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NEWCASTLE BOOST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BID AS LEICESTER MOVE STEP CLOSER TO RELEGATION

Newcastle blew Leicester away with three first-half goals to inflict a miserable 3-0 defeat on the Foxes who moved a step closer to suffering relegation from the Premier League.

The Magpies flexed their muscles in front of Sky Bet Championship-bound Leicester in a ruthless start to boost their hopes of returning to the Champions League by moving level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea.

Jacob Murphy set the tone for the evening when he tapped in with 113 seconds on the clock and he grabbed his brace when he knocked in the rebound after Fabian Schar struck the crossbar from inside his own half.

Many of the Leicester fans who decided to turn up seemingly headed early for the exit doors when Harvey Barnes haunted his old club with the third goal on his return to leave Leicester 15 points adrift of safety with seven games to go.

Leicester last scored in front of their own fans against Brighton on December 8 and drawing another blank meant they became the first side in Football League history to lose eight home league games in a row without scoring a goal.

The Foxes forced Nick Pope into action 10 seconds into the contest as Jamie Vardy blasted an effort on goal from a tight angle but the England international was alert enough to tip it round a post.

Leicester went behind to a goal inside two minutes for a second straight game.

The Magpies hardly had to break a sweat as former Leicester man Barnes easily unlocked the frail home defence with a pass in behind and Tino Livramento fizzed it across goal for Murphy, who was waiting to tap home at the far post.

Newcastle doubled their advantage nine minutes later in quite outstanding fashion.

Schar picked the ball up inside his own half and lifted his head to find Mads Hermansen way of his line. He decided to audaciously have a crack which bounced flush off the upright and fell kindly for Murphy to bury his second.

The hosts were trying to demonstrate their attacking ability, this time Bilal El Khannouss sprinting down the left and unleashing an effort which drew a second stop from Pope.

The visitors were in no mood to show mercy and they punished Leicester with a third in the 34th minute.

Joelinton had the freedom of the King Power Stadium as he forced a save from Hermansen but Leicester were unable to stop the follow-up again as Barnes tapped in the rebound.

Leicester were inches away from scoring their first home goal of this calendar year. Patson Daka’s strike had the beating of Pope only to see the ball bounce off one post, hit the other and roll to safety.
The Magpies seemed content with their first-half showing and took their foot off the gas but Schar again tried his luck which Hermansen saved – he was greeted with sarcastic cheers from the dejected home fans.

Leicester were trying to find that elusive first home goal, though, with Wout Faes coming close with a header which was glanced the wrong side of a post to sum up another bleak night for the Foxes.

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SANDRO TONALI’S STUNNING STRIKE KEEPS NEWCASTLE IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PURSUIT

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - JANUARY 18: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United stands in the wall with Lewis Hall, Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and AFC Bournemouth at St James' Park on January 18, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Sandro Tonali blasted Newcastle firmly into the race for Champions League qualification with a stunning strike to seal a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford.

On a night when Alexander Isak became the first man to score 20 Premier League goals for the Magpies in consecutive seasons, it was Italy international Tonali, who found the back of the net twice against the Bees in the Carabao Cup fifth round, who snatched the headlines with a superb winner 16 minutes from time.

Isak had given the hosts, playing for their first time since their Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool, the lead in first-half stoppage time with his 24th goal of the season and 20th in the league.

Bryan Mbeumo equalised with a penalty before Tonali lit up St James’ Park and eased his side into fifth place with a game in hand on the teams above them.

Isak should have scored within two minutes, but glanced a header wide from Tino Livramento’s cross before Kieran Trippier had to get in a timely header to prevent Mbeumo’s teasing cross from reaching Kevin Schade at the far post.

Brentford were almost caught out with 22 minutes gone when Jacob Murphy slid Isak in and he stepped outside defender Nathan Collins before blasting a foot over Mark Flekken’s crossbar.

Harvey Barnes and Tonali both saw shots blocked in quick succession as the home side turned the screw, but Fabian Schar had to put his body on the line to prevent Schade’s 30th-minute drive from calling Nick Pope into action for the first time.

