Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2 – 20 December 2025 12.30pm
Newcastle United fan/writer reaction from some of our regular contributors on The Mag.
Nat Seaton:
‘A game where we should have taken all three points, denied by a free kick, a slip and some chances at the end where we could have won it.
A brilliant first half performance was always going to be hard to replicate in the second but it gave us a glimpse of what could be.
Again, it feels a bit like a loss being 2-0 up but the signs are there of improvements and I’m going to Old Trafford with hope of a good result.
Merry Christmas!!’
Matt Busby said…:
‘That’s a disappointing result considering we were two to the good at the interval.
Having said that, even after surrendering that two goal advantage, we had chances to win it, and I was expecting Barnes to burst the back if the net with that volley, but it wasn’t to be.
I thought Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley were both fantastic and that brace will give Woltemade a massive boost, two quite exquisite finishes.’
Tony Mallabar:
‘Forget the result (we should have been out of sight before half time)…am absolutely raging at that first half performance. Where the hell was that passion/ intensity last Sunday??…yes am still not taking the defeat to the dark side very well still.
Now with big nick having competition for his place he’s now started putting the ball in the right net (told you am still bitter about last Sunday).
As Newcastle’s number one fan (it’s a double helpings of humble Xmas pie for slagging off Gordon and young Mileycastle who were both excellent today)…merry Christmas to my fellow Newcastle United fans and hopefully see some of you at old Trafford on boxing day.’
Mark Jankowski:
‘It’s about 40 minutes post the final whistle and I’m still furious at the officiating.
Newcastle put in a stellar first half performance and probably should’ve been ahead by more at the break.
The second half saw Newcastle tire and Chelsea step up a level but the string of quite frankly scandalous refereeing decisions has cost Newcastle 3 points today.
My main grumble at Newcastle was at the length of time it took to take off a visibly exhausted Ramsey off the pitch.
Another 2 points dropped from a winning position but the cards were stacked unfairly today.’
GToon:
‘Decent performance from the lads.
Chelsea are a good team but the ref has cost us big time. Very poor.
But we didn’t lose and we seem to be tough to beat at home again.
Happy Xmas everyone.
And get well soon Nick Pope, you are needed. Big time.’
David Punton:
‘A tough week ends with the squandering of a two goal lead. Really disappointing game management.
Many of you would likely have settled for a point before kick off, but the manner of the draw leaves more question marks as to how this team is shaping up this season.
We’ve messed it up – big time.
The ref was abysmal and we ought to have had a penalty.
The only crumb of comfort is we didn’t lose the game and Nick Woltemade was able to keep pushing on despite what happened in the derby.
It’s going to be a tough season for us.’
Billy Miller:
‘That first half felt like our best half of football this season.
Then a free kick got Chelsea back in it.
A scandalous decision not to give a penalty kept them in it and then a rare error from Thiaw allowed them to level.
When the triple substitution was made I was thinking that one of the wingers should have stayed on.
Gordon had a magnificent first half and both he and Murphy would be capable of creating another big chance. Elanga looks completely devoid of confidence. I wouldn’t have brought him on at 2-2 in a tough game where we need big performances. Thought he was going to prove me wrong when he broke through at the end but he completely reinforced my point. Barnes was in so much space if he’d squared it.
The officials were completely hopeless. Possible red when we were 2-0 up, definite penalty not given, taking an age to check for offside when I could see it was fine pretty quickly. There were a few other questionable decisions.
Feel robbed but that first half has to give us a lot of belief. We barely gave the ball away, Woltemade got a brace. We had chances to go in 3 or 4 up. If we start replicating that over full matches we’ll beat anyone.’
Simon Ritter:
‘As the Christmas carol almost goes, four and 20 Magpies goals from BNW.
We started like Santa’s Express and rarely let up in the first half.
Don’t say Chelsea didn’t turn up. They did. We were simply better all over the park in the first half.
Could we maintain the high-press, high-energy form after the interval? Obviously not.
Chelsea were much better in the second half and scored from their only two decent chances.
We were left to rue the two chances BBW missed in the first half, which would have put the game out of sight, and three more we should have taken, especially a Barnes left-footer that he sent narrowly wide after the best move if the match.
Two points dropped rather than one gained.’
Newcastle 2 Chelsea 2 – 20 December 2025 12.30pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Woltemade 4, 20
Chelsea:
James 49, Pedro 66
Possession was Newcastle 47% Chelsea 53%
Total shots were Newcastle 11 Chelsea 13
Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Chelsea 4
Corners were Newcastle 6 Chelsea 4
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 22 Chelsea 22
Newcastle team v Chelsea:
Ramsdale, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Ramsey (Willock 89), Tonali, Bruno, Jacob Murphy (Elanga 73), Gordon (Barnes 72), Woltemade (Wissa 73)
Unused subs:
Ruddy, Joelinton, Alex Murphy, Shahar, Neave