04/12/2004  Chelsea 4 Newcastle 0
 
Chelsea moved eight point clear at the top of the Barclays Premiership thanks to second-half goals from Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben and Mateja Kezman.

Lampard broke Newcastle's resistance with the opener in the 63rd minute and substitute Drogba added the vital second five minutes later to keep the pressure on rivals Arsenal at the top of the league. Robben and Kezman wrapped up the points with two goals in the final minutes.

The win was a huge relief to Jose Mourinho's side who had been frustrated by a Newcastle side that should have been in front during the first half.

Chelsea, unchanged from the side the thumped Charlton at The Valley last week, were prevented from moving into their usual free-flowing style.

In the 12th minute, Chelsea finally discovered their form and Lampard produced a trademark through-ball that put Duff clear of the United defence on the right flank.

However, the Irishman's low cross evaded Eidur Gudjohnsen and the visitors were grateful to clear the ball. Two minutes later Chelsea had the ball in the net when John Terry headed home Lampard's cross but it was correctly ruled out for offside.

Tiago found himself booked for a foul on Jermaine Jenas in the 15th minute and Laurent Robert's resulting free-kick from 25 yards was brilliantly pushed aside by Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.

Newcastle were hardly giving Chelsea any time at all to settle on the ball and impose their customary superiority and the tactics were proving to be very successful.

Chelsea were forced back time and again although Newcastle could not conjure a telling move of their own in the final third. In the 25th minute, Craig Bellamy should have put the visitors in front when Kieron Dyer carved open the Chelsea defence with a perfect through-ball for the Wales international.

Bellamy ran clear but his attempt to beat the advancing Cech was thwarted by the goalkeeper whose save prevented a certain goal.

Chelsea escaped again when the ball ran loose to Robert from Cech's save but the United winger sent his effort wide of the target with the goal clearly in his sights.

United were most fortunate not to go a goal behind in the 32nd minute when a terrible mix-up between Titus Bramble and Ronny Johnsen left Gudjohnsen in the clear with just Shay Given to beat.

But the Icelandic striker saw his shot go wide of the goalkeeper's right-hand post with the goal at his mercy.

Mourinho was clearly unhappy with Gudjohnsen's inability to find the Newcastle net in the first half and replaced him with Didier Drogba at the interval. The Icelandic striker had scored six goals in six starts against United but the Chelsea ace was out of luck this time.

It was Drogba's second substitute appearance in the Premiership since returning from the groin injury he sustained in early October. The change helped Chelsea to pick up the pace of the game in the second period but yet again their final ball was lacking in accuracy.

In the 58th minute Claude Makelele brought down Lee Bowyer on the edge of the penalty area and Laurent Robert's free-kick brought another excellent save from Cech as United threatened to break the deadlock.

On the hour, Mourinho made a double substitution in a bid to change the course of the game. Wayne Bridge replaced William Gallas and Mateja Kezman arrived for Tiago. The change worked perfectly and in the 63rd minute Lampard put the Premiership leaders ahead.

Makelele's through-ball was headed back intelligently by Drogba and Lampard made no mistake from six yards out.

In the 66th minute, Lampard almost got a second but Given was equal to his 18-yard shot as Chelsea searched for a decisive second. That arrived in the 68th minute courtesy of substitute Drogba.

The striker latched on to Lampard's crafted long ball, held off the challenge of Titus Bramble and beat Given with a clever left-footed shot inside the right-hand post.

In the 72nd minute, Chelsea almost made it three when Mateja Kezman hit Given's left-hand post with a thumping right-footed shot.

Chelsea were now irresistible and were opening up the United defence at will. Robben, for the first time in the game, was revelling in the freedom.

But Chelsea were now happy to settle for three more points, and for a short while at least, put further distance between them and Arsenal - who take on Birmingham later in the day - at the summit.

Robben wrapped up the points with the third two minutes from the end and Kezman scored his first Premiership goal for the club from the penalty spot in stoppage time.