.5; Kante 7, Jorginho 6; Hudson-Odoi 6, Mount 5.5 (Barkley 67, 6), Willian 6; Abraham 5.5 (Batshuayi 80, 6). Booked: Emerson. Subs (not used): Caballero, Pedro, Zouma, Kovacic. Referee: C Kavanagh (Lancashire) 6.