Newcastle United 2-0 Chelsea: Premier League Match Report
The Premier League game of 11 May 2025 saw Newcastle United beat Chelsea 2–0 at St James’ Park, putting the Magpies on the brink of Champions League qualification. Two goals from midfielders Sandro Tonali and captain Bruno Guimarães, each in a different half, made the difference in the match. 1 minute 52 seconds was all it took for Tonali to send one into the back of the net (the fastest goal, Newcastle have ever scored against Chelsea in the Premier League) and Guimarães added a late strike in stoppage time to seal the victory.
Newcastle United led after two minutes when Sandro Tonali “ghosted in at the far post” to convert a Jacob Murphy cross. It was the dream start for the Magpies. In the 35th minute, Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was dismissed for an elbow on Dan Burn (the yellow card was upgraded to a red card after VAR review). The sending off was the turning point in the game as it left Chelsea a man down for the remainder of the match. With Chelsea down to ten men, Newcastle United had the advantage.
Newcastle led, 1–0, in the second half and through added time. Even though they were short-handed, Chelsea kept coming at them and tried to counterattack, but they couldn’t break through the stubborn Newcastle defense. Then, in the 90+, a deflected shot from outside the area by Bruno Guimarães (off a Dan Burn assist) made it 2–0. Guimarães’s goal followed when Chelsea committed men forward and left space behind. The late goal sealed the victory and handed Newcastle three crucial points in the race for European football.
Tactical Analysis and Player Performances
Newcastle’s coach, Eddie Howe, sent his team out to defend a solid structure, and to take hold of the ball and penetrate through the flanks. Howe said he went five in defence (wing-backs) to try and get a bit more balance, especially after missing key players like Kieran Trippier and Joe Willock. “Five in our back line would help us… our attacking play was good, we just needed that second goal,” Howe said after the game.
In the second half, Chelsea brought on Edouard Mendy as their ten men continued to press. Newcastle sat deep in a compact block. Howe added defensive reinforcements to protect the lead. Chelsea dominated possession in the final half-hour but created little. Matteo Guendouzi shielded the back line alongside centre-backs Fabian Schär and Jamaal Lascelles. Nick Pope preserved the clean sheet with two key saves, including a crucial stop against Marcus Rashford. Jacob Murphy assisted Tonali’s opener, while Dan Burn’s cross led to Guimarães’s late goal.
Howe hailed the team’s first-half performance and mental resilience after the game. He added that the red card was key – “it was a big moment” – but repeatedly said Newcastle had to hang on in the face of pressure from Chelsea. Howe conceded the second half had been “anxious” but praised the players: “we were electric” in the first half and defended resolutely in the second. Guimarães duly brought this opinion and celebrated the “big three points”, but also warned that “nothing is done” until the season ends, adding “a win’s a win” as the club celebrated.
When Eddie Howe first took charge of Newcastle United, he immediately saved them from relegation.
In just four years, he took them back to Champions League football and won their first domestic silverware in over 70 years.
They're now sat third in the Premier League table 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/vjPwJXnLDo
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 11, 2025
Author’s Opinion
The win for Newcastle United was a true team effort. The Magpies put together a hard-shifting press and good tactical discipline – the early goal and extra man were key. Howe’s decision to use the back five worked, and important players (Tonali, Guimarães, Murphy, Pope) turned in stellar performances. Ultimately, the result still leaves Newcastle in third, with a slight advantage in the race for the Champions League.
Chelsea, in contrast, can take some solace in their second-half performance, if not the final scoreline; they scrapped but couldn’t find an answer. This match, Howe and Guimarães felt, demonstrated Newcastle’s development and potential, but as they also observed, the season is not over, and the fight for European places is still very much alive. Both sides go into key late-season fixtures, but the Geordies will be happy to take these three points that keep them in the hunt for Champions League football.
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