Six clubs can win this season's title. That was about the only safe conclusion after this confusing, if rollicking, match. As Bobby Robson said, had Newcastle United won, Chelsea would be 12 points behind them this morning and contemplating a UEFA Cup spot and another rush of summer signings. But it was Chelsea who won, leaving them only six points adrift and freshly confident.
"Compact" was the attribute their manager Claudio Ranieri pinpointed in his side on Saturday but he may as well have been talking about the overall scenario. It is six points, six clubs. The concertina has never been so popular an analogy.
And, if Newcastle can beat Arsenal who beat Chelsea who beat Liverpool who beat Newcastle who beat Leeds and Manchester United, then it is not an inappropriate one. It is possible any of them can win the ultimate prize.
That Newcastle are even in contention is the biggest surprise of course but, just as it was wrong to overplay their significance after five victories in a row, it would be wrong to discard them after a borderline defeat. Moreover, Newcastle have not lost two games in succession so far this season.
Saturday morning newspapers led with Robson stating he needs "one more player" to make the club a real force again. The department he thinks requires most reinforcing was not isolated but, if it was central defence, then the timing could not have been better: this game turned on Chelsea having a more effective pairing there.
That may be harsh on Andy O'Brien and Sylvain Distin, who are as convincing a partnership as Newcastle have had in years, but in John Terry and William Gallas, Chelsea had a pair Robson considered "outstanding". Terry, in particular, stood out, standing tall against Alan Shearer.
A critic could argue that, as Shearer scored from a free header at a free-kick, and as Carlo Cudicini made three fine saves, the Chelsea defence was hardly impenetrable, but that would overlook the sheer volume of Newcastle's pressure. The Geordies' greatest quality over the past month has been their relentless appetite for goal creation. Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy were again excellent in that effort.
All of which is fine as long as chances created are being converted. It is when forward moves break down Newcastle become vulnerable. First-half injury-time provided the perfect example.
With the score at 1-1, Shearer's 37th-minute header having equalised Eidur Gudjohnsen's slick opener less than two minutes earlier, Bellamy was released down the right and sped away from Terry. Terry resisted the temptation to pull Bellamy back in the area and that allowed Bellamy to tee up Kieron Dyer. Dyer shot but Mario Melchiot blocked superbly. It was typical of Chelsea's defensive commitment.
Newcastle's zeal was such that they immediately went forward again, still in injury-time. But Graeme Le Saux managed the intervention this time and his pass found Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink free on Newcastle's right. O'Brien gave Hasselbaink enough room to cross but there were still two Newcastle defenders in the middle. Gudjohnsen nipped in between them to score.
Shearer lambasted O'Brien after that, capping an unhappy afternoon for the Republic of Ireland centre-half. Previously it had been another Le Saux clearance and O'Brien hesitation which had set up Chelsea's first. Gudjohnsen was left staring at 50 yards of unprotected Newcastle turf by O'Brien's indecision. He covered it quickly and slipped the ball low past Shay Given.
This was Chelsea's third December victory over opponents in the top six. The squeeze is on.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Distin, Elliott (Bernard 63), Solano (Lua-Lua 73), Dyer, Speed, Robert, Shearer, Bellamy. Subs Not Used: Harper, Lee, Dabizas. Goals: Shearer 37.
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Babayaro, Stanic (Jokanovic 84), Lampard, Dalla Bona, Le Saux, Hasselbaink (Zola 89), Gudjohnsen (Forssell 70). Subs Not Used: de Goey, Keenan. Booked: Stanic, Terry, Babayaro. Goals: Gudjohnsen 35, 45.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
