Chelsea secured a hard-fought 2-2 draw at St James’ Park today, recovering from a disastrous two-goal deficit. Robert Sanchez emerged as the standout performer in a game of two halves for the Blues.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Robert Sanchez: 8
The Spanish goalkeeper was the hero for the visitors, keeping them in the contest with a series of vital stops during a frantic first half. He capped off a stellar individual display by providing the perfectly weighted long-ball assist for the equalizing goal.
Malo Gusto: 4
It was a day to forget for the young Frenchman, who found himself overwhelmed on the right side of the defense. After picking up a booking for dissent during a frustrated performance, he was the first player sacrificed by the manager early in the second half.
Wesley Fofana: 6
While he was caught in possession during the build-up to Newcastle’s opener, the center-back managed to steady himself thereafter. He recovered his composure and performed his defensive duties with reasonable competence for the remainder of the match.
Trevoh Chalobah: 6
A mixed bag for the defender, who looked shaky as the team conceded two early goals. However, he grew into the game, recording several important interceptions and contributing to a much more disciplined defensive effort after the interval.
Marc Cucurella: 4
The left-back struggled significantly with the pace and movement of the Newcastle attack in the opening stages. Although his performance mirrored the team’s general improvement in the second period, it remained a largely disappointing outing for the Spaniard.
Reece James: 7
Deployed initially in a midfield role where he lacked his usual physical dominance, the captain moved to right-back later in the game. He sparked the comeback with a sensational free-kick and made a crucial goal-saving intervention late on, though he was lucky to avoid a red card following a VAR review.
Moises Caicedo: 6
The midfielder was industrious in his defensive work, breaking up play with a series of blocks. While he was less tidy than usual when in possession, he nearly snatched a dramatic victory with a powerful long-range effort in the closing minutes.
Pedro Neto: 6
The winger’s influence on the match grew as time went on. He was often seen showing his frustration when teammates failed to pick out his runs, but he remained a persistent outlet as Chelsea pushed for their comeback.
Cole Palmer: 4
Chelsea’s creative spark tried his best to ignite the attack during a difficult first half where the team struggled for rhythm. He worked hard to find openings before being substituted with roughly ten minutes remaining.
Alejandro Garnacho: 6
Following his midweek heroics, the attacker endured a frustrating afternoon on Tyneside. He was wasteful in possession and repeatedly missed the target with his shots, eventually picking up a yellow card during a poor overall display.
Joao Pedro: 6
The forward was largely anonymous for the majority of the encounter. However, he came alive when it mattered most, showing great individual skill to latch onto Sanchez’s long pass and slot home the equalizer against the club that pursued him in the summer.