By Phil Dawkes BBC Sport

Chelsea eased the pressure on manager Andre Villas-Boas with a victory which helped them leapfrog Newcastle and climb to fourth in the Premier League.

Tim Krul saved Frank Lampard's penalty - awarded for a foul on Daniel Sturridge by Yohan Cabaye - but Didier Drogba headed the Blues in front.

Newcastle missed a host of second-half chances before Salomon Kalou sealed the points with a neat 88th-minute finish.

Sturridge then side-footed a third in injury time to deflate the Magpies.

Pardew 'expected' Luiz red card

Chelsea just about deserved the win - only their fourth in 10 games - which was built on the back of the kind of display they have found so difficult to consistently produce this season.

However, after being largely outplayed in the first half, a spirited Newcastle were much improved in the second period and they will argue that the whole nature of the game should have been different from the fourth minute on.

David Luiz's clear foul on Demba Ba when the striker was seemingly clear on goal should have been punished with a red card, but instead referee Mike Dean opted to brandish a yellow, much to the chagrin of the home players and manager.

With a full compliment of players, Chelsea were subsequently able to impose themselves on an, at times, accommodating home side.

Spanish midfielder Juan Mata was the architect for the visitors and Sturridge the regular beneficiary. That the young striker remained goalless after the first 45 minutes was down to a matter of inches and the sheer quality of home keeper Krul.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • This is the first time Chelsea have kept back-to-back Premier League clean sheets since January, and have won consecutive top-flight away matches in 10 months

It was Sturridge's burst in the box after being released by Mata that earned Chelsea their penalty, but Krul got down well to his left to keep out Lampard's poorly hit effort.

The home side did not learn though and three more times Mata released Sturridge only for the striker to be denied firstly by the post, then by Krul and finally by his own wayward shooting.

However, when called upon Drogba proved more clinical, powerfully heading in over the diving Krul from Mata's delivery.

The closest the home side came to a goal in the first half was a Ba header from Peter Lovenkrands' cross that hit the post and a flicked effort from the former, which Petr Cech tipped over.

However, after making most of the running before the break, Chelsea were on the back foot for the majority of the second period.

Villas-Boas lauds Chelsea's 'important step'

Early on Drogba headed against his own crossbar from a corner, with Krul again called upon to rescue his side as Ramires immediately broke down the other end.

Substitute Shola Ameobi struck a post with a superb shot from 20 yards, before his brother Sammy, who was introduced midway through the half, saw an effort cleared off the line by John Terry.

With Newcastle committing more and more men forward to salvage a draw, Chelsea struck twice late on to kill the game and give it a more flattering slant than it probably deserved.

First substitute Fernando Torres broke away before being forced to check - but still had the presence of mind to find Kalou, who finished into the corner.

And Sturridge struck the goal he deserved in injury time, cutting in from the right before drilling low past Krul.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Newcastle United

  • 26 Krul
  • 02 Coloccini (Perch - 27' )
  • 05 Simpson Booked
  • 16 R Taylor Booked
  • 27 S Taylor
  • 04 Cabaye
  • 08 Guthrie
  • 10 Ben Arfa (Sh Ameobi - 46' )
  • 25 Obertan
  • 11 Lovenkrands (Sa Ameobi - 71' )
  • 19 Ba

Substitutes

  • 01 Harper
  • 03 Santon
  • 14 Perch
  • 15 Gosling
  • 20 Best
  • 23 Sh Ameobi
  • 28 Sa Ameobi

Chelsea

  • 01 Cech
  • 02 Ivanovic
  • 03 Cole
  • 04 David Luiz Booked
  • 26 Terry Booked
  • 06 Romeu
  • 07 Ramires
  • 08 Lampard (Meireles - 60' )
  • 10 Mata (Kalou - 74' )
  • 11 Drogba (Torres - 79' )
  • 23 Sturridge Booked

Substitutes

  • 22 Turnbull
  • 17 Bosingwa
  • 34 Bertrand
  • 15 Malouda
  • 16 Meireles
  • 09 Torres
  • 21 Kalou
Ref: Dean
Att: 52,305

Match Stats

Shots

16 21

On target

9 13

Corners

6 5

Fouls

7 6

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:05 Full time

Full Time The final whistle goes and the game is over.

90:00 +3:21

Branislav Ivanovic takes the free kick.

