Summary
Chelsea made it back-to-back league wins and inflicted Newcastle's first home defeat in a terrifically attacking and entertaining game.
Didier Drogba with his third goal of the season gave his side a half-time lead after Frank Lampard had spurned an earlier penalty. Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge scored late on and in truth the scoreline was a little harsh on a home side who hit woodwork three times and gave the Blues defence a stiff contest.
But we could have scored more goals too, and it was only at the end Sturridge got the better of Newcastle keeper Tim Krul in what was a long-running personal duel. Oriol Romeu, who retained his place, impressed on a difficult ground to play.
Best moment
The goals were very enjoyable but the move that summed up best Chelsea's incisive attacking play on the day was Juan Mata's control and quick thought that allowed Daniel Sturridge to use his pace to win a penalty. Though ultimately a goal didn't come from it, both players would go on to play parts in successes to follow.
Team news
There was one change from the side that beat Wolves in the previous league game a week ago. Frank Lampard replaced Raul Meireles and made his 500th start for Chelsea. Ryan Bertrand's midweek Carling Cup performance earned him a place on the bench.
Newcastle brought Peter Lovenkrands in for suspended Jonas Gutierrez.
First half
Ramires went on an early enterprising run from his own half to the edge of the Newcastle area but his pass on to Drogba was cut out. Then came the game's first big talking point.
Demba Ba looked marginally offside when Peter Lovenkrands played the ball forward to him but he was allowed to play on until brought down by David Luiz just outside our area. The Newcastle fans and manager were incensed when the Brazilian was only shown a yellow card and the escape was completed when Ryan Taylor fired the free kick into the Chelsea wall. The booking rules David Luiz out of the Man City game.
It was Chelsea's turn to feel aggrieved when decisions went against us twice soon after when David Luiz and Drogba appeared to be fouled.
The call did go our way 13 minutes in however when Cabaye brought down Sturridge inside the area; great work by Mata in a tight spot having given the England man the chance to race away into space.
The linesman flagged for the foul immediately. It fell to Lampard to take advantage but he couldn't do so, his penalty low to the right tipped onto the post by Krul. It was a good save although the kick could have been struck firmer. Including penalty shoot-outs, it made it two misses from three spot-kicks for Lampard this season.
It would have been just what Chelsea needed in such a fixture after recent results but Chelsea didn't let it dampen early attacking prowess. Sturridge was bright and he curled a 20-yard shot not too far away before he should have done better than fire at Krul after David Luiz and Mata counter-attacked with lightning pace. He hit the side-netting from a harder position soon after.
The half was midway through and Chelsea were the better side although on 23 minutes Newcastle did come close to making Chelsea pay for the penalty miss, but Cech came to the rescue with a superb tip over from Ba's diving header.
There was set-back for the home side 27 minutes in when their captain Collocini, who had been troubled by a thigh injury since the opening stages, was replaced by James Perch.
The reshaped Geordie backline was tested immediately by a cross from the dangerous Mata but Drogba was challenged just before he could get on the end of it. A Lampard cross on 33 minutes wasn't far from the Ivorian's head either.
Newcastle weren't getting in our area too often but when they did they caused problems. This time the post came between Ba and a headed goal, and there was an escape when Terry's clearance hit David Luiz and ricocheted just wide.
On 37 minutes came Drogba's goal, Mata again a quick thinker to take Cole's throw and stand the ball up at the near post for our centre-forward to head in from seven yards out, but it was goal tinged with controversy. Newcastle believed a cross from Ivanovic had gone straight out of play and it should have been their throw. The ref decided it had flicked off a home-team head.
Before the interval, Sturridge could have rubbed it in by doubling the lead but after his pace had again given him a shooting chance. His low shot was stopped by Krul.
Second half
Newcastle pressed Chelsea back in opening minutes having brought Shola Ameobi on for Hatem Ben Arfa, but then we broke out of their grip and should have scored on 52 minutes but after chesting the ball down wide of the far post, Drogba could only ram it into the side-netting.
It was continuing to be a great spectacle and under heavy pressure from Ba, Drogba headed a dangerous cross against the Chelsea crossbar.
Chelsea were up the other end in a flash and Sturridge played the perfect pass to cut out the Geordie defence and play Ramires in on goal. With only Krul to beat, the Brazilian's shot flicked off the keeper and dropped agonisingly wide.
Ba fired just wide too at the other end, from outside of the area with Cech diving full length.
Meireles came on for Lampard on the hour. Newcastle were now going long with their passing, trying to get the ball early to their two tall strikers, Ba and Ameobi, who were pressed up hard against Terry and David Luiz. It was quite a contest.
The Blues backline was holding firm and the chance remained to pick Newcastle off on the break. Mata went close with one such opportunity but then Terry had to clear off the line on 73 minutes from a shot from recently introduced Sammy Ameobi.
Kalou came on as a sub for the 100th time for Chelsea a minute later, Mata the man whose afternoon ended. Torres replaced Drogba soon after. Both subs would be involved in the next goal.
The St James' Park woodwork kept a-rattling. Chelsea allowed Shola Ameobi the space to turn and shoot and from the edge of the box he smashed against the bar. That was third time the home side had gone that close. Cech dealt with a follow-up shot.
We continued not to take chances too, Sturridge again an offender when he couldn't get the ball beyond the impressive Krul who was almost on top of him. The young Chelsea striker was booked soon after for booting the ball away after the whistle had blown.
Ba shanked a shot wide when David Luiz missed a header. Both sides continued to look well capable of scoring in the closing minutes.
Thankfully it was Chelsea that did so. First Kalou finished via a deflection off Steven Taylor after Torres had an effort blocked.
Then in stoppage time Sturridge finally got the goal his all-round display deserved with a sweet strike from the edge of the area. Steven Taylor had just gone off injured so Newcastle ended with neither starting centre-back.
Before the end Terry picked up a booking for remonstrating with Ryan Taylor about a foul on Sturridge, the Newcastle defender also cautioned, but that couldn't wipe the smiles off Chelsea faces as we move back into the top four.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, D Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires, Romeu, Lampard (Meireles 60); Sturridge, Drogba (Torres 78), Mata (Kalou 74).
Unused subs Turnbull, Bosingwa, Bertrand, Malouda.
Scorers Drogba 37, Kalou 88, Sturridge 90+2.
Booked David Luiz 4, Sturridge 84, Terry 90+3.
Newcastle (4-4-1-1): Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini (c)( Perch 27), R Taylor; Obertan, Cabaye, Guthrie, Lovenkrands (Sammy Ameobi 70); Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi h-t); Ba.
Unused subs Harper, Santon, Gosling, Best.
Booked Simpson 88, R Taylor 90+3.
Referee Mike Dean
Crowd 52,305.
