Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea: Eddie How's Side is now in a pole position to qualify for the Champions League of the following season after Nicolas Jackson de Blues cost on Tyneside
Chelsea could spend the last two weeks of the Premier League season with depending on the results elsewhere if they qualify for the Champions League after the Red Mist descended on Nicolas Jackson in St. James' Park.
Newcastle was already a goal for the good and in control of the weak start of Chelsea before Jackson was sent after an intervention of VAR for meaningless clattering in Sven Botman with his forearm.
But the resignation of the striker left the hope of the blues to mount a second half comeback in ruins. No wonder Enzo Maresca made little attempt to acknowledge Jackson while he was shattering off the field.
With a ban on the way, his season is now ready and Chelsea's now also hangs on a thread: they went to the north knowing that the victory would ensure that they stayed in pole position to finish in the top five.
The loss of 2-0 from Sunday now means that Nottingham Forest can jump in the table before the weekend is out when they win their game in their hands.
And with two more games, the last day trip from the blues to Forest is now ready to be a winner-tages-all shootout who could end with Londoners who still take an unwanted Sabbatical of the year from Europe Premier Competition.
There are no worries for Newcastle; The side of Eddie Howe continues to take effect after ending their heavy waiting for a large trophy in March and stayed in an early lead through the impressive Sandro Tonali, who struggled Chelsea before he finished his own movement.
On an afternoon where Jackson lost his head, Tonali both kept cool when it mattered and the ball, recovering into his usual role as the metronome in the midfield of Newcastle after his sixth goal of the season.
Victory places the magpies in second place within a point of Arsenal – who is still very much for grasping – although the Gunners would recover their advantage with a victory in the backyard of the newly beaten Premier League champions, Liverpool.
Chelsea at least showed some fight after the break despite their numeric disadvantage. Marc Cucurella came closest to the looting of an invaluable equalizer, only for the gigantic leg of Nick Pope to thwart him.
Both parties exchanged Jabs like an open second half that ticked quickly before a bad bent strike by Bruno Guimaraes killed the game just when the clock hit 90.
Perhaps the biggest comfort on a sobering afternoon for Maresca and Co is that there are many more turns to get into the race for a Champions League place, where Newcastle plays Arsenal next weekend.
But the absence of Jackson for a blockbuster seal finale can prove to be the most harmful turn of all.