To nobody's great surprise, Monday saw Newcastle leave Stamford Bridge empty-handed for the ninth successive time in league and cup competitions.

Two first half goals put the hosts firmly in the driving seat, but before that Thomas Tuchel was never in remote danger of losing his unbeaten record as Chelsea boss against a side who offered absolutely nothing in front of goal until the game was well beyond them.

The opening goal arrived just after the half hour mark, Timo Werner returning on the Chelsea left after receiving treatment at pitchside for a bloodied lip received in an accidental clash with Jamal Lewis.

Picking up possession, the striker evaded Emil Krafth and took the ball to the byline before pinging it into the six yard box at the Shed End, where Karl Darlow pushed it away as Mason Mount closed in.

Sadly though, the ball went straight towards home substitute Olivier Giroud - on for the ailing Tammy Abraham - and he simply passed it back into the goal.

0-1 became 0-2 eight minutes later, when Mount's corner reached the unmarked Werner at the back post and he hooked the ball home to end his own personal drought - Lewis seemingly unaware of his presence.

On a night of few positives for a Magpies side beginning an extended period without top scorer Callum Wilson, they at least managed not to add to their injury tally and avoided cards of either colour. In that regard, Jamaal Lascelles was fortunate to avoid censure for a push on Werner in the area.

Apart than that though there was little solace, save for Chelsea's apparent contentment with their goal tally in a second half that began with a brief flurry of away goal efforts but drifted off to an inevitable conclusion.

Ahead of Sunday's equally daunting trip to Old Trafford, attention now switches to Burnley on Wednesday, when Fulham play their game in hand knowing that victory will leave them just four points behind Newcastle.

The Cottagers then host basement dwellers Sheffield United on Saturday night, before we return to action at Manchester United a day later. At the time of writing it's arguable that the Manager with most influence over whether we stay up or go down is Scott Parker, not Steve Bruce.   

Our destiny will be decided in the games after that though, when picking up points becomes potentially more achievable - although giving them to the other team becomes potentially more destructive.

Fashioning an effective formation without Wilson remains vital, but such was our meagre output tonight that the top scorer would have looked as forlorn and frustrated as Dwight Gayle did here in his first start since July.

After the recent upturn in results, this was an uncomfortable reminder of too many games this season when we've neither contained nor threatened the opposition - and ended up empty-handed.  

Biffa