Joao Pedro scores as Chelsea produce second-half comeback to draw at Newcastle

By Damian Spellman, Press Association

Joao Pedro denied Newcastle victory as Chelsea came from behind to snatch a 2-2 Premier League draw at St James’ Park.

Nick Woltemade’s double had the Magpies 2-0 up inside 20 minutes, but Eddie Howe’s men wilted amid a second-half fightback, fuelled by the pace and trickery of Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro, after Reece James’ curling free-kick reduced the deficit.

However, it was Pedro who ensured his side left with a deserved point when he fired home a 66th-minute equaliser to end a run of three successive league defeats for the Blues on Tyneside.

Newcastle needed just four minutes to get their noses in front when Sandro Tonali won possession in the middle of the field to allow Bruno Guimaraes to feed Jacob Murphy down the right, and although keeper Robert Sanchez did well to block Anthony Gordon’s attempt at the far post, Woltemade followed up to smash the rebound into the roof of the net.

Garnacho blazed high over as the Blues looked for a response, but they might have fallen further behind when Gordon controlled Lewis Miley’s cross and drilled in a rising attempt which Sanchez tipped over.

The Magpies’ midfield trio of Tonali, Guimaraes and Jacob Ramsey was dominating and with Woltemade and Guimaraes working hard to press the Chelsea defence, the hosts remained on top as they displayed an intensity they never managed in last weekend’s tame derby defeat at Sunderland.

They increased their lead with 20 minutes gone when Lewis Hall played a free-kick wide to Gordon, who cut inside Neto and crossed for Woltemade to toe-poke the ball past the stranded Sanchez, although the goal was only awarded after a lengthy VAR check for offside.

Fabian Schar tested Sanchez with a first-time volley from Hall’s floated free-kick and although Enzo Maresca’s men rallied as the half-time whistle approached, they were unable to find a way back into the game and almost conceded once again when Woltemade steered another Gordon cross just wide.

However, the visitors reduced the deficit within four minutes of the restart when, after Ramsey had been penalised for a foul on Cole Palmer 25 yards out, James expertly curled the resulting free-kick wide of Aaron Ramsdale’s dive and in off the post.

Ramsdale made a fine 57th-minute save from Neto after he had combined with Garnacho to exploit the space vacated by Hall after a Newcastle counter-attack had broken down as an increasingly chaotic encounter continued apace.

The Blues were level within nine minutes when Malick Thiaw slipped as Pedro controlled Sanchez’s clearance to allow the striker in behind him and he raced away to finish with aplomb.

Garnacho screwed a shot over from a narrow angle with Chelsea on top, but James had to intervene to win a superbly-timed 78th-minute challenge to prevent Harvey Barnes from converting fellow substitute Yoane Wissa’s through-ball.

Moises Caicedo and Garnacho both threatened to win it as time ran down, but it was Barnes who came closest with a 85th-minute volley which screamed inches wide.