Last Time We Visited The Bridge!

Didier Drogba climbed off the substitutes' bench to score the matchwinner for Chelsea against Newcastle and cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the Barclays Premiership to five points.

Drogba, left out of coach Jose Mourinho's starting line-up in a bid to rest a niggling hamstring injury, was forced into action at the interval after Chelsea had failed to break down Newcastle's injury-ravaged side.

The move paid off for the champions in the 74th minute when Drogba pounced for his 15th of the season and his ninth in the Premiership to take their unbeaten home sequence to 53 games.

It was an unfamiliar Chelsea line-up that had been given the task of overcoming a Newcastle side missing 12 first-team players through injury.

Andriy Shevchenko, Drogba and Claude Makelele were all forced to sit in the dugout behind coach Mourinho while Shaun Wright-Phillips, Salomon Kalou and Arjen Robben were charged with the task of taking the game to the Geordies.

Mourinho's decision appeared to be vindicated when Wright-Phillips just failed to convert a flick-on from Kalou inside the first three minutes.

Two minutes later a mazy run from Ivorian forward Kalou provided Frank Lampard with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the penalty area but the England midfielder failed to hit the target.

Mourinho's decision to switch from the midfield diamond to a 4-3-3 formation was clearly causing United some early consternation.

That was underlined yet further in the 11th minute when a smart move involving Michael Essien and Robben gave Kalou a clear shot on goal from 10 yards but again the accuracy was found wanting.

But it was Newcastle who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute when Antoine Sibierski hit the crossbar with a header from six yards after James Milner's corner had eluded the home defence.

The offside flag spared the blushes of the young Kalou on the half-hour when he got on the end of Robben's headed knock-down only to turn and fire over the crossbar from six yards.

But United were still a danger and Giuseppe Rossi emphasised the fact in the 34th minute when he sent a 25-yard drive flashing wide of Hilario's right-hand upright.

The on-loan Manchester United striker had been relatively quiet by his own standards but his opportunist effort was a warning to Chelsea that he had the necessary firepower to do his parent club a massive favour.

Chelsea were finding Newcastle's stubborn resistance somewhat frustrating and Mourinho spent much of the half berating his troops from the touchline.

The 4-3-3 formation, which had promised much success earlier in the contest, was clearly hampering the champions.

Newcastle's rookie side, which included a debutant right-back in Paul Huntington, coped adequately enough with the receding threat from Chelsea's front three.

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder was already without a dozen first-team players through injury when his squad was depleted yet further minutes before the break.

Charles N'Zogbia had to be stretchered off after a collision with Lampard and was replaced by another rookie in Matty Pattison.

Mourinho was obviously unimpressed with the contribution of Wright-Phillips as he was replaced at the start of the second half by Makelele.

Drogba was also back in action as a substitute for injured centre-back Ricardo Carvalho.

It took Drogba just two minutes to make his presence felt when he headed Robben's left-wing cross just wide of Shay Given's left-hand upright.

On the hour Robben almost broke the deadlock with a cheeky free-kick after Celestine Babayaro had felled Kalou on the right flank.

With the Newcastle defence expecting a cross into the centre, the Dutch winger curled the ball towards the near post and Given had to act quickly to keep it out.

Chelsea were now powering forward at every opportunity but the Newcastle rearguard refused to buckle under the onslaught. Their cause was helped by wayward shooting from Chelsea's Michael Ballack, whose 20-yard effort sailed high over the crossbar in the 63rd minute.

Chelsea almost paid for the wastefulness moments later when Essien skied a clearance towards his own goal and Hilario failed to collect it under pressure frm Obafemi Martins. Thankfully for the home side, Terry was on hand to tidy up and clear the danger.

But Chelsea finally broke the deadlock with an incisive move started by Robben. His pass into the penalty area was helped on by Shevchenko and Drogba pounced to provide the decisive finish.

