5 Things We Learned From Chelsea’s Victory Against Newcastle

Chelsea made life hard for themselves against Newcastle but the Blues deservedly secured the three points at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were the better team for the vast majority of the game and only a couple of lapses of concentration at the back made the scoreline closer than it should have been.

There were definitely more positives than negatives from the performance that suggest that this team can finish the season strongly.

Press the next page as we assess what we learned from Chelsea’s 3-2 win over the Magpies.

1) Mudryk looks good in the middle

Pochettino first experimented with playing the winger as a no.10 against Leeds in the FA Cup and he performed reasonably well in the role.

After replacing Raheem Sterling versus Newcastle, Mudryk was initially deployed in a central position once again.

The decision from Pochettino paid off as the 23-year-old used his quick feet to maze his way through the opposition’s defence and score after rounding keeper Martin Dubravka.

It is a ploy that enables Mudryk to get more involved in the game, rather than having to wait for the ball to come to him in wide areas.

2) Palmer’s potential is scary

The 21-year-old now has 13 goals and 11 assists in 33 appearances since joining from Manchester City last summer.

Palmer has scored and created an assist in the same match on 5 different occasions this season; more than any other player in the Premier League.

For someone who is still so young, you have to wonder how good he could become over the coming years.

Based on his recent form, though, there is a very good case for Palmer to be included in the England squad for the European Championships.

3) Gusto is not just keeping Reece James’ place warm

The captain’s fitness problems have been widely documented, but there was a general acceptance that, when fit and available, he is a nailed-on starter for the Blues.

However, Malo Gusto’s performances over the past few months have raised major doubts about that assumption.

The Frenchman’s form has been outstanding, and he was again excellent during the win over Newcastle; both defensively and in the final third of the pitch.

Despite only being 20 years of age, Gusto already looks like a well-rounded right-back and James has got a job on his hands getting back into the team when he returns from injury.

4) A makeshift backline just about held out

Newcastle’s goals came from mistakes made by Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella, but you do have sympathy for the two players.

It was only Chalobah’s second Premier League start of the season, having spent months out with a muscular injury. It was a similar situation for Cucurella who was making his first appearance since December after undergoing ankle surgery.

If Chelsea are to finish the season strongly, they need to have a settled backline. Injuries have made that difficult up until now.

However, it is hoped that, after the international break, when Chelsea’s injury list has begun to clear up, it will allow Pochettino to pick his best back four.

5) European qualification is still within reach

While it was only three points against Newcastle, it could prove to be very important at the end of the campaign.

Pochettino’s men are now one point off the Magpies. Not only that, they have closed the gap to 7th-placed West Ham to only four.

With a game in hand as well, the Blues are within striking distance of the European places.

Considering how difficult the season has been, clinching Europa Conference League qualification would be an achievement.