Chelsea survive late scare, defeat Newcastle 3-2

Chelsea survived a late scare on Monday as they ran away 3-2 victors against Newcastle in the English Premier League.

Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk were on target for the home side at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea remain in 11th but close to within four points of West Ham in seventh, which should at least secure a place in the Europa Conference League.

Newcastle’s 12th defeat of the season leaves the Magpies just one point better off than Chelsea in 10th.

The pressure is also rising on Eddie Howe as Saudi-backed Newcastle have failed to build on finishing fourth last season to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.

Pochettino, though, was facing more open revolt from among his own support.

Chelsea fans called for the Argentine’s dismissal during a 2-2 draw at Brentford last weekend.

The former Tottenham boss has suffered a difficult first season in charge, which included losing the League Cup final to a severely depleted Liverpool last month.

But there were promising signs for Pochettino as some of his much-criticised expensive young recruits showed glimpses of their potential.

Jackson is now up to 12 goals in his debut season as he cleverly flicked in Palmer’s shot after less than six minutes.

However, it was the story of Chelsea’s season that they failed to build on that flying start and allowed Newcastle to go onto control the rest of the first half.

The visitors were dealt an injury blow midway through the first period when Anthony Gordon was forced off.

But Alexander Isak produced a quality finish, fired low into the far corner, to bring Newcastle level two minutes before half-time.

The one new signing Chelsea have been able to rely on all season is Palmer and the England international restored his side’s lead in emphatic fashion just before the hour mark.

Palmer collected Enzo Fernandez’s pass, cut inside and unleashed a powerful effort for his 11th Premier League goal of the season.

Mudryk, by contrast, has been a constant frustration for a number of Chelsea managers since joining for £88 million ($113 million) just over a year ago.

The Ukrainian had been on the pitch only five minutes when showed his blistering pace to burst through the heart of the Newcastle defence and turn in just his sixth goal in 46 Chelsea appearances.

Jacob Murphy’s rocket of a shot into the top corner set up a nervy finish for the hosts.

But it was too little, too late for the visitors in the latest disappointment of an underwhelming campaign.

Gary Lineker, Micah Richards advise caution over potential João Félix move to Aston Villa

Football pundits Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have cautioned Aston Villa against pursuing João Félix from Chelsea, despite the club’s interest in the Portuguese playmaker.

Aston Villa are keen to bring in Félix during the January transfer window following the departure of forward Jhon Durán, who is set to join Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. Félix, who has struggled for regular starts under manager Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, has started just three Premier League matches since returning to Stamford Bridge last summer.

However, Lineker and Richards are skeptical about the fit between the former Barcelona star and Villa’s playing style under Unai Emery.

On The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker remarked, “That is a funny one because he is a player who moved for a massive price tag when he was really young to Atlético Madrid.

“There is no question he has a lot of ability, but he has never managed to secure a regular starting place anywhere, so I don’t know what Aston Villa would see in him.”

Richards added, “That is the thing. Everyone wants a marquee signing, and getting a player of that stature by name to Villa Park would be amazing.

“They just have to be careful. What makes Villa so good is how they press, and when Watkins is out of the team, you’ve got Durán, and behind him, you’ve got Morgan Rogers. The one thing all those players have is a high work rate, intensity, and a strong press.

“If you bring in a flair player, you do need options, but you risk moving away from what got them to where they are now—competing in the Champions League and the Premier League.”

Premier League

David Luiz highlights Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández as standout Chelsea players

Former Chelsea defender David Luiz has praised Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández as standout players at Chelsea. Luiz singled out Caicedo for his powerful presence on the pitch, noting the midfielder’s resilience after a rocky start.

“I love a lot of players at Chelsea, but in particular, Caicedo. He has some amazing qualities, he is powerful,” Luiz said, adding that the Ecuadorian has shown great character by continuing to fight and showcase his skill.

Luiz also commended Enzo Fernández, calling him a world-class talent and a player who thrives in a team with a solid collective performance.

“Enzo is fantastic, and at Chelsea, he has many examples to follow to continue to improve,” Luiz added.

The 37-year-old spent most of his Premier League career at Chelsea, later having a stint at London rivals Arsenal.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Walcott: Arsenal can win the Champions League if they improve key areas

Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has expressed belief that the Gunners can clinch the UEFA Champions League title this season, but only if they address two key areas.

Arsenal, who are second in the Premier League with 47 points from 23 games, finished third in their Champions League group with 19 points. Walcott told the BBC that the team needs to develop a stronger winning mentality and a more free-flowing style of play.

He also highlighted the need for a star striker to increase their goal output, saying, “If they want to win the Champions League, they need to get those numbers a lot higher.”

With improvements in these areas, Walcott believes Arsenal could be contenders for Europe’s most prestigious trophy.