Newcastle dismantle flimsy Chelsea before Mike Ashley pays tribute to Rafa Benitez's work

If this was Antonio Conte’s final Premier League game as Chelsea manager, there will be a collective shrugging of shoulders in London, but the prospect of Rafael Benitez leaving Newcastle United is sending a shudder of fear across Tyneside. 

Even the club owner Mike Ashley was moved to make a rare public statement on Sunday night, in which he pledged Benitez the financial support that he hoped would persuade him to stay.

“Rafa, as always, has my full support, and contrary to some media reports that portray me as a pantomime villain, I will continue to ensure that every penny generated by the club is available to him,” Ashley said. “I hope very much that Rafa will remain at Newcastle.”

The Geordies sang Benitez’s name throughout this rousing ­finale, a tribute to all he has done, as his team ended the campaign with a flourish in a comprehensive dismantling of Chelsea’s tenuous Champions League aspirations.

The travelling support were subdued, quietened by what unfolded below them, dismayed by the lack of application and cohesion. There was no show of support for Conte, no songs urging him to stay, just ambivalence.

The Italian talks of being committed, of being unfazed by the speculation about his future, of ignoring the noise, but it feels like an act; it looks like making sure he is paid up for the final year remaining on the fresh contract he signed 10 months ago. 

One thing is for sure, if Chelsea play like this at Wembley, they will be annihilated. “Newcastle outplayed us from the start,” said Conte. “We have to do better than we did today, for sure in the next game. We must change. If we play another game like this in the final of the FA Cup we don’t have a chance.

“We have to change our approach, our desire and our willingness to fight. Other people can judge our season, but I play to win. Do you think the FA Cup final will be my last game as Chelsea manager? No, I don’t think [so]. The speculation around me is not important, I have a contract and the club know the situation.”

The problem at Newcastle is that Benitez does not appear to want to sign the new contract on offer to him, but with one year left on his existing deal, he would be mad to leave what he has in the North East. Not only are bonds like these difficult to break, they are almost impossible to replicate. Conte has no such bond and this was a dreadful way to bring his second Premier League campaign to an end. There have been some bad performances, but this must rank as the worst.

In theory, the Blues were still hoping to snatch fourth place from Liverpool with a victory, but it took them until the 50th minute to have a shot on goal. They were not just beaten by the better team, they rolled over and let it happen.

The only Chelsea player who came out of the first half with any credit was keeper Thibaut Courtois, but even he could not hold Newcastle at bay for the whole 90 minutes. 

To use the beach analogy so popular at this time of year, Chelsea played in flip-flops, Newcastle still had their studs on.

The Belgium international made a string of acrobatic saves to keep the visitors in the game in a one-man act of defiance. Jonjo Shelvey, who ran the first half from the centre of midfield, was the first to work him, hitting a shot superbly from 20 yards. Seconds later, Mo Diame was denied at full stretch.

Chelsea were abysmal and Newcastle vibrant, pushing high up the pitch to keep the pressure on, The goal was coming and when Jacob Murphy drifted in behind the dozing Victor Moses to meet Ritchie’s cross, Courtois hooked the ball off the line into the path of Dwight Gayle, who nodded into the net.

Ayoze Perez made it two in the second half, flicking in a goalbound shot from Shelvey, before adding the third from close range, seconds after Chelsea had spurned their best chance of the game when Ross Barkley shot against the legs of Martin Dubravka.

“When I hear the fans singing my name it makes me very proud,” said Benitez. “But the supporters do not sing the manager’s name if the team is not playing well. It was the perfect day for the fans, the players, for everyone.  The supporters have ambition, we have ambition. We need to know everybody has the same feelings we have to see that others are on the same page. We have to be sure we do the right things.”