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Joao Pedro denied Newcastle victory as Chelsea got here from behind to grab a 2-2 Premier League draw at St James’ Park.
Nick Woltemade’s double had the Magpies 2-0 up inside 20 minutes however – six days after a limp derby defeat to Sunderland – Eddie Howe’s males wilted amid a second-half fightback, fuelled by the tempo and trickery of Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro, after Reece James’s curling free-kick decreased the deficit.
Nevertheless, it was Pedro who ensured his aspect left with a deserved level when he fired residence a 66th-minute equaliser to finish a run of three successive league defeats for the Blues on Tyneside.
Newcastle wanted simply 4 minutes to get their noses in entrance when Sandro Tonali received possession in the midst of the sphere to permit Bruno Guimaraes to feed Jacob Murphy down the proper, and though keeper Robert Sanchez did nicely to dam Anthony Gordon’s try on the far put up, Woltemade adopted as much as smash the rebound into the roof of the web.
Garnacho blazed excessive over because the Blues appeared for a response, however they could have fallen additional behind when Gordon managed Lewis Miley’s cross and drilled in a rising try, which Sanchez tipped over.
The Magpies’ midfield trio of Tonali, Guimaraes and Jacob Ramsey was dominating and with Woltemade and Guimaraes working onerous to press the Chelsea defence, the hosts remained on high as they displayed an depth they by no means managed in final weekend’s tame derby defeat at Sunderland.
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They elevated their lead with 20 minutes gone when Lewis Corridor performed a free-kick large to Gordon, who lower inside Neto and crossed for Woltemade to toe-poke the ball previous the stranded Sanchez, though the aim was solely awarded after a prolonged VAR examine for offside.
Fabian Schar examined Sanchez with a first-time volley from Corridor’s floated free-kick and though Enzo Maresca’s males rallied because the half-time whistle approached, they had been unable to discover a manner again into the sport and virtually conceded as soon as once more when Woltemade steered one other Gordon cross simply large.
Nevertheless, the guests decreased the deficit inside 4 minutes of the restart when, after Ramsey had been penalised for a foul on Cole Palmer 25 yards out, James expertly curled the ensuing free-kick large of Aaron Ramsdale’s dive and in off the put up.
Ramsdale made a wonderful 57th-minute save from Neto after he had mixed with Garnacho to take advantage of the house vacated by Corridor after a Newcastle counter-attack had damaged down as an more and more chaotic encounter continued apace.
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The Blues had been degree inside 9 minutes when Malick Thiaw slipped as Pedro managed Sanchez’s clearance to permit the striker in behind him and he raced away to complete with aplomb.
Garnacho screwed a shot over from a slim angle with Chelsea on high, however James needed to intervene to win a superbly-timed 78th-minute problem to stop Harvey Barnes from changing fellow substitute Yoane Wissa’s through-ball.
Moises Caicedo and Garnacho each threatened to win it as time ran down, however it was Barnes who got here closest with an Eighty fifth-minute volley, which screamed inches large.
