Chelsea 5-1 Newcastle United: Barclays Premier League as it happened

FT: Chelsea 5-1 Newcastle

That's all from Stamford Bridge for this evening.

Chelsea produced what was probably their best performance of the season to coast to an emphatic victory. The Blues were superb from start to finish and thoroughly deserved their win.

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Newcastle have a goal - and it's a first for the Magpies for Andros Townsend.

The England winger lashes the ball home from distance, to score one of the most eye-catching goals of the night.

His celebration - or lack thereof- said it all, though. A quick shake of the head and a jog back to the half-way line.

We're in stoppage time now.

GOAL: Chelsea 5-1 Newcastle (Townsend)

Well, Hazard almost makes it the perfect night for the Blues.

The Belgian finds himself through one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but scuffs his shot at the crucial moment.

Chelsea continue to pile forward, though...

Goal number five has come from an unlikely source - Bertrand Traore.

The little-known 20-year-old steers home a cross from close range to put the cherry on top of the cake.

GOAL: Chelsea 5-0 Newcastle (Traore)

It'd be a massive exaggeration to suggest Eden Hazard has been on his top form this evening.

But he certainly appears to been increasing in confidence. There has been a style and swagger about his play, even if he hasn't always found the right pass.

Another change for the Blues and it's a popular one.

The ever-impressive Willian has run his race for the day. He is replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has ten minutes to impress his manager.

A number of Chelsea players have really impressed this evening. Costa and Pedro, of course, have both found the net and were a constant threat. Willian, too, has produced another head-turning display.

But there have also been encouraging signs from the likes of Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom have come in for criticism this season.

With their Champions League tie against PSG on the horizon, the Blues may just be finding their best form at the right time. Guus Hiddink will be praying they can re-create this showing against Laurent Blanc's men.

The game has lost a bit of its zip.

Chelsea appear happy with their evening's work, as well they might be. For the Blues, their next match is the rather more intimidating prospect of Paris Saint-Germain.

The reigning French champions were in action earlier today, drawing 0-0 against Lille.

A couple of changes for the Magpies, by the way.

Jamaal Lascelles replaces Cheick Tioté, while Seydou Doumbia comes on for his debut. Mitrovic makes way for him.

We have just over 20 minutes left at Stamford Bridge. Can Newcastle give their fans something to shout about?

Steve McClaren looks a worried man down on the bench - and you can hardly blame him.

For one of the first times this season, the Chelsea players actually appear to be enjoying themselves.

Costa, for example, seems to have rediscovered himself of late and was warmly applauded by the home fans when he left the pitch.

Pedro is showing flashes of his undoubted quality, too.

Meanwhile...

Pedro makes it four!

The diminutive winger latches on to a long ball, chests it towards goal and finishes neatly. It is no less than Chelsea deserve.

GOAL: Chelsea 4-0 Newcastle (Pedro)

Up the other end, meanwhile, Mitrovic comes as close as any Newcastle player has this evening to finding the net.

The forward lashes a ball across the face of goal with his right foot. The effort was always heading wide, mind you.

Diego Costa has rediscovered his mojo in the last few weeks.

On this occasion, he tries an overhead-kick from near the penalty spot that is caught by the keeper. He looks like a man reborn under interim boss Guus Hiddink.

The Spaniard appears hungry to add to his tally.

It's all a bit scrappy at the moment. Frequent fouls ensuring neither team is able to find any fluency.

Newcastle are at least stringing some passes together, though. They're showing some fight and desire now - but where was it in the first half?

Not that it'll come as a shock, but there is something of all lull at the start of the second period.

Given what Chelsea have on the horizon and Newcastle's current state, they might both be happy if the game ended like this.

We asked what the Newcastle manager would do and we have our answer.

Colback is introduced. The second half is under way, too.

It's a measure of just how bad Newcastle were in that first half, that they may be slightly relieved the score remained at 3-0.

They look like a team destined for relegation at the moment, despite their signings in the January transfer window.

The second half is seconds away...

A reminder of the Newcastle bench. McClaren must be tempted to make a change or two, or three.

Newcastle substitutes: Colback, Lascelles, Perez, Saivet, Darlow, Doumbia, Riviere

What a 45 minutes that was!

Chelsea were wonderful in the opening 15, producing some of their most eye-catching football of the season.

The Magpies, on the other hand, were dreadful - Steve McClaren must be fuming at the moment. What does he say to his beleaguered players at the break?

HT: Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle

Eden Hazard has picked up a slight knock, too. However, the little Belgian appears keen to continue.