Barnes had the ball in the net in stoppage time after Isak had left Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins behind with a mazy run, but tried to be too clever and his team-mate had run offside.

However, the Sweden international made amends within seconds, arriving at the far post to tap home Murphy’s cross after Mbeumo had slipped in front of him at the end of a move which had started with Pope.

Newcastle picked up where they had left off after the restart, but with Mbeumo’s invention testing the Magpies, their lead rarely looked comfortable.

Murphy and Barnes both should have extended their advantage after the former had caught Keane Lewis-Potter in possession, but it evaporated with 66 minutes gone when, after Pope had brought Yoane Wissa down as they competed for a ball lofted into the penalty area, Mbeumo calmly converted to level.

Brentford should have been ahead within two minutes when Pinnock rose unopposed to meet Schade’s cross, but saw his header come back off a post.

It was left to Tonali to win it in style with a remarkable 74th-minute strike from an unlikely angle, which caught out Mark Flekken at his near post and sent the home fans among a crowd of 52,021 into raptures.

Substitute Callum Wilson and Barnes both saw late attempts deflected wide, but Mikkel Damsgaard skied his stoppage-time effort over to the relief of the locals.

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NEWCASTLE SEAL DOMINANT WIN OVER ARSENAL TO REACH CARABAO CUP FINAL

Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon fired Newcastle to a second Carabao Cup final in three years as the Magpies secured a thumping aggregate win over Arsenal and moved a step closer to ending their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.

Murphy and Gordon struck either side of half-time to seal a 2-0 victory over the Gunners at St James’ Park, to go with their win by the same scoreline at the Emirates Stadium last month, to book a Wembley showdown with either Liverpool or Tottenham.

Fourteen years to the day from a remarkable 4-4 Premier League draw between the sides which was secured by the late Cheick Tiote’s wonder strike, his son Rafael was among the mascots as the Magpies dispelled the pre-match nerves of the home fans to claim a 4-0 semi-final win on aggregate.

If Eddie Howe’s three-man rearguard – he had drafted in central defender Sven Botman as a replacement for injured midfielder Joelinton – set the tone for an uncompromising display, it was the pace and potency of striker Alexander Isak, for so long the subject of speculation linking him with the North London club, which terrified the visitors.

Isak’s stunning early finish may have been ruled out by VAR but it was his incision which led to the opening goal and the attention the Gunners had to pay to him throughout was instrumental in what followed.

The game kicked off amidst a cacophony as the home fans attempted to roar their side on after back-to-back home defeats.

They thought they had got their reward within four minutes when Gordon slid Isak in behind Gabriel and he sent a thunderous shot high past David Raya and into the top corner, only for a lengthy VAR review to result in an offside decision.

Relieved as the Gunners were, they looked rattled as the Magpies pressed high, although they gradually began to impose themselves with Leandro Trossard in particular making in-roads down the right.

Lewis Hall volleyed Jacob Murphy’s 15th-minute cross into the side-netting from an unlikely angle but Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard forced a block from Botman and then clipped the outside of the post seconds later.

However, Newcastle made the most of their escape with 19 minutes gone when Gordon once again picked out Isak’s run and, although the Sweden international’s shot came back off the post, Murphy steered the rebound past the stranded Raya.

Opposite number Martin Dubravka had to make a solid reaction save to deny Trossard four minutes later with the visitors scrapping for a lifeline.

Mikel Arteta’s men were dominating both possession and territory but they were playing largely in front of the massed black and white ranks.

Early substitute Ethan Nwaneri’s pace down the right gave the Gunners renewed threat but Gordon curled a right-foot shot just wide in first-half stoppage time after leaving Declan Rice for dead.

The former Everton forward might have put the game beyond doubt within four minutes of the restart when he robbed William Saliba with Raya out of his goal but he could not find the target from distance.

