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A week of unprecedented turmoil for Chelsea has ended with a moment of joy in the Premier League.
In a game that came to symbolise the Premier League’s connections to so-called “sportswashing” by unsavoury owners, Havertz netted an 89th-minute winner to give Chelsea a 1-0 victory over Newcastle on Sunday.
Havertz used an exquisite first touch to control a cross into the box and then slotted a calm finish into the net to set off wild celebrations among the capacity crowd at Stamford Bridge.
It may be some time before Chelsea play in front of a sold-out home stadium again after the UK government imposed sanctions on Russian owner Roman Abramovich, but the uncertainty surrounding the club’s future has so far not had an effect on the field.
Manager Thomas Tuchel dedicated the victory to the Chelsea staff worrying about their jobs.
“They worry much more at the moment than actually us (players and coaches) because we are still privileged,” Tuchel said.
“For them, it’s important that we show fighting spirit like this.”
It was Newcastle’s first league loss of the year, ending a nine-game unbeaten run. The fixture was always going to be the day’s standout because of events off the pitch.
Chelsea have been granted a special license to keep playing after Abramovich was sanctioned because of his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, halting his attempt to sell the club and preventing sales of merchandise and tickets.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are facing renewed scrutiny after Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution on Saturday, putting to death 81 people convicted of various crimes.
Newcastle were bought by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in October, although both the club and the Premier League have insisted that the Saudi state isn’t involved in the running of the club.
Elsewhere, in the tightening race to avoid relegation, Watford and Leeds both boosted their chances of staying up while Everton slipped closer to dropping out of the top flight for the first time in 71 years.
Cucho Hernandez netted twice to give Watford a 2-1 win at Southampton, while Leeds ended a six-game losing streak by beating last-place Norwich by the same score thanks to an injury-time winner from striker Joe Gelhardt who’d come on as a sub just two minutes earlier.
At Goodison Park, boyhood Liverpool fan Conor Coady headed home a second-half winner for Wolverhampton to secure a 1-0 victory over ten-man Everton.
The England international expertly glanced home Ruben Neves’ cross and Jonjoe Kenny was then sent off for two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.
The results mean Watford are now tied on points with 17th-place Everton, although Frank Lampard’s team have three games in hand. Leeds moved four points above the relegation zone.
Ukrainian forward Andriy Yarmolenko was back in West Ham’s squad for the first time since being granted compassionate leave due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and was in tears after netting the opening goal to help his team beat Aston Villa 2-1.
Yarmolenko, on as a 53rd-minute sub, celebrated his 70th-minute goal by dropping to his knees with both arms pointing up to the sky as he was mobbed by his teammates.
In the late game, Arsenal maintained their grip on fourth place with a fifth straight league victory, beating Leicester 2-0 at home with Thomas Partey and Alexandre Lacazette, from the penalty spot, scoring.
© AAP
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