Chelsea vs Newcastle United at Stadion.Core.ViewModels.Matchday.LocationViewModel

FULL-TIME: CHELSEA 3-1 NEWCASTLE.

Kante finds himself in a dangerous position in the penalty area in space for a shot, but hesitates for a moment and then retreats, with his team-mates following suit as they pass the ball all the way back deep into their own end. Let's hear this full-time whistle.

There will be three minutes added on at the end of this match.

Chelsea have taken the sting out of the match now as they pass it around patiently near the halfway line, simply running the final minutes off the clock - something Newcastle seem to have no qualms with.

STAT: If Newcastle lose, it will be their 70th Premier League defeat in London – the joint-most of any away side in the competition (level with Everton).

Newcastle have been waiting to make their final change for a good four minutes now, but they haven't had the chance as Chelsea refuse to relinquish possession. Moses sends a ball into the danger area that's scrambled clear, before Alonso has a decent effort from 25 yards.

History suggests it could be getting worse for Newcastle, as Willian scored in both fixtures the last time these sides met in the 2015-16 campaign. Newcastle are one of just four clubs he’s scored home and away against in the Premier League (along with Everton, Southampton and Stoke).

NEARLY THE HAT-TRICK! Morata surges forward and lays it off for Hazard to his left, who finds himself through on goal again, but Darlow manages to make himself big and block the effort! Clinical stuff here from the Blues.

PENALTY TO CHELSEA! Excellent weight behind that ball from Fabregas to play Moses through into the area, who is tripped up by a poorly timed slide from Ritchie, and the referee points directly to the spot.

No way out for Newcastle at the moment, as the entirety of their focus remains on denying Chelsea a third, not finding an equaliser. Time is really starting to wind down now, so when is the push coming?

SUMPTUOUS INTERPLAY! Newcastle lost in defence as Chelsea carve them apart. Hazard and Drinkwater play a delicious one-two that sends the Belgian through, but he's unable to get the decisive final touch as he can only poke a half-effort behind for a goal-kick.

While Chelsea appear completely comfortable and not at all under threat, the longer this game stays within reach for Newcastle, the more they will believe they can snatch it late - and they are enjoying better spells of possession in this half, though that's one of the few positives they can take from this match right now.

Moses makes a late run into the box to meet a cross from Azpilicueta, but his header from 15 yards doesn't trouble Darlow. Chelsea still off in search of that third goal.

STAT: Rafa Benitez has lost 12 competitive games to Chelsea whilst manager of English clubs; more than against any other opponent (W7 D7 L12).

Newcastle's reluctance to commit to a high press has made life very easy on Chelsea in possession. They're not facing any real opposition until they get into the final third, and by that point they have plenty of options to spread it around.

How has he got through there?! A stroke of luck combined with some excellent close-control sees Hazard negotiate his way beyond a handful of defenders, but he just runs out of room in the end as Darlow is able to come off his line and collect.

INCHES WIDE! Well that would have settled it you feel! Hazard's strike from 25 yards takes an incredibly generous deflection off Clark, which completely wrong-foots Darlow, who will be relieved to watch that drift just beyond the far post.

Don't expect Rafa Benitez to make a change before the hour mark, but these next five or 10 minutes are big for Newcastle. They have more than few intriguing options off the bench in Aleksandar Mitrovic, Joselu and Jonjo Shelvey, all of whom could help provide the spark they so desperately crave in attack.

STAT: Eden Hazard has been directly involved in seven goals in his eight Premier League appearances against Newcastle (five goals, two assists).

Plenty of possession for Chelsea at the start of this second half, but a stray pass in midfield affords Newcastle their first chance to attack in some time. Murphy is alone out wide but manages to float a terrific cross in towards the far post, but no one is on hand to meet it.

CLOSE! You have to believe that another Chelsea goal would put this game to bed. They attack swiftly and confidently to start the second half, with both Moses and Hazard providing inviting deliveries across the face of goal for Morata, but the striker is unable to get on the end of either. Newcastle can breathe easy, for now.