2006/2007 Sun 22 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea Premiership  
  Wed 20 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea League Cup  
  Wed 13 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 2005/2006 Sun 07 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea Premiership  
  Wed 22 Mar Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup  
  Sat 19 Nov Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 2004/2005 Sun 15 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sun 20 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea F.A. Cup  
  Sat 04 Dec Chelsea 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
  Wed 10 Nov Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Chelsea League Cup  
after extra time, 90 minutes 0-0
 2003/2004 Sun 25 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sun 09 Nov Chelsea 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 2002/2003 Sat 01 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sat 14 Sep Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 2001/2002 Sat 29 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Chelsea Premiership  
  Wed 12 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Cup  
  Sun 19 Aug Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 2000/2001 Wed 31 Jan Chelsea 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
  Sat 09 Sep Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea Premiership  
 1999/2000 Sun 09 Apr Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup  
played at Wembley
  Sat 04 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sat 11 Sep Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 1998/1999 Sat 09 Jan Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sat 22 Aug Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 1997/1998 Sat 02 May Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sat 27 Sep Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 1996/1997 Wed 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea Premiership  
  Sat 23 Nov Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 1995/1996 Wed 17 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Chelsea F.A. Cup  
after extra time, 90 minutes 2-2, Chelsea won 4-2 on penalties
  Sun 07 Jan Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup  
  Sat 09 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
  Sun 24 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Chelsea Premiership  
 1994/1995 Sat 01 Apr Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
  Sat 10 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 Chelsea Premiership  
 1993/1994 Mon 04 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea Premiership  
  Tue 28 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership  
 1992/1993 Wed 28 Oct Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. League Cup  
 1987/1988 Sat 27 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 03 Oct Chelsea 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1986/1987 Sat 25 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 22 Nov Chelsea 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1985/1986 Sat 19 Apr Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 16 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Chelsea First Division  
 1984/1985 Sat 16 Feb Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 10 Nov Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1983/1984 Sat 10 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea Second Division  
  Sat 12 Nov Chelsea 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division  
 1982/1983 Sat 16 Apr Chelsea 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division  
  Sat 11 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea Second Division  
 1981/1982 Sat 27 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea Second Division  
  Sat 07 Nov Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division  
 1980/1981 Sat 28 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea Second Division  
  Sat 25 Oct Chelsea 6 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division  
 1979/1980 Sat 12 Jan Chelsea 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division  
  Sat 01 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea Second Division  
 1977/1978 Sat 18 Mar Chelsea 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 22 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
 1974/1975 Sat 22 Feb Chelsea 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 16 Nov Newcastle Utd. 5 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
 1973/1974 Sat 16 Mar Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 20 Oct Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
 1972/1973 Sat 24 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 28 Oct Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1971/1972 Sat 22 Apr Chelsea 3 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 04 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
 1970/1971 Sat 06 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 05 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1969/1970 Wed 25 Feb Chelsea 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 25 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1968/1969 Fri 04 Apr Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Wed 21 Aug Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
 1967/1968 Wed 30 Aug Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Wed 23 Aug Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1966/1967 Sat 25 Mar Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 10 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
 1965/1966 Sat 19 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 25 Sep Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1962/1963 Sat 23 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Chelsea Second Division  
  Sat 03 Nov Chelsea 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Second Division  
 1960/1961 Sat 25 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 6 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 05 Nov Chelsea 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1959/1960 Mon 28 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 26 Dec Chelsea 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1958/1959 Mon 19 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 4 Chelsea F.A. Cup  
  Wed 17 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
  Wed 10 Sep Chelsea 6 - 5 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1957/1958 Sat 18 Jan Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 14 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Chelsea First Division  
 1956/1957 Mon 22 Apr Chelsea 6 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Fri 19 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
 1955/1956 Sat 21 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 10 Dec Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1954/1955 Sat 12 Feb Chelsea 4 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 25 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Chelsea First Division  
 1953/1954 Sat 24 Apr Chelsea 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 05 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1952/1953 Sat 04 Apr Chelsea 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 15 Nov Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1951/1952 Wed 12 Mar Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 20 Oct Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1950/1951 Sat 13 Jan Chelsea 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 09 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1949/1950 Sat 29 Apr Chelsea 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 28 Jan Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup  
  Sat 10 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
 1948/1949 Wed 01 Sep Chelsea 2 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Wed 25 Aug Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
 1933/1934 Sat 10 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 28 Oct Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1932/1933 Sat 04 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 24 Sep Chelsea 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1931/1932 Thu 14 Apr Chelsea 4 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 12 Mar Chelsea 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup  
played at Huddersfield
  Sat 12 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1930/1931 Sat 02 May Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Wed 03 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
 1923/1924 Sat 19 Apr Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 12 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea First Division  
 1922/1923 Sat 27 Jan Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 20 Jan Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1921/1922 Sat 15 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 08 Oct Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1920/1921 Wed 09 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 05 Feb Chelsea 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1919/1920 Sat 20 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 13 Sep Chelsea 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1914/1915 Wed 17 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 13 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea F.A. Cup  
  Sat 06 Mar Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup  
  Sat 12 Sep Chelsea 0 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1913/1914 Sat 14 Feb Chelsea 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 11 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
 1912/1913 Sat 18 Jan Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 21 Sep Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Chelsea First Division  
 1910/1911 Sat 25 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Chelsea F.A. Cup  
played at Birmingham City
 1909/1910 Sat 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division  
  Mon 27 Dec Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1908/1909 Sat 17 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Chelsea First Division  
  Sat 12 Dec Chelsea 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
 1907/1908 Mon 23 Sep Chelsea 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division  
  Sat 14 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea First Division