90:00 +3:21 Booking

Booking The referee shows John Terry a yellow card for dissent.

90:00 +3:00 Booking

Booking Caution for Ryan Taylor.

90:00 +2:55

Unfair challenge on Daniel Sturridge by Ryan Taylor results in a free kick.

90:00 +1:50

Assist on the goal came from Ramires.

90:00 +1:50 Goal scored

Goal - Daniel Sturridge - Newcastle 0 - 3 Chelsea Daniel Sturridge finds the back of the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Newcastle 0-3 Chelsea.

90:00 +0:53

Daniel Sturridge takes a shot. Blocked by Danny Simpson. The official flags Salomon Kalou offside. Free kick taken by Tim Krul.

88:24

Assist on the goal came from Fernando Torres.

88:24 Goal scored

Goal - Salomon Kalou - Newcastle 0 - 2 Chelsea Salomon Kalou scores a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Newcastle 0-2 Chelsea.

88:14

Fernando Torres takes a shot. Blocked by Ryan Taylor.

88:02 Booking

Booking Danny Simpson is booked.

85:40

Shot by Danny Guthrie from a long way out goes over the crossbar.

85:07

Salomon Kalou takes a shot. Save by Tim Krul.

84:08

Direct free kick taken by Tim Krul.

84:08 Booking

Booking Daniel Sturridge receives a yellow card for dissent.

83:57

Fernando Torres challenges James Perch unfairly and gives away a free kick.

83:24

Effort from inside the area by Demba Ba misses to the left of the goal.

82:30

Shot by Ramires from 25 yards. Blocked by James Perch.

82:07

Daniel Sturridge takes a shot. Tim Krul makes a save.

81:54

Demba Ba is caught offside. Free kick taken by Petr Cech.

80:38

Corner taken right-footed by Yohan Cabaye, Petr Cech makes a save.

80:11

Sammy Ameobi takes a shot. Save made by Petr Cech.

79:54

Shola Ameobi takes a shot.

78:24 Substitution

Substitution Fernando Torres replaces Didier Drogba.

75:13

Free kick awarded for a foul by Didier Drogba on Sammy Ameobi. Direct free kick taken by Ryan Taylor.

73:31 Substitution

Substitution Salomon Kalou replaces Juan Mata.

73:07

Sammy Ameobi has an effort at goal from 12 yards. John Terry manages to make a clearance.

71:41

Effort on goal by Juan Mata from inside the box misses to the right of the target.

70:44

Corner taken by Yohan Cabaye, Didier Drogba manages to make a clearance.

70:25 Substitution

Substitution Sammy Ameobi comes on in place of Peter Lovenkrands.

66:42

Free kick awarded for a foul by Yohan Cabaye on Daniel Sturridge. Direct free kick taken by David Luiz.

66:28

Ryan Taylor crosses the ball.

65:54

Free kick awarded for a foul by Didier Drogba on Ryan Taylor. Tim Krul takes the free kick.

65:37

Demba Ba takes a shot. John Terry gets a block in.

60:56

Centre by Peter Lovenkrands, clearance by Branislav Ivanovic.

59:28 Substitution

Substitution Raul Meireles on for Frank Lampard.

59:20

Ryan Taylor crosses the ball.

58:48

The ball is crossed by Gabriel Obertan, Ramires manages to make a clearance.

58:26

Juan Mata produces a cross, clearance made by Steven Taylor.

57:45

Shot from outside the box by Shola Ameobi misses to the left of the goal.

55:25

Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Frank Lampard goes wide of the right-hand upright. Didier Drogba has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.

53:47

Corner taken right-footed by Yohan Cabaye from the left by-line, Didier Drogba makes a clearance. Ramires takes a shot. Tim Krul makes a save. Corner taken short by Juan Mata.

51:56

Didier Drogba produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

51:16

Unfair challenge on Juan Mata by Shola Ameobi results in a free kick. Petr Cech takes the direct free kick.

50:37

Peter Lovenkrands delivers the ball, Shola Ameobi takes a shot. Blocked by John Terry.

50:17

Danny Guthrie takes a shot. Blocked by John Terry.

50:09

The ball is sent over by Danny Simpson, Branislav Ivanovic manages to make a clearance.

47:38

The ball is delivered by Ryan Taylor, clearance made by Branislav Ivanovic.

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Shola Ameobi joins the action as a substitute, replacing Hatem Ben Arfa.

