Newcastle United 2-2 Chelsea - Premier League result as Joao Pedro rescues Chelsea a point in thrilling four-goal draw after Nick Woltemade brace
Premier League / Matchday 17
St James' Park / 20.12.2025
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- N. Woltemade(4', 20')
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Full time
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CHELSEA AND NEWCASTLE SHARE THE SPOILS IN PREMIER LEAGUE THRILLER
Chelsea and Newcastle United played each other to a standstill in a pulsating instant Premier League classic at St James’ Park as The Blues fought back from 2-0 down to rescue a draw with goals from Reece James and Joao Pedro cancelling out Nick Woltemade’s brace.
Keen to make amends for the gutting Tyne-Wear derby defeat last weekend, Newcastle exploded out of the blocks and took the lead after only four minutes when Anthony Gordon met Jacob Murphy’s cross at the back post with Robert Sanchez only able to parry the ball into the path of Woltemade.
And the German looked like he had fully recovered from his gut-wrenching own goal for Sunderland when he doubled The Magpies’ lead 16 minutes later, timing his run perfectly to latch onto a Gordon cross with the goal confirmed after a lengthy VAR check.
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James nails 'beautiful' free-kick to reduce deficit for Chelsea
Video credit: TNT Sports
However, Woltemade missed another carbon copy chance later in the half that would prove costly minutes after the break when James brilliantly curled his free-kick off the post of Aaron Ramsdale’s goal and in, with the Newcastle goalkeeper then pulling off a fantastic save to deny Pedro Neto.
It was only a temporary reprieve though as Pedro controlled a long ball brilliantly against Malick Thiaw who then slipped as he chased the Brazilian, allowing Pedro to slide his shot under Ramsdale and level the scores.
Earlier in the half Newcastle thought they deserved a penalty when Trevoh Chalobah slammed into Gordon from behind only for the referee to deny their claims with a quick VAR check failing to overturn the decision.
And though Eddie Howe’s side had the better chances to win the game late on, they were forced to settle for a draw that really suits neither team. It leaves Chelsea vulnerable to be leapfrogged by any of the four teams that sit three points behind them while Newcastle missed a golden opportunity to vault into the top half of the Premier League table.
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Did Chelsea get away with one? No penalty after Chalobah takes out Gordon
Video credit: TNT Sports
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ACTION KEEPS COMING ON TNT SPORTS
That result kickstarts a bumper Premier League Saturday and we'll be keeping you updated with all the action through our live text coverage linked below, while elsewhere on TNT Sports and discovery+ today we have the and mouthwatering Gallagher PREM and PWR action...
Premier League - Saturday:
FT - Newcastle United 2-2 Chelsea
15:00 - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford
15:00 - Manchester City v West Ham United
15:00 - Brighton & Hove Albion v Sunderland
15:00 - Bournemouth v Burnley
17:30 - Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
20:00 - Leeds United v Crystal Palace
20:00 - Everton v Arsenal
Sunday: Aston Villa v Manchester United (16:30)
Monday: Fulham v Nottingham Forest (20:00, all UK time)
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WHAT A GAME
Is that the game of the season? Ally McCoist thinks it could be so far...
"Might just be the best game I’ve seen all season," says Ally McCoist. "Absolutely loved it from start to finish. Newcastle were excellent, Woltemade two goals. But you have to give credit to Chelsea to come back into the game. Wonderful free kick and the second goal I thought was a class finish.
I’m buzzing with the game of football we just watched."
Joe Cole: "That’s like when you watch a boxing match after 12 rounds and the fans clap both teams, credit to both sets of players and managers, a brilliant advert and I thoroughly enjoyed it."
Peter Crouch: "I certainly am entertained, the boys on the gantry need to go for a lie down! It was a phenomenal football match, it just felt like someone was going to go and win it but it could’ve been anyone.
It was so end-to-end, it was open, expansive, attacking players on top, credit to Chelsea because they were dead and buried in the first half, completed overawed, couldn’t get in the game at all. Credit to them, they got back into the game and deserve something out of it.
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A FEAST OF FOOTBALL LIVE ON TNT SPORTS AND DISCOVERY+
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For the latest information on which football matches are on TNT Sports, click here.
The following games will be shown live on TNT Sports:
| SAT, DEC 27 | NOTTINGHAM FOREST V MANCHESTER CITY | 12:30 |
| SUN, JAN 4 | LEEDS UNITED V MANCHESTER UNITED | 12:30 |
| SAT, JAN 17 | NOTTINGHAM FOREST V ARSENAL | 17:30 |
| SAT, JAN 24 | WEST HAM V SUNDERLAND | 12:30 |
| SAT, JAN 31 | LIVERPOOL V NEWCASTLE | 20:00 |
For the latest information on which football matches are on TNT Sports,click here.
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Full time
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FULL-TIME: NEWCASTLE UNITED 2-2 CHELSEA
As expected, VAR won't overturn the decision and that is full time! It's perhaps fair that it ends all square at Stamford Bridge.
"We’ve had everything really," says TNT Sports' commentator Darren Fletcher. "Eddie Howe must be struggling to believe his team didn’t win. 2-0 up at half-time, two Woltemade goals, two Woltemade misses, a Miley header over the bar.