But Gordon made no mistake with 52 minutes gone when Fabian Schar caught Rice in possession from Raya’s ill-judged pass and the England international gleefully fired home.

The Gunners were laboured in their efforts to claw their way back into the tie, with Dubravka fielding Nwaneri’s tame 74th-minute attempt comfortably as Howe’s men saw out a third win of the season over Arsenal with little difficulty.

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BURNLEY RELEGATED FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE AFTER DEFEAT TO NEWCASTLE

Burnley slipped out of the Premier League as a late fightback was not enough to avoid a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle and their former boss Eddie Howe.

The Clarets had looked down and out after Callum Wilson punished an inexplicable Nathan Collins handball from the penalty spot and Newcastle’s top-scorer was given the freedom of the Burnley box to score an easy second on the hour mark.

Maxwel Cornet powered home a Burnley reply in the 69th minute and, when word came through of a Brentford equaliser against Leeds moments later, Burnley responded with their best spell of the game, pegging back Newcastle and forcing corner after corner.

But Cornet headed their best chance straight at Martin Dubravka three minutes from time and, as Jack Harrison secured a 2-1 win for Brentford, Burnley, who celebrated their 140th anniversary a few days ago, saw their six-year stay in the Premier League come to an end.

It was a cruel finish for the Clarets, who had made themselves favourites to avoid the drop, with a battling draw at Aston Villa on Thursday night the latest point picked up by Mike Jackson, who had taken 11 from eight games since replacing the sacked Sean Dyche last month.

But, when it got to the decisive day the pressure seemed to get to Burnley, who were too panicked in their play for long periods, unable to get a grip on the game they needed a result from most.

While Newcastle fans look ahead to what should be a fascinating summer of investment under their new owners, Burnley face a host of potential problems in the second tier.

Club accounts show they must now repay a “substantial” portion of a £65million loan taken out as part of Alan Pace’s leveraged takeover in late 2020, while Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Ashley Barnes and Matej Vydra are on a list of nine first-team players out of contract this summer.

Turf Moor roared on Burnley at kick-off, but the nerves both in the stands and on the pitch were obvious in a fractious start.

With 18 minutes gone Collins reached out an arm after Nick Pope got a fist to a corner. Craig Pawson was sent to the screen by VAR Jarred Gillett before giving an inevitable penalty, and Wilson fired home.

Burnley needed to calm down. Twice Connor Roberts broken down the right, but twice his low cross towards Cornet got no further than the first man.

Otherwise their play was too hurried to trouble Newcastle, who went closest to a second before the break with a counter-attack as Pope stuck out a leg to block Allan Saint-Maximin’s low shot.

Collins almost had another moment in the 49th minute when he tried to turn Jacob Murphy’s cross behind but almost poked it into his own goal.

News of Raphinha’s penalty at Brentford saw the tension rise further and it translated on to the pitch, where Burnley’s own players were running into each other, their composure now entirely deserting them.

Newcastle were quick to capitalise as Saint-Maximin’s cross from the left found Wilson in acres of space and the unmarked forward side-footed the ball past Pope.

Cornet got a goal back in the 69th minute to give Turf Moor some cause for optimism, making no mistake after Dubravka had saved his initial shot.

Hopes were rekindled and Burnley poured forward. Jamaal Lascelles hooked a Cornet header off the line and the crowd were on their feet again as word arrived of a Sergi Canos equaliser in west London.

Moments later, half-time substitute Wout Weghorst stretched to reach a Barnes cross but poked agonisingly wide.

Matt Targett blocked Jack Cork’s shot on the line and then Cornet headed straight at Dubravka with three minutes to go.

Cornet was then denied again in stoppage time as Burnley’s late fightback was not enough.

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JOELINTON STARS AS NEWCASTLE MOVE NORWICH CLOSER TO RELEGATION

Joelinton scored twice on his 100th Premier League appearance for Newcastle as they climbed into the top half with a comfortable 3-0 win over Norwich which moved the Canaries closer to relegation.

It was the Magpies’ first win at Carrow Road since January 1994, with the Brazilian finding the net two times inside the first half.

