Newcastle 4-1 Chelsea: Magpies defeat 10-man Blues behind outstanding second half performance
Newcastle United defeated Chelsea 4-1 at St James' Park thanks to two goals in as many second-half minutes.
In the 60th and 61st minutes, respectively, Joelinton and Jamaal Lascelles scored—the second following a costly mistake by Thiago Silva—to move Newcastle up to sixth place and secure their fifth straight Premier League home victory.
Chelsea had cancelled out Alexander Isak's opener in the first half with a stunning Raheem Sterling free-kick, but they couldn't come from behind again after Reece James was sent off in the 73rd minute for two bookable offences.
Anthony Gordon scored a late fourth goal for Newcastle, adding to his earlier assist.
Newcastle welcomed Isak back from injury, and the Swede scored after just 13 minutes on his first start since 8 October. He beat Robert Sanchez from close range after a defence-splitting pass from Lewis Miley.
Chelsea equalized on 23 minutes when Sterling won a free kick and picked himself up to take it, bending in a stunner.
Joelinton had a golden opportunity to put Newcastle back ahead but headed Kieran Trippier's corner wide of the goal with Sanchez stranded, one of the season's biggest misses.
Nick Pope then denied Enzo Fernandez before Trippier crashed a free-kick against the crossbar, keeping the score at 1-1 at the break.
But, just after the hour mark, Lascelles headed in his first Premier League goal in over two years from Gordon's cross, before Joelinton scored almost immediately after the restart.
Cole Palmer passed back to Thiago Silva, who got his feet caught up and allowed Joelinton to score in a one-on-one with Sanchez.
Chelsea captain James was sent off in the 73rd minute after making his own mistake by giving possession to Gordon before bringing the winger down and receiving a second yellow card.
To make matters worse, Marc Cucurella was booked for dissent for his fifth yellow card of the season, meaning both Chelsea's full-backs will be suspended for next Sunday's home match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Newcastle rubbed salt in Chelsea's wounds when Gordon scored off a pass from Miguel Almiron.
Newcastle now sit on 23 points, four fewer than fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea remain in 10th place with 16 points.
SportsLigue