Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea

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Newcastle took a gigantic stride towards Champions League qualification on Sunday lunchtime with a win against 10 man Chelsea, having started the game separated in the table only by goals scored.

There were two enforced changes, Willock and Trippier missing out due to injury, leading to various interpretations of the line up, ranging from the BBC's "Botman at right back, Gordon in centre mid" random formation generator, to my mate's "I'm too hungover to try and work that out", and everything in between.

In practice, it was a nominal back five, with Murphy at right wing back, though as with the Arsenal cup semi final back five, it was anything but park-the-bus.

And with voices lubricated by free pints for home fans, we were roared into a second minute lead following rabid pressing, led and finished by Sandro Tonali.

There were more chances to follow in a bear pit atmosphere, but the game changed unexpectedly in the 35th minute when Jackson was sent off for the visitors in a moment of great stupidity, looking pointedly at Botman before crashing his forearm into the defender's face.

A yellow card was upgraded to red following a VAR review, ending the season of Chelsea's only recognised striker.

We were unable to make the advantage pay for the remainder of the first half, however, Chelsea came out a different beast after the break and totally dominated proceedings, a couple of vintage Nick Pope stops either side of half time keeping us level.

Miley came on for Gordon in a formational tweak, but we were missing the dominant physicality of Big Joe, sat in the stands in his Alan Shearer 9 retro 95/96 kit.

As nerves became more and more shredded, a rare late attack saw Big Dan Burn cleverly work the ball down the left flank for Bruno, who cut inside and looped a deflected long range shot over the helpless Sanchez in the Chelsea goal, sealing the three points and just possibly Champions League qualification.

With largely positive results from a black and white perspective for the other teams in action around us (Villa winning but City, Arsenal and Forest dropping points at Southampton, Liverpool and home to Leicester respectively), one win from the remaining two games will confirm our return to the biggest European stages for the second time in three seasons.

Everton at home on the final day would do it, but with Arsenal only two points above us in second, the trip to the Emirates suddenly looks like a hell of an opportunity to grab a runner's up place.

Who would have thought that after the defeat to Brentford in December?.