"There didn’t seem like there was going to be a way back into it for Chelsea from half-time but they did. Brilliant free-kick from Reece James, great individual goal from Joao Pedro, Newcastle probably should’ve had a penalty.
2-2, brilliant advert for the Premier League, loved it."
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VAR CHECK
Chants of 'you're not fit to referee' ring out as Madley waves away desperate Newcastle shouts. Barnes was battling James as they chased down a bouncing ball and the skipper would be sent off if a free kick is awarded here, but that would be very harsh.
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CAN EITHER SIDE WIN IT?
Elanga broke forward again but in a sign that Newcastle could settle for a draw, there are few black and white shirts with him and it fizzles out. Now it's Chelsea's turn to attack...
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FIVE ADDED MINUTES
And it's still anyone's game.
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SHOULD'VE SCORED!!
WHAT A CHANCE FOR ELANGA! Ramsdale gathers a corner then hurls the ball into the path of Elanga who's racing upfield! The speedster has the jump on Cucurella but the Spaniard just about manages to keep level with Elanga who cuts inside and could've played in Barnes, but instead tries to curl an effort into the bottom corner and his shot flies wide.
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WHAT A MOVE!
About half the stadium though he'd scored! Newcastle burst upfield through Elanga and Guimaraes, who bends a wonderful cross to the back post where Barnes is arriving on his own and at speed!
Barnes drills the ball but the shot was just wide, then bounced off the advertising boards and into the netting.
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MORE BOOKINGS
Into the final 10 minutes and the eighth yellow card of the game has been handed out, this time to Santos for an off-ball incident. Then before I've even finished typing that, Pedro is booked for a challenge!
"It's got everything. I will be stunned if there's not a winner," says TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole.
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Yellow card
A. SantosChelsea
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PALMER WITHDRAWN
He's never looked like adding to his two league goals this season and now makes way for Andrey Santos.
Meanwhile, the Premier League have given a pretty dubious explanation for not awarding Newcastle a penalty for Chalobah's challenge on Gordon earlier.
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Substitution in
A. SantosChelsea
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Substitution out
C. PalmerChelsea
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WHAT A CHALLENGE!
James has kept his side in the game there! Newcastle find Barnes bursting through for a one-on-one, yet before he can pull the trigger the Chelsea captain appears out of nowhere to put the ball behind!
Newcastle fans want a penalty because of course they do - it's getting pretty tiring hearing spot-kick claims every time there's a challenge with 30 yards of Sanchez's goal - but it's promising that The Magpies have fashioned their best chance of the half.
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NEWCASTLE WANT A PENALTY AGAIN
The Gallowgate End faithful probably need to learn that less is more, as Harvey Barnes goes down softly after bursting up the left flank. He's on for Gordon as part of a triple-change by Newcastle who now have a new-look front three with Yoanne Wissa and Anthony Elanga also on.
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Substitution in
H. BarnesNewcastle United
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Substitution out
A. GordonNewcastle United
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SKIED
Oof. St James' Park hosts rugby on occasion and after a long wait to take the free-kick, Schar's attempt looks more like a conversion as it keeps rising all the way past the dead ball line. If you are interested in more of that, Newcastle Red Bulls' Gallagher PREM clash with Bath is live on TNT Sports and discovery+ (where you can also find this game) tomorrow afternoon.
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ANOTHER PENALTY SHOUT
But it's waved away by Madley and rightly so. Caicedo clipped Hall's heels outside the box but the full-back kept going, then was stopped by James who won the ball. Newcastle get the free kick for the first challenge.
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Yellow card
M. CaicedoChelsea
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GOAL!!!! NEWCASTLE UNITED 2-2 CHELSEA (PEDRO)
WHAT A FINISH! Newcastle wanted to sign Joao Pedro in the summer and he's shown why there with a magnificent strike!
Sanchez gathered a Newcastle cross and rifled the ball upfield to Pedro, who redirects the ball with a brilliant first touch as he was heading away from goal.
Malick Thiaw was already on the back foot after that switch and then he slips giving Pedro a one-on-one that he doesn't miss, sliding his shot under Ramsdale.
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STARK REVERSAL
Miley heads away a delivery aimed at Garnacho, as the ball remains at the wrong end of the pitch for Howe and the Newcastle supporters. They're yet to have a shot on target this half while Chelsea have two.
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END-TO-END STUFF
Tonali goes down clutching his head after a Caicedo challenge, and the Ecuadorian has a new midfield partner as in amongst the chaos of the non-penalty decision, Chelsea swapped Gusto and Fernandez.
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Substitution in
E. FernándezChelsea
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Substitution out
M. GustoChelsea
58'
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BRILLIANT SAVE!
Chelsea smell blood here. They work the ball to Garnacho on the right and he pulls it back to Pedro Neto who's arriving at speed and pulls the trigger with his first touch, forcing an incredible reaction save at full stretch by Ramsdale.
Meanwhile Maresca has just been booked.
"This game is bonkers, it's like the last 10 minutes of a cup final with both teams needing to win," says TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole.
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