Chelsea 2 Newcastle Utd 1
SAM Allardyce must be wondering what can go wrong next. His job on the line, one of his midfielders in prison, and now the concession of an 87th-minute winner to a player who was at least a yard-and-a-half offside.
When Salomon Kalou was allowed to take advantage of a fortuituous rebound off Claudio Pizarro, the Magpies manager could have been forgiven for wondering if he had hit rock bottom.
That could come soon, of course, with crucial games against Manchester City and Stoke City looming even larger after today's reverse.
But for all that Allardyce remains unpopular on Tyneside, even his harshest critic would have to concede that luck was hardly on the Magpies manager's side at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle produced their best away display of the season to arguably eclipse a Chelsea side that still contained ten full internationals despite a host of players being missing through injury or suspension.
And after weeks of fending off criticism over his negative tactics, Allardyce came within three minutes of a result that would have allowed him to claim that his side's dogged display was proof that his preferred style of football works.
Newcastle's 4-1-4-1 formation, with Abdoulaye Faye playing as a holding midfielder and Obafemi Martins leading the line on his own, successfully stifled Chelsea's most creative attackers.
And while there was an element of fortune to Nicky Butt's equaliser - the midfielder bundled the ball home after his initial shot had been blocked by Wayne Bridge - any suggestion of luck being on Newcastle's side was banished when Kalou's winner was allowed to stand.
10:23am Saturday 29th December 2007
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