Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle: Player ratings as Timo Werner stars in comfortable Blues win

Timo Werner scored his first goal since November as Chelsea cruised to a routine win over Newcastle on Monday night.

The Blues looked in control from the off and went ahead early on when Werner, who was clearly playing with a point to prove, hit the by-line and pulled one back towards Olivier Giroud, who converted after the ball eventually fell to him.

It seemed as if the world was conspiring to deny the German a goal given the amount of chances he missed, but he eventually had his name on the score-sheet before half-time when he capitalised on Mason Mount's tremendous delivery to squeeze an effort over the line.

The second half was academic from a Chelsea perspective. They controlled the game and limited Newcastle to virtually nothing, though did need a good save from the returning Kepa Arrizabalaga to deny Joe Willock.

Substitute Reece James nearly killed the game off within seconds of his introduction, but 2-0 it would stay - and here are your player ratings!

Chelsea player ratings

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK) - 6/10 - A surprise inclusion in the side, his first Premier League appearance since October was a successful one. It was the sort of quiet game he would have been hoping for to ease himself back in but he confidently held a couple of long-range strikes and denied Willock with a great reaction stop.

Cesar Azpilicueta (CB) - 7/10 - Linked up well with Callum Hudson-Odoi to create some interesting overloads down the right flank. Brought the ball out of defence well and wasn't shy about bursting a gut to get back into position when he had to.

Andreas Christensen (CB) - 6/10 - Strength and confidence in the air was central to Chelsea's dominance of the game.

Antonio Rudiger (CB) - 6/10 - Looked a little awkward as a ball-playing centre-back on the left of the three - maybe a role he needs to grow into. Won his duels though and was generally fine.

2. Midfielders & wing-backs

Callum Hudson-Odoi (RWB) - 7/10 - 'Wing-back' is a pretty loose term for his role in the team which is far closer to what you expect from a traditional winger. But that's how he was listed on the team-sheet. Energetic, effective performance even if his end product sometimes lacked.

Mateo Kovacic (CM) - 8/10 - Saw more of the ball than any other Chelsea player and barely put a foot wrong. Tidy in his distribution and not afraid to take a few risks to unlock a compact Newcastle team.

Jorginho (CM) - 6/10 - Like Kovacic he saw plenty of the ball but wasn't as ambitious with it. Played it safe more often than not which was fine for what his team needed.

Marcos Alonso (LWB) - 6/10 - Played a little deeper than his opposite number on the other side of the pitch but still got himself about and contributed to both phases effectively.

3. Forwards

Mason Mount (RW) - 6/10 - Glorious set-piece delivery created Werner's long-awaited goal. It was one of Mount's quieter games but he was still a threat before making way with 20 to go.

Tammy Abraham (CF) - 5/10 - Off within 20 minutes due to a potentially serious injury.

Timo Werner (LW) - 8/10 - Decision-making was still a little erratic at times but he looked livelier and more confident than he has been in recent weeks. Great assist for Giroud's opener and was seen pleading with the footballing gods for his first-half goal to be given - which it eventually was.

4. Substitutes

Olivier Giroud (Abraham, 20) - 7/10 - Death, taxes, and Olivier Giroud scoring from the bench.

N'Golo Kante (Mount, 70) - 6/10 - Added some life and vitality to the midfield just as Chelsea were taking their foot off the gas.

Reece James (Hudson-Odoi, 78) - 5/10 - Immediately tested Karl Darlow with a low effort.

Newcastle player ratings

5. Goalkeeper & defenders

Karl Darlow (GK) - 6/10 - Wasn't particularly busy despite the pattern of the game. Not at fault for either goal and otherwise fine.

Emil Krafth (RB) - 5/10 - Positionally erratic and not really good enough on the ball to do anything going forward.

Jamaal Lascelles (CB) - 6/10 - Held things together and landed a couple of thundering challenges - one of which unfortunately ended Tammy Abraham's game.

Ciaran Clark (CB) - 5/10 - Won't be the last defender to have a bit of a nightmare up against Giroud.

Jamal Lewis (LB) - 6/10 - Caught napping for the second goal but covered a lot of ground and did stand up well to the threat of Hudson-Odoi.

6. Midfielders

Jonjoe Shelvey (CM) - 6/10 - A little wasteful with his end product but at least tried to get something going for his team.

Isaac Hayden (CM) - 7/10 - Set the pace at the bass of the Newcastle midfield and won the ball back on a few occasions. Probably his side's best performer in a disappointing day at the office.

Joe Willock (CM) - 5/10 - Inexperience shone through as the Arsenal loanee really couldn't impose himself on the game. Made a few promising runs late in the game and went close with a good header.

Miguel Almiron (AM) - 5/10 - Seemed to give the ball away as often as he found his man and wasn't exactly bursting a lung to win it back afterwards.

7. Forwards

Dwight Gayle (CF) - 4/10 - May have been in single figures for touches. Not even bad, just pointless.

Alan Saint-Maximin (CF) - 6/10 - A couple of moments of quality but was left isolated for long spells and looked frustrated when he went off for Fraser.

8. Substitutes

Joelinton (Gayle, 64) - 5/10

Ryan Fraser (Saint-Maximin, 72) - 6/10

Andy Carroll (Willock, 79) - 5/10