Newcastle 0 Chelsea 0: Newcastle tipped the title race back into Manchester United's favour after they held Chelsea to a goalless draw at St James' Park.

A day after derby rivals Middlesbrough had opened the door for the reigning champions, the Magpies slammed it shut to leave United three points clear at the top.

Glenn Roeder's side were more than good value for their point after limiting the Blues to only one effort on target, and that 10 minutes from time.

However, Jose Mourinho's side may live to regret misses from Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and at the end, substitute Joe Cole, as they rallied after the break but could not extend their run of nine successive Premiership victories.

But things could have been even worse for Chelsea had goalkeeper Petr Cech not got down to block Kieron Dyer's 59th-minute shot, and the Magpies left the field to warm applause from a crowd of 52,056 after a second successive home draw against one of the top-four sides.

Chelsea arrived on Tyneside knowing victory would take them to within a point of United a day after they were held 1-1 at Old Trafford by the Magpies' derby rivals Middlesbrough.

However, they did so knowing that was something they had not managed to achieve in the league at St James' Park in four visits.

Newcastle have had an intensely frustrating capacity this season to save their best for the Premiership's big guns, and having taken all three points from Liverpool and one apiece from United and Arsenal already, they were determined to extend that record.

For 45 minutes, they looked more than capable as Roeder's men made the double champions look distinctly ordinary and limited them to two attempts on goal, neither of which troubled goalkeeper Steve Harper.

For their part, Newcastle created few genuine chances, but always looked the more likely scorers.

However, Chelsea returned in determined mood after the break and had two opportunities to take the lead within three minutes of the restart. Lampard shot over in the 47th minute after Kalou had twisted his way past Solano and Titus Bramble to lay the ball back into his path.

Kalou caused problems again seconds later to pick out Shaun Wright-Phillips, but when he pulled the ball square for Drogba, his attempt to curl a shot into the top corner was woefully high and wide.

Mourinho replaced Wright-Phillips with Cole on 55 minutes, but the Magpies went close four minutes later. Dyer was given the benefit of a marginal offside decision to run on to Butt's through-ball, but Cech made a vital block.

Sibierski headed over from Milner's cross two minutes later, but it was Chelsea, aided by the arrival of substitute Andrei Shevchenko, who finished stronger.

They got their first attempt on target when Drogba flicked in a header at the near post, but Harper was equal to the task.

Martins headed over from a Milner cross and substitute Andy Carroll blasted across the face of goal in injury-time.

However, Cole might have snatched victory in the final seconds when he got a touch on Paulo Ferreira's cross, only to see his effort spin agonisingly wide of the far post.