FINAL SCORE: REECE JAMES SPARKLES AS CHELSEA RECOVER FROM TWO GOAL DEFICIT AT NEWCASTLE
Reece James leads a stunning second-half fightback at Newcastle. See the player ratings and tactical breakdown from the 2-2 draw.
Reece James scored an amazing free kick, helping Chelsea tie Newcastle United 2-2 after a terrible first half. Nick Woltemade scored twice in the first 20 minutes, putting Newcastle in control. But Chelsea played much better in the second half and managed to get a point. James, the captain, set the tone with his incredible goal, and then Joao Pedro scored to tie the game on Saturday.
At the same stadium where Nicolas Jackson got a red card in May, Cole Palmer tried to calm Chelsea with a tricky shot that landed on top of the net. But Newcastle scored first in the fourth minute when Robert Sanchez stopped Anthony Gordon's shot, but Woltemade scored on the rebound. Sanchez had to make another save when he tipped away a strong shot from Gordon as Chelsea struggled with Newcastle's fast start. Newcastle was too much for Chelsea, and in the 20th minute, Gordon crossed the ball perfectly to Woltemade, who scored again, making it 2-0. Pedro Neto thought he had scored, but he accidentally used his hand to get the ball in the net, finishing a first half where Newcastle played better than Chelsea.
The second half was different. Chelsea needed to respond, and they did when James curled in a fantastic free kick from 30 yards out in the 49th minute. Then, after Trevoh Chalobah almost gave away a penalty for a push on Gordon, Pedro took advantage of a mistake by Malick Thiaw and scored under Aaron Ramsdale with 24 minutes left. Both teams tried to score the winning goal, and Harvey Barnes almost did with a volley that went just wide near the end. Chelsea, who are in fourth place, might think they gained a point since they were almost beaten. But head coach Enzo Maresca will be worried about how they played in the first half.
StadiumNest's Chelsea player ratings from St. James' Park:
Goalkeeper; Defense
Robert Sanchez (7/10):
He was probably the only Chelsea player who played well in the first half, making some great saves. The Spanish goalkeeper also made a great pass that led to Chelsea's second goal.
Malo Gusto (4/10):
He's had a pretty good year for Chelsea, but this wasn't one of his best games. He had trouble with Gordon's speed.
Wesley Fofana (6/10):
He gave Woltemade too much space for his second goal, which hurt the team. He seemed more comfortable as the game went on.
Trevoh Chalobah (6/10):
He missed a clearance that led to Woltemade's first goal and was lucky not to give away a penalty for a foul on Gordon.
Marc Cucurella (6/10):
Like many of his teammates, he played better in the second half as Chelsea got back into the game.
Midfield
Reece James (8/10):
He didn't have much time in the first half but scored a brilliant free kick to give Chelsea hope. He kept playing well at right-back after Gusto was subbed, making a crucial tackle to stop Harvey Barnes. Without him, Chelsea wouldn't have gotten anything from the game.
Moises Caicedo (6/10):
He didn't do much in the first half. But as Chelsea started to play better, he did too.
Cole Palmer (6/10):
His passing wasn't as good as usual. He improved a bit, but this game didn't bring out his best.
Attack
Pedro Neto (6/10):
He made a couple of nice moves but gave Gordon too much space to cross the ball for Newcastle's second goal. At least he tried hard.
Joao Pedro (7/10):
He didn't do much in the first half but scored his goal well. He probably needs more support in the attack.
Alejandro Garnacho (5/10):
He ran a lot but didn't really do anything useful in the first half and had trouble with Lewis Miley. He also could have been sent off for a careless foul before halftime. Not a great game for him.
Subs & Manager
Enzo Fernandez (7/10):
He helped Chelsea's midfield get more organised.
Andrey Santos (5/10):
He didn't do much after coming off the bench.
