Chelsea fight back to draw after Nick Woltemade double for Newcastle

The result extended Newcastle's unbeaten home league run to ten matches, while Chelsea showed resilience after recent dropped points.

Newcastle had been looking to respond after losing the Wear-Tyne derby and started with intensity. Inside four minutes, Robert Sanchez made a sharp save from Anthony Gordon, but the rebound fell kindly for Nick Woltemade, who finished into an empty net to give the hosts an early lead.

The Magpies stayed on the front foot and doubled their advantage after 20 minutes. Woltemade, who had scored only once in his previous 11 matches, timed his run well to meet Gordon's in swinging delivery and steer the ball home. A lengthy VAR check followed, but the goal stood and Newcastle went two ahead.

Chelsea gradually settled and thought they had pulled one back before half-time, only for Pedro Neto's effort to be ruled out for handball. Newcastle almost made it three before the interval when Gordon again picked out Woltemade, but the forward failed to apply the final touch.

Newcastle have struggled to protect leads this season, and those concerns returned shortly after the restart. Four minutes into the second half, Reece James curled a precise free-kick in off the post to reduce the deficit and lift Chelsea's belief.

The visitors pressed higher and played with greater urgency. Their equaliser arrived in the 66th minute when Joao Pedro controlled Sanchez's long pass, burst clear of the defence and calmly finished past Aaron Ramsdale.

The closing stages were open and tense. James made a crucial sliding block to deny Harvey Barnes, while Anthony Elanga went close on the counter late on but bent his shot wide.

Newcastle have now gone ten matches without a clean sheet, while Chelsea remained fourth despite dropping points again. For both sides, it was a match that underlined attacking quality but exposed defensive concerns.

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