Rarely have Newcastle needed a victory over Chelsea more than in the 170 th meeting of the clubs today.
But although the clubs have generally gone in different recent directions on the pitch, and United’s new-found wealth has not paid off for them yet, many of their modern-day meetings have resulted in a surprise Magpies victory.
A win this afternoon over the reigning champions of Europe might be the biggest shock of all. But what better way to inspire it than by looking at Newcastle’s seven best results against Chelsea?
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Chelsea 0-2 Newcastle
2011-12, Premier League
Where else to start but this famous night, when two screamers from Papiss Cisse all but sealed a European spot for Alan Pardew’s Newcastle and stunned Chelsea on their own patch.
Cisse continued his red-hot form in a Toon shirt with a superbly taken 19 th -minute opener - a volley from the edge of the box that beat Petr Cech at all ends up.
But the Senegalese sensation than went even better in making it 13 goals in his first 12 games for United in the dying seconds of the match . . . with a goal still day hailed as one of the best in Premier League history.
An utterly audacious half-volley off the outside of Cisse’s right boot looped over the head of Cech and into the top-right corner of the net.
Newcastle 3-2 Chelsea
2012-13, Premier League
Another memorable double from a recent signing marked a classic encounter between these two sides in February 2013.
Moussa Sissoko netted a brace on his debut to drag Newcastle back from 2-1 down with 30 minutes remaining to clinch a victory which took them clear of the relegation dogfight.
Goals from Juan Mata and Frank Lampard had cancelled out Jonas Gutierrez’s opener just before the interval.
But Sissoko had the final say, netting in the 68th minute and then firing home in added time to deliver a deserved if breathless win.
Newcastle 3-0 Chelsea
2017-18, Premier League
Not perhaps the best sales pitch for Antonio Conte as a future Newcastle managerial candidate, this game saw Newcastle sealed a top 10 finish in their first season back in the Premier League under Rafa Benitez.
But for Conte, it signalled failure in his bid to steer Chelsea into the Champions League, and proved his last league game in charge of the Blues.
Dwight Gayle’s first-half header and two close-range finishes in four minutes by Ayoze Perez after the break left St James’ Park in raptures and urging Benitez to stay in Toon.
Chelsea 3-4 Newcastle
2010, Carling Cup
If not perhaps the most significant, this Newcastle victory might well be their most dramatic against Chelsea.
Although former Magpie loanee Patrick van Aanholt gave the Blues an early lead, Newcastle had led 2-1 through Nile Ranger, Ryan Taylor and Shola Ameobi.
But two goals from an old enemy - Nicolas Anelka – appeared to have sent the tie into injury-time until Ameobi headed home an added-time winner to send United into the fourth round.
Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea
2019-20, Premier League
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said he felt like he’d been mugged after Newcastle claimed a first injury-time winner in the Premier League for five years.
Lampard’s team had dominated almost throughout, yet failed to find a way past Martin Dubravka, until Isaac Hayden rose to head home Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross.
Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea
1995-96, Premiership
Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers swept to their sixth win in seven opening league games in front a raucous full house at St James’ Park.
Newcastle old boy Gavin Peacock was in the Chelsea starting XI alongside Ruud Gullit, who would go on to manage United.
But neither had any answer to Les Ferdinand, who took his league tally for the season to eight with a goal in both halves to ensure Newcastle moved two points clear at the top of the Premiership.
Chelsea 1-3 Newcastle
1986-87, Division One
An oldie but a goldie: after a string of largely miserable trips to Stamford Bridge, goal heroes old and new delivered bottom-of-the-table United a superb victory in November 1986.
After Gordon Durie put Chelsea ahead, midfielder Andy Thomas – recently arrived to little fanfare from Oxford - equalised for Willie McFaul’s side just before half-time.
Then Thomas bagged his second to give United the lead on 69 minutes, before Peter Beardsley danced through to put an unlikely result beyond doubt.
Unlikelier still, Thomas scored twice again the following weekend as Newcastle beat West Ham 4-0 at home in front of the live ITV cameras.
