Matchday 36 of the Premier League saw a high-stakes showdown for a Champions League spot as Newcastle United hosted Chelsea at St. James’ Park. The Magpies delivered a commanding 2-0 victory, extending their home winning streak to six games and snapping Chelsea’s six-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
With this crucial win, Newcastle climbed to third place with 66 points, overtaking Chelsea and pulling four points clear in the race for a top-five finish. Chelsea, now fifth with 63 points, are only ahead of Aston Villa (also on 63) by goal difference, while Nottingham Forest sit just behind with 62.
Lightning Start, Red Card Drama: Newcastle in Control
Newcastle wasted no time getting on the scoresheet. Just two minutes in, right-wing-back Jacob Murphy whipped in a perfect cross from the right, and Sandro Tonali ghosted in unmarked to slot home the opener, setting the tone for the evening.
Things went from bad to worse for Chelsea in the 35th minute. During a challenge, Striker Nicolas Jackson caught Newcastle defender Sven Botman with a reckless elbow. Following a VAR review, the referee showed a straight red, reducing the Blues to ten men with over 50 minutes still to play.
Despite their numerical advantage, Newcastle couldn’t break through again until stoppage time. In the 90th minute, Bruno Guimarães sealed the win with a sensational long-range strike from just outside the box, an unstoppable effort into the top corner that crushed any lingering Chelsea hopes.
Rotated Blues Pay the Price
Fresh off qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League final midweek, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino made significant changes to his lineup. Only left-back Marc Cucurella retained his place from their last match, with Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Moisés Caicedo, and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez completing the backline.
Enzo Fernández partnered with youngster Roméo Lavia in midfield, while Cole Palmer took on the playmaker role behind a front three of Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, and Nicolas Jackson. However, the rotated side struggled to gel, and after going down to ten men, they never seriously threatened a comeback.
Forest Miss Their Chance, United and Spurs Suffer Setbacks
Elsewhere, the battle for Champions League spots remained fierce. Nottingham Forest failed to capitalise, drawing 2-2 at home against already-relegated Leicester City. After falling behind to a Conor Coady goal, Forest turned things around through a goal and an assist from Morgan Gibbs-White. But Leicester’s loanee Bonanotte struck in the 81st minute to level the score and deny Forest a vital win.
Meanwhile, both Europa League finalists suffered league defeats. Manchester United lost 0-2 at home to West Ham United, with Tomáš Souček and Jarrod Bowen scoring for the Hammers. Tottenham Hotspur fared no better, falling 0-2 to London rivals Crystal Palace in a derby clash in which Eberechi Eze netted a brilliant brace.
The Premier League’s Champions League chase is going down to the wire with just two rounds left. Newcastle’s statement win not only dented Chelsea’s morale but also tightened their grip on a top-five finish. For Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest, the pressure is mounting as each match becomes make-or-break in the race for European football next season.
