Newcastle United 0 Chelsea 2: Full time report
Even Alan Shearer's return could not prevent Newcastle slipping deeper into relegation trouble as Chelsea closed to within a point of leaders Manchester United.
The Magpies completed a hat-trick of successive home defeats by top-four sides as the Blues left St James' Park with all three points just as United and Arsenal have done in recent weeks.
There was plenty to admire in the effort, commitment and determination shown by Shearer's players, but ultimately they failed to take any of the handful of chances they created, although skipper Michael Owen was convinced his 73rd-minute shot had crossed the line before Ashley Cole hooked it clear.
By contrast, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda were clinical when their chances arrived within nine second-half minutes.
Newcastle now have just seven games in which to save themselves from relegation, the first of them at fellow strugglers Stoke next weekend.
A crowd of 52,112 turned out desperate for the Shearer effect to kick in straight away, but left under little illusion as to the struggle ahead.
The Magpies knew they would struggle to match Guus Hiddink's men for innate skill and fluency, and decided to make up for that with effort and sheer bloody-mindedness.
Nicky Butt set the tone with a rugged early challenge on Michael Essien, and Jonas Gutierrez was fortunate to escape punishment for a two-footed lunge at John Terry which drew extended protests from the Blues skipper.
Chelsea rarely sidestep a battle and a tense encounter unfolded with the visitors pressing repeatedly, but meeting stern resistance and Newcastle attempting to hit them on the break.
Clear chances were few and far between with Steve Harper having to pull off a fine 19th-minute save to keep out Salomon Kalou's diving header and Habib Beye just getting a touch to divert Nicolas Anelka's shot into the side-netting 14 minutes before the break.
The Magpies created only one real opening when Obafemi Martins, perhaps surprised that Jose Enrique's low cross had been allowed to reach him, stabbed it just wide of the post with his knee as he reacted late.
