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  • Kick-off: 16:00
  • Venue: St James' Park
  • Attendance: 52305
  • Referee: Bennett, S

Live Commentary

90 mins

FULL TIME NEWCASTLE 0-2 CHELSEA: A deserved win for Chelsea thanks to second half goals from Michael Ballack and Florent Malouda ensures the race for the title with Man United will go down to the final day on Sunday.

90 mins

Michael Essien is played in on goal by Andriy Shevchenko but Steve Harper races out to block the player's shot on goal.

90 mins

Damien Duff tries to pull the ball back from the byline to Alan Smith in the middle but it is cut out well by the Chelsea defence who clear.

90 mins

There will be four minutes of injury time for Chelsea to contend with as they look to keep the clean-sheet.

88 mins

That second goal has knocked the stuffing out of Newcastle and Chelsea look like they will see this game out with no trouble.

87 mins

Andriy Shevchenko is getting a few minutes of action as he comes on in place of Didier Drogba who has been struggling with a strain.

86 mins

Habib Beye's cross from the right wing is haded well wide by Michael Owen who could not get a clean connection.

85 mins

Damien Duff almost gets through on goal down the left wing but Renato Paulo Ferreira gets back to shield the ball to Petr Cech.

83 mins

It looks like the tile race will be going down to the final day now and that move for the goal was the best bit of football on show in the game.

82 mins

NEWCASTLE 0-2 CHELSEA: It could be the killer goal here as some great build up play ends with Frank Lampard threading a great ball through to FLORENT MALOUDA who converts his shot past Steve Harper.

80 mins

Habib Beye's progress down the right is halted as Newcastle are the side doing all the pressing now in search of an equaliser.

79 mins

Rodrigo da Costa Alex is on for Ricardo Carvalho so Chelsea now have 11 men on the field of play.

78 mins

Charles N'Zogbia is on for Newcastle here to give them some more attacking options with Jose Sanchez Enrique going off.

77 mins

The game has just been held up after Ricardo Carvalho fell awkwardly while going up for a header and he could need to go off which would be a blow for Chelsea.

75 mins

Jose Sanchez Enrique is in the book for Newcastle after a lunging foul on Michael Essien.

74 mins

It looks like being a nervous final 15 minutes or so here for Chelsea unless they can grab a two-goal cushion for themselves.

72 mins

Chelsea go up field with Michael Ballack stinging Steve Harper's hands with a blockbuster from 30 yards which the keep saves at the second attempt.

72 mins

Another heart-stopping moment for Chelsea as they don't clear the subsequent corner which ends with Michael Owen just inches from converting a ball back into the area.

71 mins

Obafemi Martins goes really close as he curls a shot just wide via a deflection off a Chelsea defender.

71 mins

Another former Chelsea player coming on in the shape of Damien Duff for Newcastle and he replaces the othjer ex-Blues man Njitap Geremi.

70 mins

Chelsea breathe a sigh of relief as Njitap Geremi's free kick hits the wall and they finally get the loose ball cleared up the pitch.

69 mins

Florent Malouda charges out to block Njitap Geremi's free kick and is booked for his efforts as there is scuffling in the wall.

68 mins

A dangerous free kick for Chelsea to concede as Ricardo Carvalho fouls Michael Owen on the edge of his own penalty area.

66 mins

Nicolas Anelka is going off with Frank Lampard the man to replace him to shore things up and he gets a good reception from all the fans.

66 mins

The corner is played in but drops behind Ricardo Carvalho and Newcastle clear the danger.

65 mins

Nicolas Anelka manages to get a shot in goal but it lacks power but he does win a corner as it deflected off a defender.

63 mins

Newcastle are now looking to try and get forward and they will need to come out more now if they want to end their home campaign on a high note.

61 mins

It is just what Chelsea needed that a great free kick from Didier Drogba, although Newcastle will be disappointed with the lack of marking having done so well up until the goal.

60 mins

NEWCASTLE 0-1 CHELSEA: A goal at last as Didier Drogba's free kick from the right is headed in from close range by the unmarked MICHAEL BALLACK.

60 mins

Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye is booked for a trip on Florent Malouda just outside the left side of the Newcastle area.

58 mins

Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye concedes another corner as he again out muscles Didier Drogba. Florent Malouda's corner is scrambled clear by Newcastle as Steve Harper struggles to get a hand to it.

57 mins

To be fair to Newcastle they are still defending well and keeping Chelsea at bay for the time being here.

55 mins

Avram Grant wil be pleased with the start to the second half here as Chelsea have dominated now they just need to get the breakthrough.

