- Hazard scores twice
- Gayle gave Newcastle lead
- Chelsea cut gap to Man City to eight points
Chelsea beat Newcastle United 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as Antonio Conte’s side fought back from an early setback.
Dwight Gayle gave Newcastle a deserved early lead but that woke Chelsea up with Eden Hazard equalizing, then Alvaro Morata heading home to make it 2-1 at half time.
Hazard scored a late penalty to make it 3-1 as Chelsea moved on to 32 points for the season. Newcastle continue to fall down the table with just one win in their last seven games.
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The Magpies were rewarded for a bright start as Jacob Murphy closed down Thibaut Courtois following a back pass from Marcos Alonso and the loose ball found Gayle who slotted home. A deserved early lead for the Magpies.
Chelsea finally got going and Cesc Fabregas’ ball over the top found Hazard but Karl Darlow saved his shot to deny the in-form Blues forward.
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Chelsea pressed hard for the equalizer as Andreas Christensen hit the post with a header and Morata went down in the box under pressure from Darlow but no penalty kick was given. Soon after it was 1-1.
That man Hazard popped up to level the scores as he finished superbly after Morata challenged Darlow for Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross. Game on.
Before half time it was 2-1 to Chelsea as Victor Moses’ cross was headed home emphatically by Morata for this 10th goal of the season.
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Hazard went close to making it 3-1 early in the second half but his shot deflected inches wide after wrong-footing Darlow.
At the other end Ayoze Perez dragged a shot wide with Newcastle staying in the game but Chelsea always looking more dangerous.
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Moses’ header forced Darlow into a save and Hazard raced clear but put his effort wide under pressure from Newcastle’s goalkeeper.
Late on Chelsea wrapped up the win as Moses was tripped by Matt Ritchie in the box. Hazard chipped the penalty kick straight down the middle to make it 3-1 and keep Chelsea’s good run going.
Hazard, Moses and Alonso all went close late on but the Blues settled for three goals and two wins at home in four days.