CHELSEA kept their slim hopes of qualifying for European football alive as they beat a lacklustre Newcastle United side 3-2 at Stamford Bridge on Monday night, reports the Voice of Sport.

When the fixture list was drawn, very few supporters would have predicted Chelsea and Newcastle to be contesting a mid-table battle in early March, but that is the situation two of the Premier League’s richest clubs have found themselves in.

And in a match which felt befitting of mid-table status at times, Cole Palmer’s quality proved to be the difference between the two sides.

The 21-year-old demonstrated that he deserves to be fighting higher up the table as he scored and assisted in the same Premier League match for a fifth time this season, a total more than any other player in the competition.

For Newcastle, despite moments of individual brilliance from Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy, they failed to build a gap between themselves and 11^th-placed Chelsea, who are now just one point behind the Magpies in 10^th with a game in hand.

Chelsea were rewarded for their positive start as Jackson netted his ninth league goal of the season to give the hosts the lead after six minutes.

After Sven Botman’s clearance landed only as far as Palmer, Jackson got the slightest of touches on the 21-year-old’s strike at goal to divert the ball past Martin Dubravka.

The hosts continued to apply the pressure and looked more likely to find a second with Eddie Howe’s side struggling to find their rhythm in the final third, and things didn’t get any easier for the Newcastle boss in the 34^th minute when Anthony Gordon was forced off after appearing to have injured his knee.

However, Murphy’s introduction in place of Gordon seemed to work wonders for the visitors who suddenly looked a threat going forward, with Isak finding an equaliser in the 43^rd minute with a wonderful finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Jackson had the ball in the net for a second time moments later but was correctly adjudged to have gone too early and as the half-time whistle blew, it was Mauricio Pochettino’s side who would’ve been the more relieved to catch their breath.

However, in the second half, it all seemed to start clicking for Chelsea.

First, Palmer restored their lead in the 57^th minute with a viscous strike from distance into Dubravka’s bottom left-hand corner, with the shot-stopper unable to get anywhere near the ball.

Then, after Raheem Sterling had struggled to capitalise on a one-on-one situation, his replacement Mykhailo Mudryk showed the England international how it was done as he danced into the box before sitting Dubravka down and passing the ball into the net.

Murphy’s wonder goal in the 90^th minute set up a nervy finish, but in the end, Chelsea were able to hold on and claim what felt like a big three points after one of their most convincing performances under Pochettino.