53 mins

Didier Drogba flicks the ball on to Michael Ballack but Steven Taylor gets across to concede a corner with a timely block. Florent Malouda plays it in and John Terry smashes a header against the crossbar.

52 mins

Once again Chelsea are in total possession here but Renato Paulo Ferreira plays a cross into the middle from the right there is nobody there to get on to it.

51 mins

Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye out muscles Didier Drogba on the edge of the area as Chelsea again struggle to break down the Magpies defence.

50 mins

Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye concedes a corner which is played in by Florent Malouda and headed wide of the near post by Ricardo Carvalho.

48 mins

Nicolas Anelka looks like he is playing more in a joint attacking role alongside Didier Drogba this half as Avram Grant looks to give his side more of a threat.

47 mins

A bright opening spell for Chelsea with Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye getting the ball clear with his head as Michael Ballack chips it into the area.

46 mins

A blow for Newcastle as Mark Viduka got a kick on his Achilles in the first half so Alan Smith is on in his place for the second half.

46 mins

We are back up and running in the second half and Chelsea really need a goal as a point would mean Man United need just a point at Wigan on Sunday to take the title.

45 mins

HALF TIME NEWCASTLE 0-0 CHELSEA: Frustrating for Chelsea who have had more possession but cannot break down the Newcastle defence. The hosts have gone closest to scoring in the opening half with John Terry clearing Michael Owen's shot off the line.

45 mins

Obafemi Martins puts a high ball into the Chelsea area and it drops behind John Terry but Habib Beye again wastes the chance by blasting his shot well wide.

44 mins

Obafemi Martins is brought down in the centre cirle and John Obi Mikel is lucky not to be booked as Newcastle press in the final moments of the half.

42 mins

A good break by Newcastle as Jose Sanchez Enrique whips a cross in from the right but Ricardo Carvalho gets up well to head clear.

40 mins

A long distance shot from John Obi Mikel but it almost takes the man out sat in the back row of the stand about 100 feet above the pitch.

39 mins

Another chance for Chelsea to put a free kick into the area but it is poor as Habib Beye comfortably heads it clear.

37 mins

More decent build up play by Chelsea and Nicolas Anelka gets enough room to get a shot at goal from the edge of the area but his effort is high and wide.

36 mins

Njitap Geremi tries to play a free kick deep into the Chelsea box but his attempt is poor as it fails to clear the first line of defence.

35 mins

The best chance for Chelsea here as Michael Essien plays the ball to Michael Ballack on the left side of the area but he takes a poor first touch before slicing his shot wide of the goal.

34 mins

The first booking of the game here as John Terry is yellow carded for blocking the run of Michael Owen, although it is hard to see how he could have got out of his way.

33 mins

Chelsea continue to enjoy more of the ball here but Newcastle look good on the break which the Londoners will need to be wary of.

31 mins

Florent Malouda plays Chelsea's first corner into the middle of the area but John Terry cannot get his head to it and Newcastle scramble the ball away.

29 mins

Great work by the Chelsea skipper there as Newcastle create the best chance of the game on the break.

28 mins

Newcastle go so close to scoring as Obafemi Martins bursts into the area as the ball breaks to Mark Viduka who is denied by a good save from Petr Cech before Michael Owen's follow up is cleared off the line by John Terry.

27 mins

Good persistent play from Michael Essien and Nicolas Anelka as a gap opens up for the former whose effort on goal is poor and is cleared by the defence.

26 mins

Michael Essien has a shot at goal from 30 yards but it lacks power and direction as it drifts wide of the post.

25 mins

Didier Drogba has gone down but his team-mates carry on playing before the attack is halted when Ricardo Carvalho clattered Nicky Butt.

22 mins

Obafemi Martins good run and cross into the area is headed clear by John Terry to the edge of the box as Habib Beye smashes his effort well over.

21 mins

Patient build up play here by Chelsea still but they are struggling to penetrate the solid-looking Newcastle defence at the moment.

19 mins

Chelsea come back again but Florent Malouda's shot from outside the area lacks power to cause any trouble for Steve Harper.

19 mins

Wayne Bridge's effort hits the wall as Chelsea put the ball back into the area but Nicky Butt is on hand to clear again for Newcastle.

18 mins

Michael Essien is fouled by Joey Barton 35 yards and just right of centre from the Newcastle goal so a decent chance for Chelsea.

16 mins

Obafemi Martins robs the ball off Michael Ballack in the middle of the park but his run is held up which allows Michael Essien to get back possession for Chelsea.

