Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea’s struggles this season have been well-documented, but this time they produced a dominant performance to defeat struggling Newcastle 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Pedro scored a brace, with Diego Costa, Willian and youngster Bertrand Traore also getting on the scoresheet. The win showed that the Blues are still capable of producing big performances and play attractive football.
Blues boss Guus Hiddink could have been excused for fielding a weakened team with a crucial Champions League clash to come next week against PSG. Instead the Dutch boss named a strong team and it may just give the Blues some momentum going into the last 16 tie against the big spending French side.
It may just be a good time to face Laurent Blanc’s, as PSG’s 16 matching win run in Ligue One came to an end on Saturday with a goalless draw at the Parc De Princes against Lille.
Winning the Champions League will be Chelsea’s only realistic way of making Europe’s elite competition this season. The Blues are highly unlikely to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season, so entrance next season will depend on Hiddink’s team winning the competition.
Chelsea suffered a last 16 exit at the hands of Blanc’s team last season and will be looking for revenge for that exit. The Blues will certainly now head into the clash in better spirits after that drubbing of Newcastle.
Chelsea will now be full of confidence and fancy their chances of making the last eight of Europe’s elite competition.