Chelsea warm up for FA Cup final with 3 – 0 defeat at Newcastle

Chelsea missed out on a place in next season’s Champions League after being beaten by Newcastle’s outstanding performance on the last day of the Premier League campaign.

The Blues had a chance of sneaking into the top four by winning against the Magpies, but Liverpool’s victory over Brighton means they finish fifth and must settle for a Europa League spot.

Last year’s champions were second best throughout the game at St James’ Park and fell behind through Dwight Gayle’s close-range header.

A barrage at goal from the hosts forced visiting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to make sharp saves off the impressive Jonjo Shelvey and Mohamed Diame.

But Ayoze Perez poked home twice in the second period as his side finished the season in a very respectable 10th position.

Chelsea’s best chance fell to striker Olivier Giroud, but the Frenchman’s acrobatic effort was tipped away by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Antonio Gon-te?

Chelsea last played in the Europa League in the 2012-13 season, when they ended up winning the trophy under the guidance of now Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez.

But the 2016-17 champions end this poor season four places, 23 points and 23 goals worse off than last year.

There has been much speculation about manager Antonio Conte’s future at Stamford Bridge and if it does prove to be his last league game, the Italian went out with a whimper.

His side failed to register a single shot in the first 45 minutes and the usually passionate Italian watched on with his arms folded as his side fell apart by conceding two more after half-time.

If Conte does leave, he will have a chance to end his Chelsea career on a high by winning the FA Cup against Manchester United at Wembley next Saturday, but his side will have to show a marked improvement from this showing in the north east to claim silverware.

Giroud did eventually test Dubravka with an instinctive shot on 51 minutes, while Ross Barkley – making his first Chelsea appearance since 31 January – saw an effort kept out by the Slovak goalkeeper.

Late England call-up?

Newcastle manager Benitez is another whose job is in question, not because of the team’s performances but because of his relationship with the hierarchy.

He said earlier this week the club need to break their transfer record to sign a goalscorer in the summer as the £16m they paid Real Madrid for striker Michael Owen 13 years ago remains the club’s record acquisition.

The Newcastle supporters sung the Spaniard’s name and chanted “we want you to stay” for much of the game, ironically in front of the fans who did not warm to him during his season as Chelsea boss in 2012-13 because of his past at Liverpool.

Benitez, 58, has worked wonders with a squad largely made up of players who came up from the Championship last season.

Perez, who ended as the club’s top scorer with just eight goals in the league and 10 in all competitions, flicked in his first goal from Shelvey’s low drive into the area. He then converted Florian Lejeune’s cutback into an open net for his second.

Ex-Liverpool player Shelvey bossed the middle of the park with 73 passes, more than any of his team-mates and his imposing showing could earn him a late call-up to the England World Cup squad, which will be named by Gareth Southgate on Wednesday.

But midfielder partner Mohamed Diame was excellent too, making six tackles, four interceptions and winning the ball back 11 times in the contest.

 

BBCSPORTS