14 mins

Habib Beye does very well down the right and gets to the byline but inexplicably blasts his cross behind his team-mates waiting in the middle. A wasted chance for the home side.

12 mins

Chelsea enjoying plenty of the ball but Newcastle are back in numbers to try and cut out their attacks which is working well so far.

10 mins

Obafemi Martins goes on a run towards goal and goes past a few players but his shot lacks any real power and is easily gathered by Petr Cech.

9 mins

Nicolas Anelka chips the ball into the Newcastle area but Florent Malouda's header is high and wide as he could not get any direction on it.

8 mins

Chelsea have yet to show any sort of attacking prowess so far as Renato Paulo Ferreira knocks the ball out of play down the right.

6 mins

Nicky Butt plays a lovely ball over the top of the Chelsea defence but Michael Owen tries to hit it with the outside of his right foot and puts the shot over the bar inside the area.

5 mins

Michael Essien is back on but looks uncomfortable as Frank Lampard looks on from the dug-out with a view to coming into this game.

4 mins

Newcastle got the free kick from that coming together but former Chelsea man Njitap Geremi's kick goes high over the Blues goal.

3 mins

Newcastle are enjoying some good possession here but have yet to really test the Chelsea backline as Michael Essien goes down under a challenge from Joey Barton who is also hobbling.

1 mins

A slow opening minute at St James' which is packed to the rafters on a fairly warm and sunny afternoon as Chelsea look to try and build from the back.

0 mins

We are up and running on this Bank Holiday Monday with Chelsea really needing a win to keep the pressure on Man United ahead of Sunday's final round of games. A victory for Newcastle will hand the Premier League title to Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

0 mins

Newcastle starting XI: Harper, Beye, Taylor, Faye, Jose Enrique, Geremi, Butt, Barton, Viduka, Owen, Martins.

0 mins

Abdoulaye Faye returns to the Newcastle side from a groin injury. David Edgar is the man who makes way in the home defence, but Kevin Keegan's side is otherwise unchanged from the 2-2 draw at West Ham.

0 mins

Chelsea starting XI: Cech, Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Bridge, Essien, Obi, Ballack, Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

0 mins

Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Claude Makelele and Salomon Kalou make way for Paulo Ferreira, Wayne Bridge, Mikel John Obi, Florent Mikel and Nicolas Anelka.

0 mins

Chelsea boss Avram Grant makes five changes to the side which secured a place in the Champions League final against Liverpool on Wednesday for this must not lose game against Newcastle at St JamesÂ’ Park.

Match Report

Newcastle United will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run to eight games on Monday night when they host second-placed Chelsea.

Cameroon international Geremi has said he will be out to spoil his former club's title challenge in a match that will have little effect on the Magpies' season.

"Football is funny because we are not going to let them come to win. We have to give them a good game and enjoy it," said the versatile defender.

"We've been playing well in the last few weeks and it's a big opportunity to send a message - it's a big test for us to see how far we can go."

The club has had to concentrate more on contract and transfer discussions rather than football this week, with Alan Smith and Steve Harper tipped for summer moves and defender Steven Taylor putting his contract discussions on hold.

United boss Kevin Keegan will be keen to test James Milner and Stephen Carr before the season is over.

Both are back training after long-term injuries, where they are joined by Turkey midfielder Emre, who has recovered from a sprained ankle.

Meanwhile, Chelsea arrive at St James' Park in confident fashion after booking their place in the Champions League Final on Wednesday.

A fired-up Didier Drogba scored twice and Frank Lampard converted a penalty as the Blues set-up a Moscow meeting with Manchester United courtesy of a 3-2 semi-final second leg victory over Liverpool.

The European classic went all the way to extra-time so head coach Avram Grant will be delighted by the fact that the television schedulers who forced them to play twice in four days last month have done them a favour and delayed this crunch encounter until Monday.

The Blues must win on Tyneside to keep the title race alive heading into the final round of fixtures as they started the weekend level on points with leaders Manchester United.

Last weekend's 2-1 success over United at Stamford Bridge put the cat among the pigeons in the title race, but a defeat to Newcastle could effectively hand the championship to the Old Trafford club as they have a far superior goal difference.

With that in mind, Grant is unlikely to make too many changes to his strongest starting line-up which has brought them back-to-back vital wins.

The only change could be a rest for the ageing legs of Claude Makelele, with John Obi Mikel pushing for a recall.

Newcastle United

Chelsea

Corners

1 6

Fouls

13 15

Goal attempts

13 18

Shots off target

8 8

Offsides

2 0

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