Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer smashed home a stunning long-range effort to
hammer the final nail into Chelsea's coffin and leave the Barclaycard
Premiership title firmly in Arsenal's grasp.
The 33-year-old beat goalkeeper Marco Ambrosio with his 48th-minute
wonder-goal and put his side firmly back in the race for Champions League
qualification with his 28th goal of a season which is rapidly coming to life for
the Magpies.
Joe Cole fired the visitors in front with just five minutes gone, but Shola
Ameobi dragged the home side back into it two minutes before the break with an
excellent finish.
However, not to be outdone by his young sidekick, Shearer lashed the winner
three minutes after half-time to put United level on points and goal difference
with Liverpool in fourth.
It took a superb save from Shay Given to deny Eidur Gudjohnsen and a post to
keep out John Terry's point-blank effort deep into injury time, but Sir Bobby
Robson's side are still alive and kicking despite an injury crisis which grew
when Jonathan Woodgate limped off 16 minutes from time.
The stakes could hardly have been much higher for both sides as the game
kicked off with Chelsea knowing that an automatic Champions League berth, if not
the title was well within their grasp, while United would happily have settled
for fourth place and the chance to qualify for the big-time.
Newcastle needed a rousing start, an early goal and a momentum which would
leave the visitors deflated after their European capitulation in midweek.
However, what they got was just the opposite as Chelsea went ahead with just
five minutes gone.
Cole caused all sorts of problems for right-back Aaron Hughes, exchanging
passes with Frank Lampard before holding off Woodgate and toe-poking a shot past
Given.
United stepped up a gear in the search for an equaliser and went close on 24
minutes when Darren Ambrose, who was enjoying his personal contest with Wayne
Bridge, warmed Ambrosio's fingers with a stinging long-range effort.
Marcel Desailly had to block a Shearer shot on the turn and then saw the
striker climb high above John Terry to head just wide before Laurent Robert
tested Ambrosio at his near post with a well-struck shot, but Chelsea were
holding on well.
However, the scores were level two minutes before the break when Ameobi
accepted Hugo Viana's pass with his back to goal and, after spinning past
Desailly, drilled a superb shot home from the edge of the area.
But if the England Under-21 international's strike was worthy of high praise,
Shearer reminded him just why he is held in such high regard on Tyneside within
three minutes of the restart.
There looked to be little on when he received Olivier Bernard's pass on the
left wing with Desailly hot on his heels.
However, the 33-year-old turned quickly and before the defender could react,
sent a dipping shot over Ambrosio from all of 35 yards to put the Magpies
ahead.
Andy O'Brien had to get in a vital challenge to prevent Hernan Crespo reaching
Geremi's 52nd-minute cross, but it was Given who preserved his side's lead three
minutes later when he clawed away Gudjohnsen's close-range header.
Newcastle wasted a glorious opportunity to extend their lead with 57 minutes
gone when Shearer, having been set up just six yards out by Ameobi, sidefooted
his shot embarrassingly wide.
The skipper forced another good save from Ambrosio after Hughes and Ambrose
had carved a path through the Chelsea defence, before Chelsea boss Claudio
Ranieri replaced Hernan Crespo with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
The change very nearly had the desired effect - but the Dutchman fired
wastefully over from Mario Melchiot's 74th-minute cross, before Lampard head
just wide a minute later.
Woodgate pulled up with a thigh injury 14 minutes from time to hand Titus
Bramble a chance to make a name for himself with the visitors by now back in the
ascendancy.
Substitute Robert Huth left an impression on Shearer three minutes from time
with a nasty challenge, and United were rescued by the post deep into injury
time when Terry's shot stayed out.
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