Gustavo Poyet gave Chelsea the psychological advantage over FA Cup semi-final
opponents Newcastle as he condemned Bobby Robson to his first home defeat.
The Uruguayan's 22nd-minute header was enough to win a drab contest in which
United never came anywhere near their best in the face of a hugely professional
display by the Londoners.
Newcastle battered away at Gianluca Vialli's side as they fought to preserve
their 14-match run at St James' Park, but they lacked a cutting edge and rarely
looked like snatching a point.
Chelsea keeper Ed De Goey only needed to make two good saves from Alan Shearer
and Kieron Dyer as he broke Peter Bonetti's 25-year-old club record by keeping
his 22nd clean sheet of the season.
Newcastle were forced to change their shape after starting with a five-man
defence which left them unbalanced, but although they were a little more compact
when they returned to a 4-4-2 line-up, the die had been cast.
Vialli made no fewer than five changes to the side which lost 1-0 in Marseille
in midweek, with Emerson Thome replacing Marcel Desailly in central defence and
Celestine Babayaro coming in at left-back for Jon Harley.
Roberto Di Matteo and Jody Morris were preferred to Didier Deschamps and Dan
Petrescu in midfield, and Chris Sutton took over from Tore Andre Flo up front.
Newcastle made two changes to the side which won 2-0 at Sheffield Wednesday
last week as Steve Howey replaced the injured Helder in his first start since
April 11 last year and Didier Domi came in for Kevin Gallacher.
Robson's experiment with a five-man defence, pushing Aaron Hughes into a
central three, failed to pay off. Rob Lee and Gary Speed found themselves
isolated in central midfield as Dennis Wise and Jody Morris ran the show, and
with the Gianfranco Zola lively up front, the home defence never really looked
comfortable.
For all that, it was United who created the first chance with just three
minutes gone as De Goey kept out Shearer's well-struck free-kick.
However, Zola's craft down the right proved too much for Domi and Hughes at
times and the pair had a let-off when Sutton shot over on eight minutes after
the Italian left them in his wake with a neat turn.
Chelsea took a grip of the game as they settled the better and they deservedly
went in front with 22 minutes gone.
Lee gave the ball away to Di Matteo, who found Morris down the left, and he
picked out Poyet's run to allow the Uruguayan to power a header past Shay
Given.
It was only a matter of time before Robson changed the shape of his team, with
Domi pushing into midfield and Hughes dropping in at left-back, and while they
scarcely looked more dangerous they were at least able to compete more
effectively.
They should have been back on terms nine minutes before half-time when Lee
crossed for the unmarked Speed, but he directed his header straight at De Goey.
Duncan Ferguson saw a looping header drop just over and Dyer had a great
chance to equalise in injury time from his side's best move of the half.
Shearer headed down Warren Barton's cross to Ferguson, and when he found Dyer,
the England midfielder shot towards the top corner only for De Goey to pull off
a fine save.
Robson ended Nolberto Solano's exile at the break as he replaced Domi with the
Peruvian, but although his side looked a little more threatening, they failed to
carve out many meaningful opportunities.
Instead, they were reduced to heaving a series of long balls into the box for
Shearer and Ferguson to attack, but they found Frank Leboeuf and Thome in
determined mood, and even when they did come out on top, it was a blue shirt
more often than not which got to the breakdown first.
Ferguson was just inches away from reaching Hughes' cross at the near post,
and Shearer could not get any power into his header from another ball in by the
Irishman on 58 minutes.
And as United threw men forward in the search for an equaliser, Zola and
Sutton were able to exploit the space they left at the back and make life
difficult for Howey in particular.
The central defender provided the ammunition for Ferguson on 68 minutes with a
long ball forward, but although the Scot picked out Dyer with his header, he
shot well wide.
And as time ran down, the chances of the home side forcing a draw seemed to
recede in the face of a determined performance from the Chelsea defence.
Defender Nicos Dabizas was agonisingly close to getting a foot to Shearer's
87th-minute knock-down, but De Goey was able to breathe again as the ball ran
wide of his left post.
Given kept it at 1-0 in the final minute as he blocked Zola's shot, but that
proved little consolation to his side.
Teams
Newcastle: Given, Barton, Howey, Dabizas, Hughes,
Domi (Solano 45), Dyer, Lee (Ketsbaia 75), Speed, Shearer,
Ferguson.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Gavilan, Antunes.
Chelsea: De Goey, Ferrer, Leboeuf, Thome, Babayaro, Morris, Di Matteo (Petrescu 48), Poyet, Wise, Sutton (Flo 72), Zola.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Ambrosetti, Terry.
Goals: Poyet 22.
Att: 36,448
Ref: M Riley (Leeds).
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