James sent off as Chelsea are crushed by Newcastle
Two goals in the space of 90 seconds helped to condemn Chelsea to defeat at St James’ Park, where Reece James was sent off.
Raheem Sterling netted a brilliant equaliser after Alexander Isak had given the home side the lead.
But quickfire second-half goals from Joelinton and Jamaal Lascelles turned the game in the Magpies’ favour and Chelsea were reduced to 10 men on 73 minutes.
James, booked for kicking the ball away, was given a second yellow card after needlessly pushing Anthony Gordon, who added a late fourth for the hosts.
Newcastle went ahead when youngster Lewis Miley threaded through a lovely pass to Isak, who fired past keeper Robert Sanchez.
Sterling hauled Chelsea level with a stunning free-kick from 25 yards out, his strike leaving Nick Pope motionless.
Both sides had chances to score a second before the interval.
Joelinton missed a sitter, heading Keiran Trippier’s corner wide of the target at the far post when completely unchallenged, before Trippier’s free-kick hit the bar.
At the other end, Pope tipped away Enzo Fernandez’s shot after the Argentine had been set up by James, and the Magpies keeper had a lucky escape when he gifted the ball straight to Conor Gallagher, who was unable to finish.
After a quiet spell early in the second half, the game exploded into life on the hour mark when Lascelles restored the hosts’ lead by heading home Gordon’s cross.
Worse immediately followed for Chelsea when Thiago Silva was dispossessed by Joelinton after failing to properly control Cole Palmer’s pass, and the Newcastle forward coolly slotted past Sanchez.
And any real hope of a Chelsea comeback was quashed when their captain was dismissed.
Gordon rubbed salt into their wounds by collecting Miguel Almirón’s ball over the top, cutting inside Benoît Badiashile and finishing emphatically.
Chelsea: Sanchez; James, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Ugochukwu (Caicedo 69), Fernandez; Palmer (Colwill 75), Gallagher (Mudryk 69), Sterling (Madueke 87); Jackson (Broja 69).
Subs not used: Petrovic, Disasi, Maatsen, Matos.
