09/09/2000 Newcastle 0 Chelsea 0 The manager saw his top-of-the-table side lose to the Blues three times last season, an unwanted record he cannot remember achieving before in his 30-year management career - but there was no way they were going to allow a repeat in the new campaign. In a game dominated by impressive defensive displays, neither side created many chances, and when they did manage to break through, keepers Shay Given and Carlo Cudicini were both in uncompromising form. And while in Alan Shearer and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink alone, there was £30million worth of striking talent on display, it was defenders Aaron Hughes and Marcel Desailly who shone. Robson had to plot Chelsea's downfall without three of the men who helped clinch a 2-0 victory at Coventry in midweek. Rob Lee, a late withdrawal with a thigh injury, joined Didier Domi and Stephen Glass on the sidelines as Warren Barton returned from suspension and Nolberto Solano and Kevin Gallacher were recalled to the starting line-up. Chelsea midfielder Gustavo Poyet, who has made something of a habit of scoring against Newcastle in recent years, failed a late fitness test and was replaced by Mario Melchiot, while Tore Andre Flo was preferred to Gianfranco Zola in attack and Jon Harley got his chance at full-back with Celestine Babayaro away on Olympic duty. Starting the day at the top of the Premiership clearly suited Newcastle, and they sprinted out of the blocks with Argentinian Daniel Cordone in particular looking bent on causing mayhem. He tested stand-in keeper Cudicini with a well-struck left-foot drive with just 25 seconds gone after leaving Christian Panucci on his backside. But the visitors settled quickly and played their part in an even half during which defences were largely on top. However, there were a handful of chances, but a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing meant that the scores were level at the break. Cudicini distinguished himself with 18 minutes gone when Shearer powered a downward header towards the bottom corner and the fans behind the goal were already celebrating when the Italian just got his fingertips to the ball. But it was Chelsea who looked the more decisive in attack, and while Hasselbaink and Flo were well marshalled by Alain Goma and Hughes for much of the first half, the Norwegian should have scored in injury time. Melchiot got the better of Barton wide on the right and drilled the ball across the face of goal, but with Laurent Charvet sliding in with him, Flo failed to get a touch, much to the relief of the stranded Given. Chelsea came out with all guns blazing after the break and put Newcastle under intense pressure. Charvet needed to hack a way a Harley cross after he linked with Hasselbaink down the left, but it was Given who came to the rescue on 47 minutes. Graeme Le Saux played the ball in to Hasselbaink, and when he laid it off to Harley, the midfielder drove in a low shot which the Irishman did well to turn away. It was Le Saux who set the alarm bells ringing once again on 50 minutes when he produced a wickedly curling cross which Barton just took off Flo's head. Gallacher tested Cudicini with a long-range effort as the Magpies started to build up a new head of steam and Solano volleyed into the side-netting after good play by Cordone. But the home side were unfortunate not to go in front from the best move of the game on 63 minutes. Kieron Dyer got away from Desailly on halfway and floated the ball deep to Gallacher, who headed on for Speed to smash a first-time shot just over. Robson blooded one of his youngsters with 20 minutes remaining when he sent on 18-year-old striker Shola Ameobi, and the teenager looked confident as he let fly with a speculative left-foot shot from distance within seven minutes. But it was Chelsea who finished the stronger, and Flo was guilty of hesitating on 81 minutes after beating the offside trap, blazing his effort high and wide. Hasselbaink almost got free with just two minutes left, but he again could not shake off the impressive Hughes.