Newcastle United moved closer to qualifying for the Champions League following a hard-fought victory against a Chelsea side that played with ten men for most of the match.
Sandro Tonali gave them an ideal start by scoring the opening goal within the first two minutes (112 seconds). Nicolas Jackson`s subsequent red card then seemed to make the task much easier for the home side.
The Chelsea forward foolishly struck Sven Botman with his forearm in a moment of madness, resulting in a red card and leaving his team shorthanded for more than an hour.
Despite being a man down, Enzo Maresca`s team displayed commendable spirit before they were ultimately defeated in the final moments by Bruno Guimaraes. The result leaves Chelsea competing for a top-five spot.
Newcastle made two lineup changes from their previous draw against Brighton. Manager Eddie Howe opted for a tactical switch, changing from his usual 4-3-3 formation to use wing-backs, which surprised many.
Central defender Sven Botman returned to the Premier League starting lineup for the first time since January, having recovered from knee problems. Anthony Gordon also featured from the start, after being sidelined for two months due to suspensions, injury, and time patiently spent on the bench.
The England international winger was instrumental in Newcastle`s quick start, which saw them open the scoring inside two minutes.
The opening goal originated from a swift counter-attack following a Chelsea corner, with Gordon leading the charge down the left flank.
He went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Moises Caicedo, but the incident didn`t halt Newcastle`s momentum.
Tonali regained possession, passed to Guimaraes, who then set up Jacob Murphy. Murphy delivered a low cross, allowing the Italian midfielder (Tonali) to finish at the back post.
The Newcastle fans, known as the Toon Army, were in ecstatic mood, reportedly boosted by a free pre-match pint provided by the club. Injured midfielder Joelinton was seen celebrating with them in the stands, wearing a vintage Newcastle shirt.
Chelsea found themselves under pressure, particularly their £115m signing, Caicedo.
The tactical decision to field Caicedo, typically a strong defensive midfielder, at right-back again proved problematic.
The Ecuadorian midfielder was visibly exposed on the flank, suggesting Eddie Howe`s strategy was to exploit this area.
They continued to look dangerous with each attack, keeping Chelsea`s defense busy. Harvey Barnes had a shot blocked, and Guimaraes fired an effort over the bar.
Alexander Isak, Newcastle`s leading goalscorer who was hoping for a fourth consecutive league goal against Chelsea, missed his initial opportunity.
Following a cross from Tonali, Dan Burn headed the ball back into the box, but Isak (the striker) mistimed his shot, kicking the ground instead.
Cole Palmer, who had ended an 18-game scoring drought the previous week, had a shot blocked and another deflected wide. Chelsea eventually found some rhythm and possession, although every pass was met with loud jeers from the home crowd.
Caicedo, who had already committed a foul on Gordon that warranted a booking, later attempted a long-range shot that went wide. However, any growing confidence for Chelsea was quickly shattered by Jackson`s rash action.
The Senegalese forward was initially shown a yellow card after colliding forcefully with Botman during an aerial challenge.
Unfortunately for Jackson, who had been largely ineffective, VAR intervened and advised referee John Brooks to review the incident.
Upon reviewing the footage, Brooks observed Jackson`s intentional glance at Botman before making contact with his elbow near the defender`s jaw, leading to a red card.
This dismissal severely hampered his team`s efforts and also ended Jackson`s domestic season.
Newcastle were highly motivated, with Barnes having a shot blocked, but Chelsea managed to weather the storm until halftime. At the break, several Chelsea players surrounded and argued with referee Brooks.
At halftime, Maresca reorganized his team, bringing on Reece James for Noni Madueke. James was tasked with marking Gordon, while Caicedo moved into a central midfield role.
Gordon appealed for a penalty after a challenge from James, but it was ruled shoulder-to-shoulder. From that point, the game opened up, and Chelsea appeared much improved despite being a man down.
Although they still found it difficult to break down Newcastle`s defensive wall, a sense of tension grew as the visitors controlled more of the ball.
Eventually, just after the hour mark, they created a significant scoring opportunity.
Palmer found Marc Cucurella unmarked on the left side of the penalty area and delivered a pass to him.
The Spanish left-back controlled the pass and struck a powerful low shot towards the far corner, but Nick Pope made a brilliant save to push it away.
Sensing Chelsea gaining momentum, Howe made a substitution, bringing on Emil Krafth, and switched back to his preferred 4-3-3 formation. Guimaraes soon had a chance from a bouncing ball but fired it over.
Levi Colwill made a crucial last-ditch tackle to prevent Barnes from getting a clear shot. Maresca then made attacking substitutions, bringing on Jadon Sancho and Malo Gusto and changing formation to a more offensive 3-3-3.
The tension was palpable as Palmer sent an effort wide and Nick Pope brilliantly saved a shot from Enzo Fernandez.
Newcastle appeared fatigued as Chelsea continued to press. The visitors had a golden opportunity to equalize with just two minutes remaining, but Reece James headed his chance over the bar.
Crucially, Chelsea were punished for their missed chances. Guimaraes took a shot from the edge of the box, which deflected significantly and looped over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into the net, sealing the win for Newcastle.