Joelinton broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with a curled strike into the top corner before slotting home again just six minutes later.

Bruno Guimaraes wrapped up the win at the start of the second half, when he beat a defender to Tim Krul’s attempted pass out from the back, before taking a touch and cleverly lobbing the goalkeeper.

With Newcastle flying after a fourth consecutive win, Norwich remain rooted to the foot of the table, eight points from safety with five matches remaining.

The game started slowly, but Newcastle had the first significant chance when Dan Burn played a perfect long ball from defence to Jacob Murphy, but the 27-year-old was unable to find the target and dragged wide.

Norwich then had an opportunity, with Kieran Dowell, who was picked out by Mathias Normann, firing over the bar.

The home side then potentially should have taken the lead when Teemu Pukki was played in one-on-one with Martin Dubravka, but he allowed the defenders to get back when trying to take the ball around the goalkeeper.

The Finland international then pulled it back to Dowell, who shot over the bar for a second time in quick succession.

Newcastle found the breakthrough in the 35th minute.

Murphy passed to Allan Saint-Maximin who flicked it to Sean Longstaff and the midfielder fed Joelinton, who curled into the top corner. VAR reviewed the goal for a possible offside, but Murphy was ruled onside.

Moments later, the visitors fired in a second, with Murphy again involved in the build-up, driving into the box before playing in an unmarked Joelinton to slot past Krul.

Newcastle added a third just after half-time.

In trying to clear his lines, Krul passed it straight to Guimaraes just outside the box, in an attempt to give the ball to Kenny McLean.

Under no pressure at all, the Brazilian took a touch before a beautifully lofted finish over Krul’s head and into the back of the net.

Krul was more alert in the 59th minute when he made a relatively straightforward save to deny Joelinton a hat-trick.

In the 65th minute Norwich had a chance to pull one back as Jonathan Rowe played in Pukki. But the striker dragged just wide of the far post, and the Canaries were unable to find a way back into the game.

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MIGUEL ALMIRON STRIKE SEES NEWCASTLE PAST CRYSTAL PALACE

Miguel Almiron’s stunning strike handed Newcastle a sixth successive home Premier League win for the first time since 2004 as they smashed through the 40-point barrier.

Almiron’s 32nd-minute goal, his first for the club since February last year, was enough to claim a 1-0 win over beaten FA Cup semi-finalists Crystal Palace and lift the Magpies into 11th place, 15 points clear of the relegation zone.

However, they were forced to scrap all the way to the final whistle as Patrick Vieira’s side belatedly mounted a concerted counter-offensive in front of a crowd of 51,938 at St James’ Park, among them Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan in a classic game of two halves.

Palace’s high-energy start pinned Newcastle back deep inside their own half, in possession but with little time of space to exploit it, although it took a timely block by Marc Guehi to keep out Almiron’s shot after Allan Saint-Maximin, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes had combined to set him up.

Saint-Maximin could not find a finish to match his mazy run after Joelinton had dispossessed Jeffrey Schlupp in midfield three minutes later, and the home side were appealing in vain for a penalty after Almiron blasted the ball against Cheikhou Kouyate’s out-stretched arm from point-blank range.

With both sides adopting solid shapes, they largely nullified each other’s threat to leave goalkeepers Martin Dubravka and Vicente Guaita virtual spectators.

But the Spaniard was picking the ball out of his net 13 minutes before the break when, after Guimaraes had collected Emil Krafth’s throw in on his chest and lifted a pass over the top of full-back Tyrick Mitchell, Almiron raced away before firing a shot across Guaita and inside the far post.

The Paraguay international was denied a second four minutes later when the keeper dived to his right to claim his dipping effort, and he also had to deal with a long-range effort from Guimaraes as the Magpies smelled blood.

Palace had a chance to level four minutes before the break after Joelinton’s error put Odsonne Edouard in on goal, but Dubravka dealt with his weak attempt comfortably.

