Eddie Howe hails defensive effort as Newcastle edge Chelsea

Anthony Gordon's first-half strike proved decisive, earning Newcastle their second consecutive Premier League win following their triumph over Manchester United. Howe credited the team's discipline and effort for seeing them through a match in which Chelsea registered 22 shots - their most in a home game without scoring since April 2023.

"I think our defensive mentality was key. We were really good off the ball today, in every respect," Howe said. "We rode our luck at times in the second half, but with the amount of times we've been hurt this season, I thought we deserved it."

The goal itself came from a slick move, with Tino Livramento threading a precise pass to Joe Willock, who unselfishly found Gordon. Howe highlighted the quality of the play.

"It was an excellent goal, and we were very much in the game. It was a great pass from Tino (Livramento) to slip in Joe Willock and very unselfish from Joe to pick out Anthony (Gordon)," he added.

The clean sheet was Newcastle's first in some time, a testament to their defensive organisation. "It's our first clean sheet in a long time. It's been a difficult spell for us. We've defended really well at times. We know it's in there, it's just about bringing it all together," Howe said.

He also praised both starters and substitutes for their contributions. "Nick Woltemade was excellent. Jacob Murphy was outstanding. When you have players with the experience of Joelinton and Dan Burn to bring on, it's huge."

The result makes Newcastle only the fourth non-London side to win 50 Premier League away games in the capital, and it gives Howe's side momentum as they prepare for a critical week ahead, including a Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland.

"We have two huge games to finish off this week-mouth-watering for us. We can go into them in good spirits after this win," Howe said. "It gives us huge belief. I think we needed to win today to give us confidence moving forward."

Sandro Tonali missed the match due to illness, though Howe hopes he will recover quickly. "He was feeling unwell after training yesterday. Fingers crossed it follows a similar pattern with the other illnesses we've had and it is a quick recovery," he said.

For Newcastle, Saturday's display offered a welcome demonstration of tactical discipline, resilience, and attacking quality, providing a timely boost as the team seeks consistency this season.

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