LONDON: Chelsea notched up their fourth league win in a row under new coach Thomas Tuchel on Monday and striker Timo Werner ended his goal drought as the Blues beat Newcastle United 2-0 to leapfrog Liverpool into the Champions League qualifying places.
Werner, a desolate figure towards the end of Frank Lampard's time as Chelsea manager, made no mistake in the 39th minute when the ball fell for him at the far post and he put the hosts 2-0 up with his first league goal since early November.
The German also had a big role in Chelsea's opener eight minutes earlier when he got to the byline and his cross was pushed away by Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow straight to the feet of Oliver Giroud who scored from 10 yards.
The win pushed the Londoners into fourth place, two points clear of out-of-form champions Liverpool and ahead of fifth-placed West Ham United on goal difference after the Hammers won earlier on Monday.
Newcastle stay in the last spot above the relegation zone, seven points clear of Fulham in 18th place.
Werner's last Premier League goal had come on Nov. 7 after which he suffered a run of bad luck and bad finishing which visibly hurt his confidence.
When he arrived in London last month, Tuchel told his German compatriot to play a little less wide than he had under Lampard and Werner looked more confident in recent games, creating key goals as Chelsea turned around their season.
West Ham up to fifth after easy
win over Sheffield United
West Ham United moved into fifth spot in the Premier League standings on Monday after an efficient 3-0 home win over bottom side Sheffield United at the London Stadium. Declan Rice's 41st-minute penalty had the hosts in front at half-time. IssaDiop added a second in the 58th minute with a header and Ryan Fredericks scored with the last kick of the game.
David Moyes's team controlled the majority of proceedings against a spirited Sheffield United, who again paid a price for individual errors.
The result briefly meant West Ham moved into fourth spot on 42 points, just above champions Liverpool on 40. However, Chelsea's 2-0 win over Newcastle United in Monday's late game lifted them above the Hammers again on goal difference.
A fourth win in their last six league games boosted West Ham's hopes of a place in European club competition next season while keeping the Blades at the foot of the table with 11 points from 24 matches. Agencies
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