29/12/2001  Newcastle 1 Chelsea 2
 
Iceman Eidur Gudjohnsen served up a superb double to 
severely dent Newcastle's title aspirations.

The Iceland international struck on 35 minutes and then 
added a second in first-half injury time after Alan Shearer 
had levelled to end United's five-game winning run.

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson has spent much of the last 
fortnight telling people that his side will not win the 
championship, and days like this perhaps show just why the 
country's most experienced manager believes that to be the 
case.

His side were always in the game, but with Gudjohnsen and 
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thriving in attack and William Gallas 
and John Terry giving little away at the back, they were 
unable to stage a repeat of their heroics in coming from 
behind to beat Blackburn, Arsenal and Leeds in recent 
weeks.

Kieron Dyer was well marshalled for much of the game and 
Craig Bellamy, despite a battling and pacy performance, could 
not create the vital opening either for himself or his 
team-mates.

Claudio Ranieri's side set off on the long journey home 
having given their own title chances a massive lift in what 
was a deserved victory after a classic performance on the 
road.

With two of the Premiership's form teams going 
head-to-head, there was never likely to be too much in it and 
that proved to be the case before the break.

Chelsea shaded the first half with their exciting blend of 
counter-attacking football and solid defence, while United 
stretched them at regular intervals but, thanks to poor 
service and a series of curious decisions from the officials, 
struggled to create clear openings.

Blues keeper Carlo Cudicini produced a brilliant one-handed 
save to keep out a Bellamy header with eight minutes gone, but 
Hasselbaink tested Shay Given with a similar effort five 
minutes later as an end-to-end encounter gathered 
momentum.

But for all the neat football played by both sides, 
especially in a crowded midfield, it was not until the final 
10 minutes of the half that the game exploded into life.

Nolberto Solano was deep in enemy territory when he gifted 
possession to the visitors on 35 minutes, and when the ball 
was shipped on to Gudjohnsen, he raced clear of Andy O'Brien 
to coolly slot past Given.

But the lead last just two minutes after United were 
awarded a free-kick on the right and Shearer found space to 
power a close-range header past Cudicini.

The home side took the game by the scruff of the neck as 
the minutes ticked away, but they were caught by a sucker 
punch in injury time when Robbie Elliott misjudged a long ball 
to allow Hasselbaink to cross from the right for Gudjohnsen to 
ghost in at the near post and beat Given with ease.

The second half unfolded in much the same fashion as the 
first with Newcastle battering away at the Blues defence and 
Chelsea breaking swiftly and decisively.

Gary Speed sliced a long-range effort well wide as he tried 
to take advantage of Cudicini's indisposition after punching 
away an Aaron Hughes cross, and Sylvain Distin headed a 
Laurent Robert free-kick over.

Frank Lampard shot weakly at Given after Mario Melchiot 
pulled the ball back for him on 59 minutes and Shearer headed 
against his own post from a Hasselbaink corner.

Chelsea were enjoying a period of dominance and Gudjohnsen 
was only inches away from claiming a hat-trick four minutes 
later when he blazed a shot across the face of goal.

Graeme Le Saux tested Given with a vicious 66th-minute 
free-kick, but as time ran down, it was the home side who 
started to prosper.

Dyer just failed to find Bellamy with a pass into the box 
and the Welshman was a yard away from connecting with Robert's 
ball behind the full-back.

But it was Shearer who twice brought the best out of 
Cudicini in quick succession, first forcing the Italian to 
dive full length to keep out a blistering free-kick and then 
getting both hands to a powerful header 10 minutes from 
time.

As the Magpies pushed forward in numbers, they were ever 
more vulnerable at the back and substitute Mikael Forsell 
might have done better when presented with a golden 
opportunity on 82 minutes.

Forsell should have sealed the victory four minutes later 
when he found space at the far post, but Given got in a fine 
block to preserve his side's hopes, although his efforts 
proved to be in vein as Chelsea held out with few genuine 
problems.