We had started the brighter of the two sides and had fashioned a couple of small opportunities, but we were caught out in the 18th minute as Joe Willock was played through on the Chelsea goal and squared the ball for Anthony Gordon to finish.

Liam Rosenior's side worked hard in search of an equaliser in the time that remained. Aaron Ramsdale denied Cole Palmer in the first half. Liam Delap was frustrated by the Newcastle goalkeeper in the second. And in the final moments, Reece James struck the post with a powerful free-kick.

A promising start

Rosenior made two changes to his starting XI. With Filip Jorgensen ruled out through injury, Robert Sanchez returned in goal for the Blues. The other alteration to the side that started our midweek Champions League clash was Alejandro Garnacho coming in for the suspended Pedro Neto.

There was little sign of a hangover from our trip to Paris in the early stages. We carried a threat and came close to opening the scoring when an early corner was swung into the Newcastle penalty area and headed narrowly over by Wesley Fofana.

Shots soon followed from James and Garnacho. The first from our captain comfortably cleared the crossbar; the second from our Argentine winger was saved.

Our clearest opportunity in the opening 15 minutes fell to Palmer. The Blues' No.10 exchanged passes with Malo Gusto and broke into the Newcastle area. With the ball bouncing, he struck his attempt across goal, but it skewed wide.

A sucker punch

Newcastle had rarely ventured into our defensive third in the game. But they broke the deadlock in the 18th minute – far too easily from a Chelsea perspective. Tino Livramento was allowed to advance and slipped a simple through ball to Joe Willock.

He broke clear and was one-on-one with Sanchez. Instead of going alone, the midfielder squared a pass for Gordon, who was left with an easy finish to put the visitors ahead. It was a frustrating goal to concede.

A couple of half-chances for Newcastle then came and went – Malick Thiaw headed over before Sanchez pawed wide a near-post effort from Willock – before Rosenior's side began to wrestle back control.

It enabled us to sustain pressure around the Magpies' penalty area and threaten Ramsdale's goal. The Newcastle stopper had to be alert to push wide a powerful, curled drive from Palmer. James then tried to catch the goalkeeper out from a free-kick, only for the ball to go wide.

The final chance of the half was Newcastle's, which came in stoppage time. After the visitors had reclaimed the ball in midfield, Ramsey tried to place a shot into the far corner.

Sanchez did well to save after the shot had taken a deflection off Trevoh Chalobah. But there was work for the Blues to do in the second half.

An alteration

Rosenior opted to make a change at the break – and it was an attacking one. James dropped back from midfield to right-back and Gusto was replaced by Delap, who joined Joao Pedro in our attack.

The striker immediately threatened as, after Palmer had run into trouble, Delap reclaimed the ball on the edge of the box and fired toward goal. Ramsdale reacted well to push the ball wide.

Newcastle were content to drop back and stifle our attacks; it meant clear-cut opportunities were few and far between. Joao Pedro did have a half-chance after a neat header down by Marc Cucurella, but the Brazilian's shot was deflected wide.

Newcastle's chances were sparse in the second period, yet Sanchez had to be alert to save acrobatically to deny a Gordon drive. The Blues stopper also denied the Newcastle man later in the half.

We continued to search for an equaliser and a devilish delivery from James was turned toward Delap by Cucurella. The striker instinctively powered a shot toward goal, only for the ball to clear the crossbar.

Our pressure continued. Again, James delivered a cross into the penalty area that Chalobah met at the back post. Under pressure from Ramsdale, the Blues centre-back couldn't direct his header on target.

As the minutes ticked down, Rosenior made his final change as Jorrel Hato replaced Fofana. Romeo Lavia had been introduced earlier in the half for Moises Caicedo.

It was a case of attack against defence for the last ten minutes. Delap came close with a glancing header that went narrowly wide and in stoppage time, we were awarded a free-kick 30 yards from goal. James stepped up to take and our captain's powerful effort clipped the bottom of the post and went behind.

There was still time for one last opportunity. Palmer delivered a cross for Joao Pedro, and the Brazilian's header arched toward the corner. But the ball landed on the roof of the net and the chance of rescuing a point was gone.

What comes next

It's a quick turnaround for the Blues, as we are back in UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday as we face Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of our Round of 16 tie.

The teams

Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto (Delap 46), Fofana (Hato 82), Chalobah, Cucurella; James (c), Caicedo (Lavia 61); Palmer, Fernandez, Garnacho; Joao Pedro
Chelsea substitutes: Sharman-Lowe, Tosin, Sarr, Badiashile, Andrey Santos, Guiu
Booked: Fofana 23, Caicedo 26

Newcastle United: Ramsdale; Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Ramsey, Willock (Burn 77); Woltemade (Joelinton 67); Murphy (Elanga 77), Gordon, Barnes
Newcastle United substitutes: Pope, Ruddy, Trippier, Murphy, Wissa, Osula
Goalscorers: Gordon 18
Booked: Ramsdale 84, Hall 90

Attendance: 39,587