The Magpies picked up were they had left off with Almiron seeing a shot blocked and Joelinton heading wide from Matt Targett’s free-kick inside the opening three minutes of the second half.

An out-of-sorts Wilfried Zaha redoubled his efforts to drag the visitors back into the game as they enjoyed their best spell of possession, but it was simply not happening for him.

Dan Burn had to be alert to deny substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta possession deep inside the Newcastle penalty area with 62 minutes gone, and Dubravka was relieved to see Zaha pull an attempt wide from Edouard’s pass three minutes later with Palace pressing.

Mateta and Edouard also both failed to test the keeper with headers, and Zaha with a last-gasp shot, from promising positions with the home side camped inside their own half and seemingly unable to escape, and referee Tony Harrington’s final whistle could not come soon enough for the locals.

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EPL: BRUINO GUIMARAES’ LATE WINNER HANDS NEWCASTLE FIFTH STRAIGHT HOME VICTORY

Bruno Guimaraes headed home a stoppage-time winner as Newcastle came from behind to beat European semi-finalists Leicester and all but end their Premier League relegation fears.

The Brazilian, who had earlier cancelled out Ademola Lookman’s first-half opener, pounced in the fifth minute of added time to the delight of a crowd of 52,104 at St James’ Park to snatch a 2-1 victory which lifted the Magpies 12 points clear of the drop zone.

Europa Conference League semi-finalists Leicester dominated possession for long periods despite manager Brendan Rodgers making wholesale changes, but were unable to find a way past keeper Martin Dubravka for a second time, and were ultimately left counting the cost.

City, featuring only three of the men – Kasper Schmeichel, Youri Tielemans and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – who started Thursday night’s 2-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven, found themselves under pressure from the off after central defender Daniel Amartey picked up a first-minute booking for a foul on Miguel Almiron.

However, Schmeichel dealt ably with Jonjo Shelvey’s shot from the resulting free-kick despite the ball bouncing nastily as it reached him.

Joelinton blazed over from a tight angle after running on to Fabian Schar’s cross beyond the far post as play switched rapidly from end to end with Shelvey for the home side and Tielemans for the Foxes orchestrating from midfield.

It was Leicester who took a 19th-minute lead when Dewsbury-Hall drilled a low corner into former Magpie Ayoze Perez’s near-post run and when he flicked the ball inside, Lookman drove a shot through a crowded penalty area and underneath Dubravka.

The Newcastle keeper was relieved to see Tielemans drag a 25th-minute effort wide after he had turned Shelvey and raced towards goal, and Matt Targett had to throw himself into the path of a Perez strike seconds later, and their side were level 14 minutes before the break.

Defender Dan Burn headed down Shelvey’s corner and although Schmeichel blocked Guimaraes’ initial shot, the Brazilian poked the ball between the keeper’s legs and across the line and referee Jarred Gillett, after being advised to review his initial decision to chalk the goal off, changed his mind.

Targett headed straight at Schmeichel from Guimaraes’ inviting 37th-minute cross as Eddie Howe’s men sensed an opportunity, but Dewsbury-Hall tested Dubravka from distance on the stroke of half-time as an even first 45 minutes drew to a close.

Saint-Maximin scuffed a 47th-minute shot wide as he slipped after Almiron had tricked his way past Luke Thomas on the touchline and squared, and the Frenchman skied a second attempt high over seconds later.

But Emil Krafth had to make a vital block to deny Lookman after Caglar Soyuncu and Perez had combined to play him in.

Dan Burn had to be equally vigilant to deny Kelechi Iheanacho a late winner from Dewsbury-Hall’s cross, and it was the Magpies who struck at the death when Guimaraes headed home substitute Joe Willock’s deflected cross to clinch a fifth successive home victory.

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CHRIS WOOD PENALTY HELP NEWCASTLE SEES OFF WOLVES TO BOOST SURVIVAL HOPES

Chris Wood blasted home a 72nd-minute penalty to hand Newcastle a precious victory over Wolves which lifted them to the brink of Premier League safety.

