Jose Mourinho always said it was mission impossible and so it proved. No-one, it seems, goes unbeaten in England throughout a season these days. Arsene Wenger still has at least one up on his nemesis.
Alan Pardew’s Newcastle United, the team which two months ago looked an abject parody of a Premier League side, achieved what many believed to be impossible – and they did so in some style.
They survived a torrid opening thirty minutes, when Chelsea looked to be at their formidable best; they survived losing their goalkeeper at half-time and bringing on a 21-year-old debutant; and they survived playing out the closing exchanges with 10 men.
And when the fourth official Robert Madley signalled for six minutes of stoppage time at the end, there were howls of protest around an indignant St James’ Park. It was entirely understandable. A famous victory looked to be in doubt. The sense that, given enough time, Chelsea would rectify the deficit, was inescapable. And given how well Newcastle had played, that would have been hard to bear.
Quite how Pardew had turned around the shambolic team that looked so dreadful when they lost at Southampton is one of the season’s mysteries. It wasn’t that they clung on to a win; they matched Chelsea and, while having periods where they had to defend, at times were the better team.
The discipline, shape and determination were exemplary – Papiss Cisse will take the plaudits for is two goals after coming off the bench, but it is the engine room comprised of Jack Colback, Moussa Sissoko and – enjoying an authentic champagne moment – Cheick Tiote who provided the platform for this win.
It didn’t look to be shaping up that way early on. There is something a little ominous about Chelsea when they slowly move through the gears and began to open up the throttle. The opening 30 minutes had that feel. Slowly, surely, they were overhauling Newcastle. The sheer speed of the passing, the quality of the link-ups looked to have the home side on the back foot.
There was the shot from Willian just wide on 11 minutes, which came after the slickest multi-pass build imaginable, with Chelsea simply weaving their way through their opponents. Eden Hazard dashed down the left wing on 14 minutes, causing consternation, but shot wide. John Terry then headed just over from a Cesc Fabregas corner.
Willian then had a delightful curling shot just wide on 19 minutes and Fabregas was tipped away by Rob Elliot. Chelsea test every facet of your game. Be it skill or physicality, strength in the air or sheer power, they stretch you in all departments. It seemed only a matter of time before they unpicked Newcastle.
And yet, Alan Pardew’s team hung on in. Sissoko and Colback in particular refused to give the game up for lost. Bit by bit, they worked their way back into the game. They never lost their shape, each and every player pressing when required and strong in the challenge when necessary.
Eventually, their endurance began to pay some dividends. On 33 minutes they produced a delightful moment when Sammy Ameobi played in a ball for the impressive Ayoze Perez. The Spaniard held the ball up and played it in for Colback who was through on goal, only for Thibaut Courtois to rush from his line to smother the ball.
Newcastle’s progress might have been undone at half-time, however, with keeper Elliot, already a stand in for Tim Krul, unable to continue. On came Jak Alnwick, 21 and the brother of Ben, for a debut in the most testing circumstances imaginable. He started well, however: flattening Diego Costa as he came for his first punch.
Newcastle continued to hold their own, though John Obi Mikel should have put Chelsea ahead on 56 minutes, heading wide from a Fabregas free-kick with a clear sight of goal.
But slowly the limited vulnerabilities of Chelsea begun to show – and they can be penetrated when confronted by the quickest of attackers. Sissoko led the charge on 57 minutes, sprinting away before releasing Ameobi on the right. His cross should have been cut out by Gary Cahill but he allowed it through to Cisse, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, to score from close range with his first touch.
Chelsea tried to respond. Certainly in terms of possession they were impressive. But despite sending on Didier Drogba, the chances never came. On 77 minutes, Eden Hazard hit the post, which was as close as it got. And yet within a minute, they were further behind.
Colback, hugely impressive, first won the ball in midfield and then drove on to release Sissoko, who was through on goal. Courtois came out to block but the ball deflected into the path of Cisse, on hand, to steer in his second of the game.
Finally, a subdued St James’ Park erupted. This was turning into an outstanding performance; and then Steven Taylor, in his eagerness, jeopardised it, scything through Andre Schurrle in the 81st minute. It was a clear red card, and barely a protest was registered. From the free-kick on 83 minutes, Fabregas curled the ball in and Alnwick, excellent until then, failed to come and collect, and Drogba simply headed home.
Alnwick would redeem himself – saves from Costa and Felipe Luis in the dying minutes saved his team. His day, his manager’s day was complete. Newcastle earned their win – and Mourinho’s invincibles are no more.
