Chelsea extends Premier League lead by beating Newcastle 3-0

Posted October 30, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Chelsea's Reece James, left, celebrates scoring with Ross Barkley during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St. James' Park, Newcastle, England, Saturday Oct. 30, 2021. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP) The Associated Press

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) - Reece James scored a second-half double to lead Chelsea to a 3-0 victory at Newcastle on Saturday, extending the London club's lead at the top of the Premier League to three points.

The defender broke the deadlock against relegation-threatened Newcastle in the 65th minute. Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross fell to Reece on the right edge of the area and he slammed home a left-footed finish from a tight angle.

Chelsea began to find pockets of space as Newcastle legs tired and when Hudson-Odoi's fierce drive struck Ciaran Clark, James fired in again in the 77th.

The visitors' relentless approach was further rewarded three minutes later when Jorginho converted a penalty after Kai Havertz was tripped by goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

Chelsea was helped by second-place Liverpool being held 2-2 by Brighton. Newcastle remains next-to-last in the Premier League after equaling its longest winless run at the beginning of a top-flight season of 10 games, which was set in 1898 and 2018.

Graeme Jones remains in temporary charge of Newcastle after the new Saudi ownership fired Steve Bruce.

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Chelsea's Andreas Christensen, left, and Newcastle United's Jamaal Lascelles battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St. James' Park, Newcastle, England, Saturday Oct. 30, 2021. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP) The Associated Press

Amanda Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St. James' Park, Newcastle, England, Saturday Oct. 30, 2021. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP) The Associated Press

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