The £25 million January signing’s second goal in a black and white shirt secured a 1-0 win which left the Magpies 10 points clear of the relegation zone and piled the pressure on the teams below them.

Wood, who became New Zealand’s record scorer during last month’s international break, had seen a first-half strike ruled out by VAR, but his decisive intervention ended his side’s three-game losing streak, to the delight of the majority of a crowd of 52,164 at St James’ Park.

It was little more than Eddie Howe’s side – prompted throughout by the excellent Bruno Guimaraes – deserved on a night when Wolves rarely looked like claiming the three points they needed to climb into the top six, until a late flurry.

The Newcastle boss was forced to make a change with just 12 minutes gone when Ryan Fraser, who had earlier undergone treatment on the pitch, was unable to continue and Miguel Almiron was asked to take his place.

Time and space were at a premium with both teams attempting to press out of possession and it took a ball over the top from Jonjo Shelvey to hand Almiron a half-chance with 21 minutes gone, but although the Paraguay international’s controlling touch was good, his shot did not match it.

Newcastle thought they had taken a 24th-minute lead when a prone Wood fired home after Wolves had failed to clear Guimaraes’ cross – after he and Almiron had cleverly exchanged passes – but although there was no offside flag, it was decided there should have been following a VAR review.

Jonny blazed over from distance two minutes later as Wolves fleetingly responded, but they were largely content to attempt to contain the Magpies during a first half of little real incident with Joelinton glancing a Matt Targett free-kick well wide two minutes before the break.

With wing-back Marcal much further advanced after the break, Wanderers looked significantly more threatening, although goalkeeper Jose Sa had to pluck Dan Burn’s shot out of the air after he had run on to Wood’s 52nd-minute flick-on.

Hwang Hee-chan saw his attempt blocked at close range after he had carved his way into the Newcastle box three minutes later and Joao Moutinho drilled a cross across the face of goal with the game opening up.

An out-of-sorts Allan Saint-Maximin was enduring a frustrating evening and skied a 64th-minute well over from Guimaraes’ cross before failing to pick out Wood at the far post seconds later.

But the former Burnley striker finally got his chance with 18 minutes remaining when, after he had been upended by Sa as he ran on to Joelinton’s pass, he sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot to open the scoring.

Guimaraes might have made it 2-0, but saw his scuffed hit trickle just wide, but the lead was desperately fragile with Fabio Silva heading wastefully wide before being denied by a fine save from Martin Dubravka as time ran down.

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TOTTENHAM THRASH NEWCASTLE 5-1 TO HEAT UP TOP-FOUR BATTLE

Tottenham moved into the top four of the Premier League with a statement 5-1 win over Newcastle which piles the pressure on north London rivals Arsenal.

After falling behind to Fabian Schar’s first-half free-kick, goals from Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Son Heung-min, Emerson Royal and Steven Bergwijn moved them above the Gunners in the table on goal difference.

Mikel Arteta’s men will reclaim fourth spot on Monday night if they take a point from their visit to Crystal Palace, but Spurs are firmly in the race for a Champions League place having seemed out of contention a few weeks ago.

Five wins from the last six games, inspired by the front three of Harry Kane, Son and Dejan Kulusevski, has boosted hopes of a return to Europe’s top tier and their fate could come down to their home game with Arsenal, which has yet to be rearranged.

They were simply too good for the Magpies, who have now lost three in a row and sit nine points above the drop zone.

Eddie Howe’s side came and deployed a tactic that Spurs are known to struggle with as they sat deep and denied the hosts space in the final third.

And it worked for the majority of the first half as although Spurs had plenty of the ball they could not create anything clear-cut.

Then things got even better for the visitors as they went ahead in the 39th minute.

Son fouled Joe Willock on the edge of the area and Schar sent a low free-kick around the wall and past Hugo Lloris, who got a hand to it and was disappointed not to keep it out.

But that was as good as it got for Newcastle as Antonio Conte’s men hit back in style.

