MIRROR
Mauricio Pochettino watched this horror show from the stands as Newcastle blew them away – aided by sloppy, lazy defending, and a massive howler from Thiago Silva. This was a Newcastle squad ravaged by ten first-team injuries, but Eddie Howe’s side rekindled their aggression and energy, after two defeats, to blow Chelsea away.
Newcastle had 17-year-old Lewis Miley outplaying £106m Enzo Fernandez. Howe gave three kids their debut from the bench and lost Joe Willock before kick-off with an Achilles injury.
But after a week on the training ground, Newcastle were back on track with Alexander Isak, Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon sharing the goals. Only Raheem Sterling, with a great free kick, could hold his head high for shambolic Chelsea, who had Reece James sent off 17 minutes from time for a second booking with the game already lost.
What have they got for their £1bn transfer spree? Certainly not team spirit. It’s eight conceded in their last two games. Newcastle are galvanised by that ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with PSG.
With three keepers and only two senior players named on the bench, resources are stretched very thinly, even with Isak’s return. But it was a combination of Isak and teenager Lewis Miley, called up for injured Sean Longstaff, that drew first blood.
Anthony Gordon swept the ball across the edge of the box to Miley in his debut season in the first-team squad. The crowd shouted shoot, but instead, he powered a ball into Isak’s feet, allowing him to turn and finish. A fine way to return from missing five games with a groin injury suffered against Dortmund.
Chelsea were level by the 23rd minute after Raheem Sterling won a controversial free kick and brilliantly converted it. The winger raced in on goal with Kieran Trippier in close pursuit, after Jamaal Lascelles had given the ball away. Sterling seemed intent on going to ground and fell too easily under minimal contact, but referee Simon Hooper gave the free kick to the rage on the Toon bench.
