Shearer Magic Beats Chelsea  (Sky Sports)

Newcastle United 2 Chelsea 1

Alan Shearer produced a typical moment of magic to boost Newcastle's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League and give Arsenal the opportunity to clinch the title at White Hart Lane.

The former England centre forward, who has once again stated that he has no intention of coming out of international retirement, struck after Shola Ameobi had cancelled out Joe Cole's early goal for Chelsea.

Receiving the ball down the left channel with his back to goal, Shearer spun away from Marcel Desailly and unleashed an unstoppable 30-yard shot into the far corner of Marco Ambrosio's goal.

It was the highlight of a fine game at St James' Park, in which Newcastle recovered well from a sluggish start and Chelsea were made to pay for wasteful finishing.

With the excellent Eidur Gudjohnsen pulling the strings, Chelsea were the dominant force in the opening half hour, and they should have had more to show for their efforts than Cole's solitary strike on five minutes.

It was a fine goal, made in the West Ham academy. Cole exchanged perfect passes with England team-mate Frank Lampard before holding off the challenge of Andy O'Brien and prodding a low shot beneath Shay Given.

Cole should have scored a second himself when Gudjohnsen's measured pass carved open the Newcastle defence, but he placed his shot well wide of the far post.

Gudjohnsen then created another golden chance for Geremi after spinning away from two tackles, but the Cameroon midfielder hit Olivier Bernard with his cross with both Hernan Crespo and Gudjohnsen in space in the centre.

Gudjohnsen's influence on proceedings gradually subsided and Newcastle were able to find away back into the game - Darren Ambrose stinging Ambrosio's palms with a 30-yarder which was destined for the top corner.

Shearer headed just wide and Laurent Robert had a shot saved before Ameobi scored a fine equaliser, chesting the ball down in the area before turning to beat Ambrosio with a crisp half volley.

That was just a minute before the interval, and three minutes into the second half, Shearer brought the house down with his stunning winner and he was unlucky not to add a third when Ambrosio bundled his mis-hit shot around the post.

Chelsea reacted strongly to falling behind and created enough chances to win comfortably, but they were denied by a combination of superb goalkeeping, bad luck and poor finishing.

Given produced a quite magnificent one-handed save to keep out a header from Gudjohnsen, before substitute Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink blazed over the bar from 12 yards after being picked out by Mario Melchiot.

Lampard and Robert Huth were both off target with headers from six yards before John Terry's stoppage time volley smacked off a post and rebounded to safety.

Shearer headed for the corner to play out time and Newcastle held on for three points which move them level with Liverpool in fourth place. Chelsea's failure to win means Arsenal must take a point at Spurs to clinch the title.
 

Teams

Newcastle United   Given, Bernard, Hughes, OBrien, Woodgate (Bramble 78), Ambrose, Robert, Speed, Viana, Ameobi (Bridges 85), Shearer
Subs Not Used  Harper, Brittain, Chopra
Booked  Viana
Goals  Ameobi 44, Shearer 48

Chelsea  Ambrosio, Bridge, Desailly (Huth 71), Melchiot, Terry, Cole, Geremi, Lampard, Makelele,  Crespo (Hasselbaink 71), Gudjohnsen
Subs Not Used  Sullivan, Nicolas, Oliveira
Booked  Huth, hasselbaink
Goals  Cole 5

Attendance  52,016

Referee  R. Styles