Blues look over their shoulders

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES DENTED BY LOSS AT NEWCASTLE

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SANDRO Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes fired Newcastle a step closer to Champions League qualification as 10-man Chelsea's hopes were dealt a significant blow on Tyneside.

Tonali's second-minute strike and Bruno's deflected effort at the death secured a 2-0 victory at St James' Park on a day when the visitors had to cope with a numerical disadvantage for 55 minutes after striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off for elbowing Sven Botman.

In truth, the Blues made a much better fist of it with 10 than they had with 11, and it took fine second-half saves from Nick Pope to deny Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez an equaliser which might have proved so costly.

Eddie Howe's men moved back into third place as a result with just two games remaining, leaving Chelsea, who will be without Jackson for the rest of their domestic campaign, looking over their shoulder.