Cole Palmer the mastermind to give Chelsea victory over Newcastle

Cole Palmer’s star continues to soar and, with it, Chelsea keep improving. This was far from a complete display but Enzo Maresca’s players sparkled in spells and had enough to outdo Newcastle, who are now winless in five and look destined for mid-table irrelevance. Palmer was the mastermind once again, playing a brilliant role in Nicolas Jackson’s first-half goal and then beating Nick Pope early in the second to render Alexander Isak’s leveller a distant memory. If Chelsea lacked the level of control that might make their hyperactive head coach relax a little, they won through explosive bursts of the kind their opponents could not match.

Jackson’s goal crowned an opening spell in which each side had left sufficient space to give the other ample encouragement. It was a simple enough finish, crisply converted on the run, but the buildup was breathtaking. Palmer’s whipped pass from midway inside the Chelsea half took Tino Livramento out of the picture and sent Pedro Neto, who snicked the ball away from a sliding Fabian Schär, in full flight down the left. The resulting tee-up was perfect for Jackson and Chelsea could reflect that, this time, they had fallen the right side of some fine margins.