Back underway at Stamford Bridge!

HALF-TIME: CHELSEA 2-1 NEWCASTLE.

Great energy being shown by Chelsea here as they look to essentially put this game to bed before the interval. They're full of confidence as they pass it around on the fringes of the final third, but Lejeune does well to hold firm and deny Morata from getting on the end of a throughball.

STAT: Antonio Conte’s side have now scored a league-high nine headed goals in the Premier League so far this season – one more than they managed last season (8) and three more than in 2015-16 (6) in the Premier League.

Chelsea simply look too strong for Newcastle. Rafa Benitez's side are largely just doing their best to hang on here in the face of pressure, with no real solution to slow Chelsea down in possession. They need to get this game to half-time.

FLASHED WIDE! Another intense period of Chelsea pressure has Newcastle scrambling, but they're let off the hook in the end as Drinkwater bends a strike wide of the far post from just over 20 yards.

Chelsea ahead and showing no signs of slowing here. They started the match poorly, but that Gayle goal seemed to really wake them up. It might have been the worst thing that could have happened for Newcastle.

Ritchie and Murphy are having to drop very deep for Newcastle in order to try and contain the likes of Moses and Alonso, which has completely negated Newcaslte's approach play. The visitors are lacking options up the pitch when they win the ball back, with Gayle being left very isolated.

Newcastle will take solace in the fact that they have managed to settle the game down a bit here, but again it's their inability to stay in possession that is plaguing them. They need to find a way to cope with this heavy Chelsea press.

Well Chelsea haven't turned it around completely just yet, but this is playing out a lot like that 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford for Newcastle. They have to show much more consistency in getting the ball forward, so as not to come under consistent pressure at the back.

It has been one-way traffic at Stamford Bridge since Gayle opened the scoring. Newcastle's attack has been muted since, with the entirety of this match being played in the Magpies half.

STAT: Newcastle’s only away victory against Chelsea in the Premier League came in May 2012, with the Magpies winning 2-0 thanks to a brace by Papiss Cisse.

NO PENALTY! Rudiger provides a sumptuous ball over the top to play Morata through, before the striker is knocked down from behind by Darlow! It looked a clear foul, though no penalty is given! Perhaps a bit of justice as the offside flag incorrectly stayed down?

TERRIFIC STOP! Darlow is a new face in this side after playing very little in the season's first months, but he's earned his keep here, rushing off his line and spreading himself expertly to deny Hazard, who was clean through on goal on the end of a stunning ball playing in over the top.

There's an air of caution at Stamford Bridge here as Chelsea win a pair of corners, going in search of the equaliser. They entered the weekend 11-points back of leaders Manchester City, a deficit they cannot afford to have grow here over the next couple of days.

Well let's see how much Newcastle have learned. Of course they took an early lead through Gayle at Old Trafford earlier in the season, before limping to a 4-1 defeat. Have they learned from their errors in Manchester?

STAT: Chelsea have won 15 of their 22 Premier League games against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge (W15 D6 L1), including each of the last four.

Swift, clinical play from Newcastle at the break and it leads to a shooting chance for Merino, but he guides a tame strike straight into the waiting arms of Courtois. Back the other way come Chelsea in a flash, but Morata lifts an effort harmlessly over the bar.

The hosts are starting to take charge here, and they're showing good intent as they look to get the ball forward at every opportunity. Their positive approach has yet to really trouble the Magpies, however, with Darlow hardly having a touch of the ball as of yet.

Some good pressing off the ball is seeing Chelsea win it back quickly after losing it, and it leads to their first chance as Drinkwater threads a ball across the face of goal, but Newcastle deal with it. Pressure stays on, but is eventually relieved as a result of the offside flag.

Chelsea are going to look to get Fabregas and Drinkwater on the ball early and often as they show here through the opening few minutes. Newcastle have enjoyed some decent, positive possession of their own, as the tempo is strong here to start the match.

AND WE'RE OFF! Newcastle in black and white as they get the match underway, attacking left to right, with Chelsea in blue.