31 mins: Toni Rudiger set the move in motion in his own half before Pedro played an inch-perfect ball to Eden Hazard over Chancel Mbemba. His pass inside to Alonso saw him help it on in turn to Michy Batshuayi, who had the easiest of side-footed finishes  0-1

44 mins: Henri Saivet lost the ball and Pedro and Hazard moved it upfield before Batshuayi hit a low shot that Jamaal Lascelles blocked, only for the ball to loop over Darlow and into the net. 0-2

Half time: Blues 2 Magpies 0

72 mins: Saivet conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box when fouling Davide Zappacosta and Alonso clipped the kick over the wall and out of Darlow's reach into the Shed End goal. 0-3

Full time: Blues 3 Magpies 0

 
Rafa:

"I think the first half we did really well, had chances and were on top of them. For me we were controlling the game and made a mistake in the counter-attack.

"We tried today, the team selection was to try and stay in the competition, and you can see with the first half we wanted to stay in the competition, but you have to accept the difference in the two teams.

On transfers - or the lack of them:

"I have to just worry about Burnley (on Wednesday) and that's it. I think the fans are very clever and they know what is going on. 

"What I have to do is make sure I don't let them down. What I have to do is keep going. I am a professional and want to do well. 

"I am happy with the city, the fans and I can see the potential of the club. But I have to be sure that everybody understands the message, that we have the same idea and that we are on the same page.

"We have to keep working hard. I am sure I will keep working as hard as now with all my staff, and try to improve the team.

"We'll have chances. Obviously it's not ideal because I wanted to do my business by the 15th or the 20th, but I still have some days, and they believe we can do something."
 

Antonio Conte commented:

"It was a good performance. It wasn’t easy because Newcastle prepared a very defensive game with five players on the edge of the box, three midfielders very deep, and two strikers to mark our central midfielders.

"It was very important to score the first goal. Pedro and Hazard created a fantastic chance with their ability, then Michy scored. After this goal the situation was simpler for us. In the second half we controlled the game and didn’t risk conceding a goal.

"We must be very happy because it wasn’t easy. When the draw faces you with another Premier League team it’s never easy. You can see Liverpool’s game against West Brom, Tottenham’s game. This competition is very dangerous for the great teams.

Massadio Haidara played his first competitive game this season. The full back's last game came against Barnsley in the Championship season=closer. His last PL game was during October 2015. Toon @ Stamford Bridge: PL era: 2017/18: Lost 0-3 (FAC) 2017/18: Lost 1-3 Gayle 2015/16: Lost 1-5 Townsend 2014/15: Lost 0-2 2013/14: Lost 0-3 2012/13: Lost 0-2 2011/12: Won 2-0 Cisse 2 2010/11: Drew 2-2 Gutierrez, S.Taylor 2010/11: Won 4-3 Ranger, R.Taylor, Ameobi 2 (LC) 2008/09: Drew 0-0 2007/08: Lost 1-2 Butt 2006/07: Lost 0-1 2005/06: Lost 0-1 (FAC) 2005/06: Lost 0-3 2004/05: Lost 0-4 2003/04: Lost 0-5 2002/03: Lost 0-3 2001/02: Lost 0-1 (LC) 2001/02: Drew 1-1 Acuna 2000/01: Lost 1-3 Bassedas 1999/00: Lost 0-1 1998/99: Drew 1-1 Andersson 1997/98: Lost 0-1 1996/97: Drew 1-1 Shearer 1995/96: Drew 1-1 Ferdinand (FAC) 1995/96: Lost 0-1 1994/95: Drew 1-1 Hottiger 1993/94: Lost 0-1 Full record v Chelsea:   P W D L F A SJP 71 37 18 16 108 76 SB 72 11 19 42 74 142 League 143 48 37 58 182 218 SJP(FA) 5 1 1 3 5 9 SB 7 2 2 3 7 10 SJP(LC) 2 0 0 2 0 3 SB 3 1 0 2 5 6 Cup 17 4 3 10 17 28 SB(CS) 1 0 0 1 0 3 Tot 160 52 40 68 199 246 United's last away win in the FA Cup was Cheltenham Town, 12 years ago to the day. 2017/18 R4 Chelsea lost 0-3 2016/17 R4 Oxford United lost 0-3 2016/17 R3 Birmingham City drew 1-1 2015/16 R3 Watford lost 0-1 2014/15 R3 Leicester City lost 0-1 2012/13 R3 Brighton and Hove Albion lost 0-2 2011/12 R4 Brighton and Hove Albion lost 0-1 2010/11 R3 Stevenage lost 1-3 2009/10 R3 Plymouth Argyle drew 0-0 2009/10 R4 West Bromwich Albion lost 2-4 2008/09 R3 Hull City drew 0-0 2007/08 R3 Stoke City drew 0-0 2007/08 R4 Arsenal lost 0-3 2006/07 R3 Birmingham City drew 2-2 2005/06 R6 Chelsea lost 0-1 2005/06 R4 Cheltenham Town won 2-0 NUFC Last 10 FAC R4 ties: 2017/18 Chelsea (a) lost 0-3 2016/17 Oxford United (a) lost 0-3 2011/12 Brighton (a) lost 0-1 2009/10 West Bromwich Albion (a) lost 2-4 2007/08 Arsenal (a) lost 0-3 2005/06 Cheltenham Town (a) won 2-0 2004/05 Coventry City (h) won 3-1 2003/04 Liverpool (a) lost 1-2 2001/02 Peterborough United (a) won 4-2 1999/00 Sheffield United (h) won 4-1 NUFC v CFC FA Cup history: 2017/18 lost 0-3 (a) 2005/06 lost 0-1 (a) 2004/05 won 1-0 (h) 1999/00 lost 1-2 (n) 1995/96 drew 2-2 (h) (lost on pens) 1995/96 drew 1-1 (a) 1958/59 lost 1-4 (h) 1949/50 lost 0-3 (a) 1931/32 won 2-1 (n) 1914/15 lost 0-1 (h) 1914/15 drew 1-1 (a) 1910/11 won 3-0 (n) Chelsea's match programme  cover for today's game was  inspired by this issue for an FA  Cup Fourth Round tie between  the two sides on this day in 1950. As was the case 68 years earlier, the home side were 3-0 winners  after taking a 2-0 interval lead.