They got back on level terms quickly as Davies glanced home from Son’s cross after Spurs recycled a corner.

That gave the hosts the platform to go on in the second half and win the game and they took the opportunity with both hands, scoring three goals in 18 minutes.

Doherty put them ahead in the 48th minute, arriving late at the far post to nod home Kane’s superb ball across the face of the goal.

The goal of the game came six minutes later as Spurs’ in-form front three combined in style.

Kane set Kulusevski free down the right, the Swede picked out Son, who controlled and fired into the corner from 10 yards out.

The fourth goal, in the 63rd minute, came from a more unexpected source as Emerson, only playing because of an injury to Sergio Reguilon, poked home at the near post from Doherty’s cross.

Spurs should have made it five, but Son rolled an effort wide after Kane’s 40-yard pass played him in on goal.

They eventually did score a fifth – for a second time in three home games – as Bergwijn scored two minutes after coming on, slotting home having been sent clear by Lucas Moura.

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KAI HAVERTZ NETS LAST-GASP WINNER AS NERVY CHELSEA END TURBULENT WEEK WITH WIN

Kai Havertz’s fine last-gasp finish sealed a nervy Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League win over resurgent Newcastle, providing rare distraction from the Blues’ continued fears for their future.

Germany forward Havertz superbly brought down Jorginho’s masterful lofted pass before slotting home, to cut through an otherwise stodgy affair and hand the Blues a fifth successive Premier League win.

Thomas Tuchel’s relief was writ large by the Blues’ German boss launching himself onto the field in exuberant celebration as Havertz netted the winner.

The former Paris St Germain boss spun to the crowd to join the Chelsea fans in a moment that saw all the Blues’ worries on the future drain away for just a split second.

Havertz’s 11th goal of the season proved enough to topple a resolute and disciplined Newcastle, on a day where Chelsea’s off-field problems dominated proceedings from first to last.

But just when the Blues were fretting on a niggling draw, up stepped Havertz to sink Eddie Howe’s robust Newcastle, whose nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was ruined in heartbreaking fashion.

Chelsea’s turbulent week ended with the Blues’ experiencing the limbo ushered in by the UK Government sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich for the first time at their west London home.

While Blues bosses continued lobbying Downing Street for a relaxation of Chelsea’s new operating licence, manager Tuchel battled to keep collective squad minds on football matters.

Two prospective Blues owners were even in the crowd, with both Nick Candy and Sir Martin Broughton among those to witness Havertz’s late moment of magic.

Supporters had trouble sticking solely to footballing matters, with no programmes able to be sold at Stamford Bridge, the club shop shut and Blues staff still worrying about their jobs.

Abramovich was sanctioned by the Government on Thursday, with Tory chiefs claiming to have proved the Russian-Israeli billionaire’s links to Vladimir Putin.

The 55-year-old Chelsea owner has always denied links to the Russian President, but the war in Ukraine has provided a major geopolitical shift.

Abramovich’s 19-year and 21-trophy tenure is at an end, with the Government now overseeing Chelsea’s sale amid ever-increasing suitors for the European and world club champions.

In a staccato first half, all the real rhythm came from the opposing supporters’ repartee.

Chelsea’s fans in the main opted against chanting for owner Abramovich, with Tuchel’s name the first to escape Blues lips en masse.

Newcastle’s fans wasted no time in poking the Chelsea bear though, piping up with ‘no noise from the bankrupt boys’.

Chelsea hit back with ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’, before Newcastle chorused ‘Mike Ashley, he’s coming for you’.

The Chelsea supporters could not resist a riposte of ‘Boris Johnson, he’s coming for you’, before Newcastle had the last word with ‘you only sing when you’re loaded’.

Chelsea’s first effort on target did not come until the 76th minute, when Havertz flicked Hakim Ziyech’s teasing cross goalwards.

Havertz could only trouble Martin Dubravka into a regulation save, but somehow he kept his best for last.

Just when all in Stamford Bridge geared up for the draw, Havertz stole in to tell west London otherwise.