With this game almost won, Hiddink may contemplate another change at half-time. Chelsea have a number of big matches on the horizon.

Chelsea, remember, play Paris Saint-Germain in mid-week. Given the recent injury to Kurt Zouma, they will be desperate to have John Terry fit.

His injury didn't appear too serious, in truth, but we'll have to wait to hear from Guus Hiddink as to whether he'll be available for that all-important match.

Chelsea have been forced into a change. Their much-discussed skipper John Terry picked up a knock earlier and Guus Hiddink doesn't want to take any risks.

The 35-year-old star limped to the touchline and was replaced by Baba Rahman. He will play at left-back with Branislav Ivanovic coming into the centre.

That's quickly (and predictably) followed by a defensive lapse that lets Pedro in.

The Spaniard should make it four... but fluffs his lines. His shot is straight at the goalkeeper and Newcastle survive, for the moment.

A chance for Newcastle - would you believe it?

Janmaat leads a break down the right before cutting the ball back to his teammate Wijnaldum. It comes to him at an awkward height, though, and he can't get enough pace on the ball to find the net.

A moment of slight encouragement from the away side, however. The first of the game. And not before time, either.

And they almost get it courtesy of John Terry. The Chelsea skipper stoops low at the near post to direct his header towards goal, but it is blocked on the line.

If you're a Chelsea fan waiting for another goal, you might not have to wait long. It's been one-way stuff from the first whistle, in all honesty.

Newcastle fans have spent a lot of money and come a long way to see their team this evening. At the moment, they'd be entitled to feel short-changed.

There's no leadership or spirit in evidence. Chelsea have played well, sure, but the Magpies need to get themselves organised. Quickly.

Back on the pitch, meanwhile, Chelsea are pressing for goal number four.

Steve McClaren must be doing overtime at the moment to come under with a solution. As things stand, this could be a cricket score.

Chelsea look like a team reborn under Guus Hiddink, who is still to taste defeat since returning to west London.

It'd take some turnaround for that record to change today.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Newcastle appear to be a bit shell-shocked at the moment.

The Magpies have barely strung a handful of passes together so far, and we're almost a quarter of the way through the game.

It's still one-way traffic at Stamford Bridge.

What can Newcastle do to stem the tide?

Chelsea look like they might score with every attack - there's a real fluidity about their play today. Where was this Chelsea earlier in the season?

This game might already be over.

This time Diego Costa leads a break down the left side. He plays a perfect through-ball to Willian and the Brazilian slots home from close range.

Chelsea have been excellent; Newcastle have been woeful.

GOAL: Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle (Willian)

Pedro also took his goal expertly.

The Chelsea winger never looked like missing when he found himself through on goal. That's why the Blues spent big bucks to bring him to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Costa is wearing one of those fearsome-looking face masks this evening after suffering a broken nose during the week.

However, nothing will distract him from finding the back of the net at the moment. The Spain international has recaptured his Chelsea form from last season, it seems.

Chelsea are running riot at Stamford Bridge!

It's 2-0 and we still haven't played ten minutes. On this occasion, Pedro latches on to a short pass from Rolando Aarons.

He races through on goal and finishes the ball smartly.

GOAL: Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle (Pedro)

Well, that didn't take too long, did it?

Diego Costa has the opening goal of the game after less than five minutes. The much-criticised centre-forward has continued his good form of late by sliding the ball in from close range after good work from Willian.

This already looks like an uphill task for Steve McClaren's men.

GOAL: Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle (Costa)

First effort of the game comes from the hosts. Matic flashing the ball just wide from distance.

He struck it well enough, but the ball never seemed likely to threaten the net. All Chelsea to begin with, though.

We're under way in west London.

Both teams are in their traditional colours for this one - Chelsea in blue and the Magpies in their black and white shirts.

Let's hope it's a good game.

We're moments away from kick-off now. The players will soon be walking out onto the turf at Stamford Bridge.

Will this be the night Chelsea finally kick into top gear as an attacking force? Or will Steve McClaren's men pull of a shock win?

Chelsea are unbeaten since Guus Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge in December.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Dutchman said: "The status of being unbeaten sounds good but realistically we would have wished to have more victories, especially at home. And we have an opportunity to do so against Newcastle.

They improved their squad with substance, some good signings, and they are more competitive now. When you don't keep winning at home, people have less fear."

Team Form

Chelsea

Last Five: D D W W D
Last Result: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United

Newcastle United

Last Five: W L L W D
Last Result: Newcastle United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion

Steve McClaren: "We have got to go there (Chelsea) with no fear and have a go. We owe it to the fans and hopefully we can get a good result. Guus has done a great job.

