Chelsea recovered from a two-goal deficit to deny Newcastle United their first Premier League win this season following a high-energy 2-2 draw at St James' Park tonight.
Ayoze Perez fired the hosts into a deserved half-time lead, before Georginio Wijnaldum propelled the winless Magpies into dreamland with a second on the hour mark.
However, Ramires threw the Blues a huge lifeline with a fine strike on 79 minutes, before Willian's deceptive free kick earned a point for the stuttering champions.
Here, Sports Mole dissects how the points were shared during a thrilling clash in the North East.
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Match statistics
NEWCASTLE
Shots: 11
On target: 5
Possession: 35%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 12
CHELSEA
Shots: 16
On target: 4
Possession: 65%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 15
Was the result fair?
In a word, yes. Few would have begrudged Newcastle United a first win of the season, and there can be no doubt that they deserved a point at the bare minimum. The Magpies became increasingly nervous and erratic as a maiden victory edged closer, but they showed more than enough spirit prior to that.
Chelsea, on the other hand, remain something of an enigma. They not only reminded the Premier League of why they are champions, but their all-round performance was also a reminder of why they have already lost three times. There is plenty of work still to be done by both managers, but there were far more positives for Newcastle than Chelsea this evening.
Newcastle's performance
Steve McClaren's men were booed off the field after losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup on Wednesday night. Tonight, they were applauded off at half time after earning a slender, but deserved, 1-0 half-time lead over the champions, with the noise from St James' Park likely being heard on Wearside. What a difference three days can make.
McClaren demanded a response and he certainly got one throughout a first 45 minutes in which the Magpies were disciplined, organised and, crucially, hungry to please their fans after winning just two points from a possible 18. Perez's first touch in the build-up to the goal was excellent as he expertly controlled Daryl Janmaat's long ball, but his second was even better as he volleyed past Asmir Begovic to send the home support wild on 42 minutes.
All of a sudden, though, Newcastle had something to lose. It was no longer the 'free hit' that it was prior to kickoff and the big question lingering over their second-half display was whether they could continue in the same fashion, or allow nerves to creep in. They kept their cool, and their shape, as United soaked up plenty of Chelsea pressure early in the second half before hitting them with a sucker punch. In their first attack, Perez floated a wonderful corner into the box and Wijnaldum evaded Cesc Fabregas to direct his header beyond Begovic. Now they really had something to lose.
It was much of the same from Newcastle at the back as they comfortably mopped up everything that came their way, with 20-year-old Swiss left-back Kevin Mbabu particularly impressive on his Premier League debut. Little could be done about Ramires's strike, such was the power and quality of it, but it was a silly foul by Moussa Sissoko which led to Willian equalising on 87 minutes.
There were plenty of positives for the hosts, but the major question now is whether or not McClaren can draw the same hunger from them on a weekly basis, against lesser opponents. Time will tell.
Chelsea's performance
It was touted that Chelsea, who brought a three-match winning streak into St James' Park, had exorcised the demons that saw them lose three of their first five league outings, but it certainly seems as if Jose Mourinho's side have a ways to go before they turn that corner. On this evidence, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv, nine-man Arsenal and Walsall merely papered over the cracks. The Blues still look a million miles from the side which dominated the division en route to the title last term and, worryingly for Mourinho, they only sprung to life after falling two goals behind.
Not even the first goal, for which Kurt Zouma and Branislav Ivanovic suffered a major communication problem, was enough to spark them into life. At the other end, Eden Hazard continue to belie his double Player of the Year awards from last season, while Loic Remy, starting in place of suspended striker Diego Costa, found himself uninvolved for much of the first half. Fabregas more than likely earned himself a telling-off from Mourinho for the way in which he allowed Wijnaldum to effortlessly lose him en route to heading home a second on 60 minutes. Fabregas's marking summed up Chelsea: half-hearted.
A desperate Mourinho hauled off Remy and Nemanja Matic for Radamel Falcao and Willian but their respective impacts were minimal. In one last throw of the dice, Mourinho replaced Oscar with Ramires on 73 minutes, and the latter crowbarred a route back into the contest when his fierce drive from outside the box left Tim Krul with no chance.
Hazard then sprung to life, embarking on a superb run to remind the Premier League of his brilliance before his attempt was blocked by Chancel Mbemba, but it was a sign of things to come. With three minutes of normal time left, Willian's excellent cross-come-shot from a free kick deceived Krul and nestled in the far corner, but it was only enough to earn a point. Chelsea's early-season woes remain.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Fabricio Coloccini: Mbabu was hugely impressive on his debut, but nobody on the field was better than the Argentine veteran in the heart of Newcastle's defence. Coloccini has already proved his quality with a fine performance at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign, but this was better as he constantly thwarted Chelsea's advances.
Biggest gaffe
Debate will rage whether Ivanovic or Zouma was culpable for Newcastle's opener, but it has to be the latter. The young Frenchman, who kept captain John Terry out of the first XI for a second successive week, opted against heading away Janmaat's delivery in the belief that Ivanovic would do it. He paid a hefty price for his indecision. At 20, it was an innocent error in judgement, and a lesson that he will undoubtedly learn from.
Referee performance
Mourinho may accuse, or at least suggest, that referee Martin Atkinson favoured Newcastle tonight - and the Portuguese may have a case on this occasion. Atkinson overlooked a whole host of fouls on blue shirts throughout the contest, with Hazard especially targeted. In fact, the hosts' second of the night directly stemmed from an Mbabu foul on the Belgian schemer just outside Newcastle's box.
What next?
Newcastle: It gets no easier for McClaren's side, who face Manchester City at Eastlands next Saturday.
Chelsea: Mourinho's men are back in Champions League action this Tuesday as they face Porto away.
Shane Callaghan