Enzo Maresca (7/10):
Newcastle outplayed Chelsea in the first half, and Chelsea's midfield didn't look good. But his halftime talk worked wonders as Chelsea played much better in the second half. If Chelsea wants to compete for the league title, they can't play as they did in the first half.
LIAM ROSENIOR’S "DETAILED TALKS" WITH CHELSEA LEADERSHIP REVEAL AGGRESSIVE SUMMER TRANSFER STRATEGY
Liam Rosenior confirms no Chelsea players want to leave, including Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, despite UCL exit.
Liam Rosenior is currently engaged in thorough discussions with Chelsea’s leadership about their plans for the summer transfer window. Interestingly, none of the players has approached him expressing a desire to leave.
After Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League last-16 against Paris Saint-Germain, speculation swirled around Enzo Fernandez’s future, while names like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have also been linked with moves away since Rosenior took charge in January. Ahead of their trip to Everton, Rosenior addressed questions about possible departures if the team misses out on Europe’s top competition again. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring new players in.
“We're having very detailed talks about where we need to strengthen,” he said, referring to conversations with the sporting director team, headed by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. “I’ve shared my thoughts on what’s needed, and we’re mostly aligned on the approach, which is encouraging. But the priority is also handling the present properly. It’s crucial to be in a good spot now. Planning is important, but so is winning in the moment. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having positive discussions with ownership and the sporting directors about it.”
Rosenior emphasised that key players like Enzo Fernández want to remain at Chelsea. After Fernandez’s recent interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was noncommittal about his future following the heavy loss to PSG, Rosenior reached out to him personally.
“Our plans don’t hinge solely on qualifying for the Champions League; there are many variables,” Rosenior explained. “We need to make the best of the situation we’re in and stay as strong as possible. I maintain a close relationship with the players; we talk beyond football about their families and their lives. I’m particularly close with Enzo and the others. Since I arrived, no one has told me they want to leave in the summer. The focus is really on improving together as a team and figuring out what it takes to win right now.”
When asked specifically if that applies to Fernandez, Palmer, and Caicedo, Rosenior was clear: “They love it here.”
WHY ENZO FERNANDEZ REFUSES TO COMMIT TO CHELSEA’S FUTURE PROJECT
Enzo Fernandez has sparked Chelsea exit fears after refusing to commit to his future following a 2-8 defeat to PSG.
Chelsea fans barely had time to process a brutal 8-2 Champions League thrashing by PSG on Tuesday when vice-captain Enzo Fernandez stirred things up even more. ESPN Argentina asked him about his future, and instead of assurance, Fernandez left everyone guessing about whether he’d still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
His answer? “I don’t know. There are eight games left, and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.” Not exactly what supporters needed to hear after a rough night. Honestly, Enzo, now’s probably not the best time for uncertainty.
People have been gossiping about Fernandez’s next move for a while now. Real Madrid and PSG keep cropping up as possible destinations, despite Chelsea sources insisting they won’t sell him. He’s locked into a contract until 2032, but if he pushes for an exit, who knows if that changes.
Fernandez holds a hefty price tag of £107 million; when he arrived in January 2023, it was a British record at the time. He’s backed it up this season, stacking up 12 goals, 6 assists, and playing more minutes than anyone else on the squad.
Still, Chelsea has been searching for someone who can play that No. 10 role where Fernandez has spent most of the season. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on their wishlist, though nothing’s happened yet. Rogers, 23 and once a Manchester City academy kid, has been lighting it up at Villa lately. He signed a contract extension in November, but rumours about his future just won’t die.
Rogers is definitely on Chelsea’s radar. If Fernandez leaves this summer, and really, that’s still wide open; Rogers could be a target.
You can expect Chelsea to be busy in the market soon. They need a centre-back after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet in January. Douglas Luiz was briefly considered but wound up at Villa, so midfield is still in the mix. Plus, given their attacking troubles this season, they’ll be looking to upgrade up front too.
Must Read