"He's settled them down and made them hard to beat. They've got so many talented players. The focus for our players is us, not our opponents. We have to start picking up points away from home."

Can Newcastle spring a surprise this evening? Most of the evidence would suggest not.

Here's a selection of some of the most eye-catching stats about the Magpies this season:

• Newcastle have managed just six goals away from home this season
• The Magpies have kept just two clean sheets away from home this campaign
• Steve McClaren has used a league-high 29 players so far

Diego Costa is wearing a rather snazzy-looking face mask for tonight's match. In case you missed the news in the week, the Spain international broke his nose during a training session.

But he is taking the field against Newcastle and will be looking to add to his goals tally for the season.

The players are out on the pitch going through their last-minute preparations at the moment.

The crowd is steadily building and this ought to be a competitive affair under the floodlights at Stamford Bridge.

Not long to wait until kick-off now...

Shelvey has recently been compared to former Newcastle player Yohan Cabaye, who left the club two years ago.

Asked about the comparison, Shelvey recently told The Mirror: "I want to be myself. I played against him ­numerous times and he is ­exceptional. But I am myself.

"What he did here was fantastic. If I can do that here, and do it better, fantastic. I know he was loved by the fans. Hopefully I can follow his path."

Speaking of transfer news, what about this:

Newcastle's capture of Jonjo Shelvey was the best-value transfer of the January window, according to a new study.

The Magpies acquired the England international from Swansea City for a fee of £12m ($17.3m), but the CIES Football Observatory has claimed the 23-year-old midfielder is, in fact, worth as much as £23.5m.

For more on this, click here.

Another talking point among Chelsea fans this week - well, the last couple of weeks - has been the future of John Terry.

The iconic skipper is set to leave Stamford Bridge when his contract expires in the summer, and the club's former assistant manager Ray Wilkins has been discussing his future, suggesting he could join Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.

"That would be a cheeky one from Jose but I wouldn't put it past him. He will have that in his locker.

"Whether John would actually go to another Premier League club is another matter. He has stated that he wouldn't, so that will be interesting," Wilkins told talkSPORT.

There is no Oscar in the Chelsea team this evening, and the talented attacker has been linked with a move away from west London in recent days.

The man himself, however, has been at pains to insist he wishes to remain at Stamford Bridge.

He said: "I want to win more games, more trophies, because I love Chelsea, I love the fans. I like the city, my family like it here. I don't have [a reason to] change the club. Everyone likes me here and I'm very happy here."

Chelsea will be pleased that Diego Costa is fit to play, especially with their lack of striking options.

The Blues will be looking to him again to find the net.

Eden Hazard will also be hoping to impress the Stamford Bridge faithful, having come under fire for some of his underwhelming performances this season.

Breaking team news

So, the eagerly-awaited team news is in:

Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Matic; Pedro, Willian, Hazard; Diego Costa

Substitutes: Begovic, Baba, Mikel, Traore, Kennedy, Remy, Loftus-Cheek

Newcastle United: Elliot, Janmaat, Taylor, Coloccini, Aarons, Shelvey, Tiote, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Townsend, Mitrovic

Substitutes: Colback, Lascelles, Perez, Saivet, Darlow, Doumbia, Riviere

On the other side, Jack Colback and Emmanuel Rivière are both fit for Newcastle. The duo have returned to training this week and are in contention for the game against Guus Hiddink's men.

Manager Steve McClaren revealed earlier this week that the club's injury situation is steadily improving. "We have Jack Colback and Emmanuel Rivière training all week. We have 18 days after this game and hope three or four could come back in," he said.

Guus Hiddink revealed earlier this week that Diego Costa broke his nose during a training session, but said he hopes the striker will be available for the game against Newcastle United.

That is, in part, because both Alexandre Pato and Radamel Falcao remain out.

Meanwhile, Hiddink also claimed Eden Hazard is now "able to for longer periods in the games" after the Belgium international underwent a special programme to get him back to full fitness.

To read more on Chelsea's squad, click here.

Welcome to our live coverage of this evening's Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.

Both teams could do with a win this evening, but for very different reasons. The Blues will be looking for a confidence-boosting three points ahead of their Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain and to keep their unbeaten record under Guus Hiddink going.

Relegation-threatened Newcastle, on the other hand, are desperate to increase their chances of Premier League survival with an against-the-odds victory this evening. We'll have all the team news for you shortly, so stay tuned...