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Didier Drogba emerged off the bench to give Chelsea a slender 1-0 win over Newcastle United that moves the champions within five points of Premiership leaders Manchester United.

The Magpies defended superbly throughout in the West London clash but were left travelling back up north with nothing thanks to Drogba's close-range winner.

The Ivorian was well placed at the near post on 74 minutes to convert Andrei Shevchenko's wayward finish that left Shay Given with no chance of a save.

The champions started brightly enough and only a poor touch in front of goal by Shaun Wright-Phillips from Salomon Kalou's flick-on prevented The Blues from taking an early lead.

Frank Lampard then sent a long-range effort over the bar following a fine run by Kalou, before the former Feyenoord man lashed over after good work by Michael Essien and Arjen Robben.

Newcastle rarely looked threatening in the opening period, but Chelsea fans had their hearts in their mouths when Antoine Sibierski's glancing header from James Milner's corner cannoned off the crossbar.

The former Manchester City man managed to squirm free from John Terry's attention in the box before getting a head on the ball with Hilario left in no mans land.

It was not long before Chelsea were back on the front foot, but with Drogba and Shevchenko absent from their attack, Jose Mourinho's side lacked the cutting edge in attack.

Wright-Phillips managed to break the off-side trap after getting in behind Steven Taylor, but his drilled effort across the goal failed to trouble Given and was too strong for Robben.

The sides then exchanged shots with Kalou blazing over from underneath the bar, although he was rightly deemed offside, while Giuseppe Rossi, in just his third start for Newcastle, rifled a left-footed volley just wide of Hilario's upright.

Lampard's shot following a one-two with Michael Ballack was comfortable for Given, however, the real damage was the knee injury Charles N'Zogbia sustained attempting to block the attempt.

Mourinho made a double switch at half-time taking off the injured Ricardo Carvalho for Claude Makelele, while Drogba was introduced for the ineffective Wright-Phillips.

The Ivorian striker nearly made an immediate impact, but the former Marseille hit-man amazingly headed Robben's left-wing cross wide when it looked easier to score.

Rossi gave the visitors a rare sight of goal when he jinked into the box after skipping past two defenders although his cross was tame and easily cleared by Terry.

Given had to be on guard to block Robben's stinging free kick while the Dutchman's appeals for handball when his cross struck Taylor from Drogba's through-ball were waved away.

Kalou, who is yet to score in the Premiership, showed why he has not found the back of the net in the league after blazing high and wide following a neat run that left Babayaro trailing in his wake.

However, the pressure from the home side finally told on 74 minutes when substitute Shevchenko's scuffed finish fell kindly for Drogba who converted at the near post.

Terry came close to doubling Chelsea's lead when he directed a header goalwards from Robben's corner, although Given was on hand to tip the effort over the bar.

Robben nearly capped a fine night's work with a goal but his left-footed drive was somehow tipped by the impressive Given on to the post in the closing stages.

Teams

Chelsea  Hilario, Carvalho (Makelele 46), A. Cole, Terry, Ballack, Essien, Geremi (Shevchenko 67), Lampard, Wright-Phillips (Drogba 46), Kalou, Robben
Subs Not Used  Hedman, Bridge
Booked  Essien, Makelele
Goals  Drogba 74

Newcastle United Given, Babayaro, Huntington, Ramage, Butt, Milner, N’Zogbia (Pattison 44), Sibierski (Lugue 78), Taylor, Martins, Rossi
Subs Not Used Srnicek, Edgar, O’Brien
Booked  Ramage, Babayaro
Goals 

Attendance  41,945