Match report: Chelsea 2 Newcastle United 0

. Team news Zouma retained his place following his goal and commendable performance against Watford in the Cup and Petr Cech was also selected again. Gary Cahill and Thibaut Courtois were both on the bench. Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Terry were rested completely last weekend. All returned. There was a very familiar look to the most-attacking four – with the Belgian joined by Brazilian boys Oscar and Willian, and Diego Costa the spearhead. Newcastle made seven changes from their side that exited the FA Cup against Leicester and were able to restore Tim Krul in goal and captain Fabricio Coloccini in central defence. Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback, Moussa Sissoko, Ayoze Perez and Yoan Gouffran were the others introduced. First half With the setback at St James’ Park just a month ago and defeat at Tottenham our most recent league result, this game could be viewed as a test of this Chelsea team’s mettle. It was one of the players retained by Newcastle caretaker boss John Carver following last weekend’s defeat, Remy Cabella, who saw plenty of the ball in his wide-right position early on. The Blues had to defend for a spell and proved up to the task, with Cech making one commanding catch. A thumping header forward by Terry on the occasion of his 648th appearance, the joint third most in Chelsea history, sent his side on the attack. Oscar attempted to split the defence with a swift ball to Diego Costa but it was well cut out. Newcastle continued as the brighter side however and Terry deflected an 18th-minute shot after Cabella had appeared on the opposite side of the pitch and dribbled his way into the area. The tricky French international winger then won a free-kick that was hammered through the wall by Gouffran. Cech was hurried into a punch out but suddenly the Blues had caught the visitors with too many men upfield. It was three of ours bearing down on just Coloccini and Krul. Hazard took the defender out of the equation with a pass sideways but rather than shoot from the left, Diego Costa sent the ball back inside and Newcastle cleared. The best chance so far had not been taken but it did liven up the Blues. Oscar shot wide as we sustained the pressure but then on 31 minutes, the ball broke Newcastle’s way in midfield and Cabella cut inside the exposed Terry. Fortunately Cech, with a good diving save, was equal to the low, curling shot. Five minutes later Sissoko hit the outside of the post from out wide after a promising Chelsea attack had broken down. Our uncomfortable first-half immediately continued with a forced substitution. Azpilicueta appeared troubled by a groin problem moments before he tried to defend a Magpies attack. Now he was on turf and unable to continue. Filipe Luis was the natural replacement. Yet despite all this it was Jose Mourinho’s men who would go down the tunnel at half-time ahead and Newcastle were complicity in their conceding. A coach’s nightmare, they simply weren’t switched on when Willian took a short corner. Ivanovic, from the byline, centred low to Oscar who swept the ball home, Krul’s despairing boot on the line doing nothing more than diverting the goalbound shot on its way in. PA-21910245_oscar