Havertz settles the distaste derby
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WHATEVER their problems off the pitch, Chelsea's players and staff are determined it should be business as usual and for Kai Havertz, that means scoring goals.
The German scored his sixth in the past seven games to decide this match, a beautiful strike in the final minute of a largely scrappy game between two clubs that have few friends outside their own fanbase.
It was said beforehand that no neutral wanted either side to win, such is the general distaste for their ownerships. While the majority investors in Newcastle are Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Chelsea is still technically owned by Roman Abramovich, despite UK Government sanctions against the Russian billionaire that have plunged the club into chaos.
Both sets of supporters appear to be defiant and unapologetic over their controversial ownership, and it was evident from the chants that flew back and forth at Stamford Bridge.
Even before kickoff, Toon fans were singing “Chelsea go bankrupt everywhere they go” and “Mike Ashley, he's coming for you,” in reference to their former owner, for whom there is little love.
Chelsea fans responded with “Boris Johnson, he's coming for you,” suggesting perhaps in hope rather than expectation that Newcastle's controversial ownership may yet be sanctioned by the UK Government.
The atmosphere in the stands was feisty while on the field the pace was frenetic without great quality. Despite plenty of huffing and puffing from the Blues, they did not force a save of note from Martin Dubravka in the opening 75 minutes, and Chelsea's keeper Edouard Mendy only had one big save to make in the same period, when he dived full-length to tip away a long-range volley from Miguel Almiron shortly before half-time.
There were plenty of misses, though. Mason Mount put a free-kick into the side-netting and volleyed over the bar, Antonio Rudiger had a header blocked in front of goal, and Timo Werner miscontrolled the ball horribly when a long ball from Andreas Christensen set him free on goal.
Werner again burst towards goal just after the hour mark and Dubravka tripped him crudely, but the German striker had run offside and was replaced moments later by Romelu Lukaku.
Newcastle had their share of misses too. Jacob Murphy shot high and wide early on, Fabian Schar had a tame volley saved by Mendy and Dan Burn glanced a header wide of the far post.
The big defender was involved in the first controversial moment soon afterwards when he was poleaxed by Kai Havertz, whose elbow caught the former Brighton man in the face. Referee David Coote decided it was worth only a yellow card, although Burn let Havertz know what he thought of the challenge, once he had recovered after lengthy treatment.
Coote was kind on Chelsea twice early in the second half too. Murphy – and most of the travelling support - thought he should have had a penalty when Trevoh Chalobah wrestled him to the ground, and replays showed the Chelsea defender pulling the winger's shirt repeatedly.
Coote then showed some leniency towards Hakim Ziyech when the Moroccan's high boot caught Bruno Guimaraes in the face, with the referee opting for a yellow card when some might have shown a red.
Thoma Tuchel made changes and his side finally forced a save from Dubravka, when Havertz directed a header into the keeper's hands from a Ziyech cross. Newcastle responded with a long shot from Sean Longstaff that flew just over the bar.
With time running out, Havertz struck. Jorginho hit a long diagonal pass from the left, Havertz ran ahead of his marker and took the ball out of the sky with a delightful touch of his left boot. Before Dubravka could react, the German poked the ball past him and sent the home supporters into raptures.
Mendy 6; Chalobah 6, Christensen 7, Rudiger 6, Sarr 6; Kante 7 (Pulisic 78), Jorginho 7, Mount 7 (Kovacic 63); Ziyech 7, Havertz 8, Werner 6 (Lukaku 63)
Dubravka 6; Lascelles 6, Schar 7, Burn 7, Targett 6; Manquillo 6 (Fraser 89), Longstaff 6, Guimaraes 6; Almiron 7 ((Saint Mazximin 69), Wood 6, Murphy 7 (Gayle 89).
David Coote 6/10