45:00 +2:06 Half time

Half Time The players leave the pitch at half time.

45:00 +1:48

Yohan Cabaye produces a cross, John Terry manages to make a clearance.

45:00 +1:41

The ball is sent over by Ryan Taylor, clearance by Branislav Ivanovic.

45:00 +1:21

Corner taken right-footed by Yohan Cabaye.

45:00 +1:09

Danny Guthrie produces a cross.

45:00 +0:23

Juan Mata takes a shot. James Perch gets a block in.

44:52

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Branislav Ivanovic by Peter Lovenkrands. Petr Cech takes the free kick.

44:19

A cross is delivered by Didier Drogba, clearance made by James Perch.

42:05

The ball is swung over by Daniel Sturridge.

41:25

Demba Ba takes a shot. Blocked by John Terry.

40:27

Daniel Sturridge takes a shot. Save by Tim Krul.

39:41

Corner taken by Juan Mata from the right by-line, save by Tim Krul.

39:09

Demba Ba is caught offside. Direct free kick taken by Petr Cech.

37:47

Juan Mata produces a cross,

37:44

Juan Mata provided the assist for the goal.

37:44 Goal scored

Goal - Didier Drogba - Newcastle 0 - 1 Chelsea Didier Drogba finds the net with a headed goal from close in. Newcastle 0-1 Chelsea.

37:07

Branislav Ivanovic crosses the ball.

36:53

Juan Mata takes a shot. Blocked by Steven Taylor.

34:00

Danny Guthrie crosses the ball, Header from close in by Demba Ba bounces off the post. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Yohan Cabaye, Oriol Romeu makes a clearance. Effort on goal by Ryan Taylor from outside the box goes harmlessly over the bar.

33:03

The ball is swung over by Frank Lampard, save by Tim Krul.

32:04

Shot from just outside the penalty box by Oriol Romeu misses to the left of the target.

31:26

Free kick awarded for a foul by Danny Guthrie on Ramires. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Juan Mata, James Perch makes a clearance.

30:55

Danny Simpson crosses the ball, clearance made by Juan Mata.

29:45

Inswinging corner taken by Juan Mata from the right by-line, clearance made by Gabriel Obertan.

29:27

Juan Mata takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Gabriel Obertan manages to make a clearance.

29:00

The ball is crossed by Juan Mata, Ryan Taylor makes a clearance.

26:56 Substitution

Substitution Fabricio Coloccini leaves the field to be replaced by James Perch.

23:57

Peter Lovenkrands produces a cross, Demba Ba takes a shot. Save by Petr Cech. Outswinging corner taken by Ryan Taylor, John Terry makes a clearance.

22:48

Daniel Sturridge has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.

21:18

Daniel Sturridge takes a shot. Tim Krul makes a save.

19:35

Effort from outside the box by Daniel Sturridge goes wide right of the target.

17:45

Peter Lovenkrands takes a shot. Blocked by John Terry.

15:23

Daniel Sturridge produces a drilled right-footed shot from inside the area and hits the post. Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Juan Mata from the right by-line, save by Tim Krul.

14:08

A cross is delivered by Yohan Cabaye, Oriol Romeu makes a clearance.

13:57

The ball is crossed by Ryan Taylor, David Luiz manages to make a clearance.

13:38 Penalty

Penalty taken by Frank Lampard saved by Tim Krul. Newcastle 0-0 Chelsea.

12:41

Yohan Cabaye gives away a Penalty for an unfair challenge on Didier Drogba.

12:19

The ball is swung over by Danny Simpson, save by Petr Cech.

10:13

The assistant referee flags for offside against Didier Drogba. Tim Krul restarts play with the free kick.

9:41

Oriol Romeu concedes a free kick for a foul on Hatem Ben Arfa. Free kick taken by Fabricio Coloccini.

9:29

Centre by Daniel Sturridge, Steven Taylor makes a clearance.

7:40

Danny Guthrie takes a shot. Blocked by John Terry. Didier Drogba gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Fabricio Coloccini. Ryan Taylor restarts play with the free kick.

3:57

Ryan Taylor shoots direct from the free kick.

3:57 Booking

Booking David Luiz goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

3:43

David Luiz concedes a free kick for a foul on Demba Ba.

0:07

Hatem Ben Arfa challenges Didier Drogba unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ramires.

0:00

The match gets underway.

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