Cole Palmer produced “one of the best passes in Premier League history” to assist Chelsea overcome Newcastle United 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea thought they’d made an early breakthrough when Nicolas Jackson despatched Palmer by way of on purpose, however regardless of the England ahead coolly slotting previous Nick Pope, his strike was dominated out by the Video Assistant Referee [VAR] for the tightest of offside calls towards the striker, who had strayed simply past Fabian Schar.
That residence disappointment didn’t final lengthy, although, because the Blues quickly made a deserved breakthrough after what Jamie Carragher referred to as “one of the best passes I’ve ever seen in the Premier League” as Palmer’s outrageous ball launched Pedro Neto in house down the left.
The Portugal ahead, beginning instead of the benched Jadon Sancho down Chelsea’s left, did nicely to first evade Schar’s deal with on the byline, earlier than squaring for the unmarked Jackson to attain his tenth purpose in his final 14 league matches for the Blues.
The guests, who thought they need to have had a penalty when skipper Bruno Guimaraes was seemingly felled by Levi Colwill, did draw degree simply previous the half-hour mark after a well-worked group purpose, though solely after one other tight offside name.
Nevertheless, Alexander Isak managed to not stray earlier than side-footing residence Lewis Corridor’s inviting ball in from the left because the Magpies netted for the primary time in three league video games and went in all sq. on the break.
However Newcastle, minus the injured Anthony Gordon, weren’t degree for lengthy because the hosts went again forward simply 75 seconds into the second interval after dropping the ball on midway, permitting Romeo Lavia to feed Palmer, who then by some means beat Nick Pope at his close to publish for his seventeenth Premier League purpose at Stamford Bridge in 2024, probably the most by any participant in a calendar yr on the stadium.
There was late drama for each groups as first Isak noticed his close-range header cleared of the road by Reece James, earlier than by some means failing to attain after rounding Robert Sanchez, solely to be dispossessed by Wesley Fofana earlier than he may put the ball within the empty web.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer celebrates after scoring his aspect’s second purpose (AP Picture/Dave Shopland)
After which Chelsea had a injury-time penalty overturned by the VAR, who deemed Dan Burn’s pull on Christopher Nkunku inadequate for a spot-kick.
In consequence, Enzo Maresca sees his youthful aspect – the Italian has fielded the youngest XI in Premier League historical past this season – transfer as much as fourth within the desk forward of Sunday afternoon’s later video games, whereas Newcastle are twelfth after going a fifth league match with no win for the primary time since March 2023.