Waffle

Newcastle's 2018 FA Cup campaign came to an inevitable end at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon as Chelsea cantered to victory with the minimum of fuss or effort.

United created enough decent scoring chances to have worried a lethargic home side, but our acute need for an in-form striker was highlighted by the fact that each one of them was squandered. 

That clearly isn't Dwight Gayle who seems to be losing form with each game and his replacement today, Joselu is looking every inch the £5m bargain basement buy he appeared to be last Summer.

Two first half goals from Michy Batshuayi put this tie beyond the Magpies and when Marcos Alonso curled in a 72nd minute free-kick, Rafa Benitez was already turning his thoughts to Burnley's visit on Wednesday evening.

Batshuayi twice came close to completing his hat-trick near to full-time but Karl Darlow denied him to avoid an embarrassment turning into a humiliation.

Making five changes from the side beaten 1-3 at Manchester City, Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle and Chancel Mbemba were recalled while Massadio Haidara and Henri Saivet made up the numbers. 

(Fitness concerns saw Florian Lejeune and Jesus Gamez miss out, while Aleksandar Mitrovic was deemed not to be in the right frame of mind to play and Mikel Merino wasn't risked). 

The first of several opportunities to net what would have been a 200th league and cup goal against the Blues came at 0-0, Gayle electing to pass rather than shoot after seizing on a stray pass.

Haidara then crossed for Jonjo Shelvey to force Wilfredo Caballero into a save at his near post before Chelsea shook themselves from their slumbers just after the half hour mark to take the lead.

Pedro played an inch-perfect ball to Eden Hazard over Chancel Mbemba and his ball inside to Alonso was helped on to Batshuayi who had the easiest of side-footed finishes into the unguarded goal.

Antonio Rudiger curled an effort inches wide four minutes before the break but three minutes later Chelsea got their second when Saivet lost the ball. It ended with Batshuayi hitting a low shot that Lascelles blocked, only for the ball to loop over Darlow and into the net.

Shelvey saw a deflected effort tipped wide and then Mbemba's shot was saved in added time but trailing by two goals at the break virtually made it game over.

United were barely sighted as an attacking force in the second half; Shelvey heading over and substitute Joselu unable to properly connect with Ritchie's centre following a rare attack at pace.

Our fate was finally sealed when Saivet gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box and Alonso clipped the kick over the wall and out of Darlow's reach for 0-3.

It was then just a matter of how many Chelsea could score and Darlow continued to impress, denying Pedro, Davide Zappacosta and two more afforts from Batshuayi.

Jacob Murphy and Blues old boy Christian Atsu were both introduced for no apparent reason except risking injury, while Rafa opted to leave Jamaal Lascelles on the field rather than withdraw him with Wednesday and Sunday's games in mind. 

In fairness though, the tie had all the intensity of a testimonial match by then and the chances of a blockbuster tackle were fairly remote, the home side ending up with two 17 year-olds on the field.

And so United's cup campaigns came to a familiar end, leaving 14 games of this 41-game season to maintain our increasingly uncertain Premier League status.

Despite making optimistic noises about doing business early this month, one loan deal from today's opponents is the sum total of our achievement to date by a club either unwilling or unable to operate in a market where prices and wages reflect the finances in the game.

There aren't many who would think that is even close to being enough - Rafa certainly doesn't. 

Biffa