Premier League: Nicolas Jackson Sees Red, Ten-men Chelsea Suffer 2-0 Defeat to Newcastle United as Top Five Finish Hopes Dented

Newcastle United beat a Chelsea side reduced to 10 men in a high-stakes Premier League encounter in St. James Park on Sunday (May 11) that boosted Newcastle's hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season - while also putting a big dent in Chelsea's hopes. 

Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes scored in either half to go three points clear of Chelsea - with the Blues in fifth spot only on goal difference. 

The result takes Newcastle into third place with two fixtures to go, but the race for a top-five finish is such that nothing is guaranteed at this point. 

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Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are still in contention with two gameweeks remaining in the league. 

Nicolas Jackson Red Card Swings Match

Newcastle took a shock lead two minutes in when Romeo Lavia was dispossessed and a quick transition saw Tonali prod home from close range. 

However, the turning point of the game came when Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off for a bad foul. 

The foul was initially deemed worthy of a yellow card but a VAR check led to the referee giving him his marching orders instead. 

Being reduced to 10 men forced Chelsea to tweak their shape, but they found some rhythm despite being a man down. 

Guimaraes' Deflected Goal Seals Game

The Blues were the more attacking team in the second half, as Newcastle sat back to defend despite the man advantage. 

Chelsea did come close on a few occasions - most notably when Reece James headed just over from close range. 

However, the killer blow was delivered thanks to a Guimaraes' goal that took a wicked deflection off Malo Gusto. 

Newcastle have already lifted the Carabao Cup this season and a finish in the top 5 would represent a very successful season for them.