Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle: Werner ends goal drought to lift Blues into top four

Chelsea climbed back into the top four with a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on Monday night in the Premier League.

Match Reports

Timo Werner scored his first Premier League goal since November as his instrumental display helped Chelsea to a 2-0 Premier League win over Newcastle United.

Werner's drought, which stretched back to a 4-1 win over Sheffield United on November 7, has been well documented but he got the goal his performance deserved in a routine victory.

His strike followed a 31st-minute Olivier Giroud opener set up by Werner, with Newcastle never threatening a fightback after two goals in the space of eight minutes.

Chelsea comfortably completed a league double over Newcastle and move into the top four as a result of a fifth successive win under Thomas Tuchel, who is unbeaten in six since taking over from Frank Lampard.

A bright Chelsea start saw Dwight Gayle forced to head Cesar Azpilicueta's goal-bound header behind for a corner from which Tammy Abraham sent a free header well wide.

Abraham was forced off through injury in the 20th minute having earlier gone down under a strong but fair challenge from Jamaal Lascelles, with VAR rejecting claims for a penalty.

Werner spurned an excellent chance when he stretched to meet Marcos Alonso's headed pass but only succeeded in skewing it wide.

But he succeeded in creating Chelsea's opener on the half-hour, his low cross falling into the path of Giroud, who lashed into an unguarded net on his 100th Premier League appearance as a substitute.

Werner then lifted a half-volley narrowly over the crossbar but his drought was finally ended as Mason Mount's corner deflected into his path at the far post and he got just enough contact to turn the ball over the line before Karl Darlow could claw it away.

Newcastle were more of a threat in the second half, Kepa Arrizabalaga forced into a diving save from Joe Willock, but the three points were never in doubt for Chelsea.

Line-ups

Chelsea XI: Azpilicueta, Alonso, Kovacic, Jorginho, Rudiger, Kepa, Christensen, Werner, Abraham, Mount, Hudson-Odoi

Subs: Giroud, Zouma, Emerson, E. Mendy, Kante, Ziyech, Chilwell, Pulisic, Reece James

Newcastle XI: Shelvey, Clark, Darlow, Krafth, Lascelles, Gayle, Hayden, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Lewis, Willock

Subs: Carroll, Dubravka, Ritchie, Fraser, Dummett, J.Murphy, Joelinton, S. Longstaff, M. Longstaff