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Chelsea logo
Premier League | Gameweek 24
Feb 15, 2021 at 8pm UK
Stamford Bridge
Newcastle logo

Chelsea
2 - 0
Newcastle

Giroud (31'), Werner (39')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Thomas Tuchel slams "reckless" Jamaal Lascelles tackle on Abraham

The Chelsea boss was unable to offer an update on his striker's fitness.

Thomas Tuchel hit out at Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles’ “reckless” tackle that left Tammy Abraham with an ankle injury.

Lascelles avoided any censure from referee Peter Bankes despite a scissor tackle that upended the Chelsea striker in the Newcastle area.

Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner scored as Chelsea ran out 2-0 winners to climb into the Premier League’s top four for the first time since December.

But new boss Tuchel was left frustrated by the tackle that ended Abraham’s night, revealing he was barred from discussing it with referee Bankes at half-time.

“There’s no update yet on Tammy, but we needed to take him off after a hard tackle,” said Tuchel.

“So we are worried, but there’s no news of him.

“My assistant tried to show him (Bankes) the tackle on the iPad and he told us he was not allowed to talk to us.

“It was the tackle, but we didn’t know he wasn’t allowed to watch. So okay, we didn’t realise that.

“We had the feeling it was a reckless tackle.

“He (Lascelles) played the ball, yes, but for me it’s too much of a risk of an injury to the opponent. And because of that for me it’s a foul.

“It’s reckless, but okay it was not like us to criticise, just to discuss with the officials.”

Chelsea’s jump to fourth pushed defending champions Liverpool down to sixth, with new Blues boss Tuchel claiming his fourth straight league victory in west London.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel embarces N’Golo Kante after the match
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel embarces N’Golo Kante after the match (Adrian Dennis/PA).

Tuchel insisted the hard work remains still ahead for Chelsea, despite the Blues climbing back into the top four.

Chelsea will travel to face Southampton on Saturday, with Tuchel revealing he will hand his players Tuesday and Wednesday off in a bid to aid recovery amid the hectic fixture list.

“We will never stop pushing, there’s no other way,” said Tuchel.

“We knew if we got results this could be on the step for us. If we won today we knew we’d be in the top four.

“But I can only tell everybody there’s still a long way to go.

“Many teams are very, very close. There’s a lot of big games to play and many points to win.

“Now for me it’s important we take two days off and recover mentally and physically and then prepare 100 per cent for Southampton, it’s the next challenge.

“We play in the most difficult league in Europe. But right now it’s the next fixture.”

Newcastle’s latest defeat opens up the possibility of Fulham putting the squeeze on Steve Bruce’s men as the relegation battle hots up.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce on the touchline during the defeat at Chelsea
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce on the touchline during the defeat at Chelsea (Adrian Dennis/PA).

Magpies boss Bruce insisted almost half the league will still be looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone, calling for calm in the wake of another demoralising defeat.

“I think there’s seven or eight teams that are always looking probably over their shoulders,” said Bruce.

“That’s the nature of the Premier League when you’re in the bottom half.

“You always hope you can get to the magical figure whatever it is.

“We certainly haven’t got enough points at the moment, and hopefully we can put a couple of wins together very, very quickly.”

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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