Newcastle earn point at struggling Chelsea and finish fourth
Sports
Newcastle United played a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
LONDON (Reuters) - Anthony Gordon's first goal for Champions League-bound Newcastle United secured a Premier League point in a 1-1 draw at Chelsea on Sunday to ensure the home side's chaotic season ended with a whimper while the visitors finished fourth.
Newcastle will look to strengthen their squad for next term while Chelsea, marooned in the unfamiliar bottom half of the table, will seek to streamline theirs.
It took only nine minutes for Gordon to strike, poking home a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin with the defence in disarray.
Chelsea, whose 12th-place finish on 44 points is their worst since 1994, levelled in the 27th when Kieran Trippier became entangled in Raheem Sterling's awkward low shot and the ball bounced off his arm into his own net.
With little riding on the result, the sides produced some entertaining football, Newcastle dominating the first half and Chelsea, as so often this season, missing numerous chances in the second.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said his side were happy in the end to finish with a draw after tiring in the second half. They ended the season on 71 points.
"We are really pleased to not lose the game ... if we could not win. We were really stretched and maybe lacking on the bench," he said.
Newcastle will be playing Champions League football for first time in 20 years and will need to expand their squad for next season, added Howe.
"We have to prove ourselves all over again and if we can add one or two players ... we will have our eyes and ears all over the place. The market's going to be really difficult."
Chelsea will look to cut an unwieldy squad, bloated with some 600 million pounds ($757.26 million) of signings by their American owners who bought the club last year.
The team have played under three coaches this season after first Thomas Tuchel then Graham Potter were sacked.
Chelsea favourite Frank Lampard got one win in 11 games as interim manager and leaves with the club still to confirm the appointment of ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss Maurizio Pochettino.
"I don't like losing and we've lost too many games," Lampard said. "Standards have dropped. I can say that now because it's my last game." One of the biggest challenges was dealing with so many players, some of whom did not work hard enough, he added.
"It's been challenging but it's also been enjoyable because of the feeling I have for the club."
Lampard, who received warm applause from the crowd as he walked a lap of the pitch, played for Chelsea for 13 years and is their record scorer. "I'm connected to the club for life," he said.
