(Watch Goal on Video) Timo Werner scores! 39’… Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle

Timo Werner finally finds the net in the 39th minute of the match at Stamford Bridge.

A Mason Mount corner somehow finds its way to the German at the back post, whose strike is kept out of the net by Karl Darlow but he cannot prevent it from crossing the line.

Photo Credit: ChelseaFC/Twitter

(Watch Goal on Video) Giroud scores! 31’… Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle

Olivier Giroud handed Chelsea the first goal of the match on the 31st minute after a wonderful work out wide from Werner who drove into the box down the left-hand side and drilled a low ball across the six yard box.

Darlow did his best and pushed the ball clear but only as far as Olivier Giroud who lashed the ball in.

Photo Credit: ChelseaFC/Twitter

Rudiger reacts to speculation he’s benefiting from Tuchel being a German like him, explains how he fought for his place at Chelsea

Antonio Rudiger has dismissed the idea making the rounds that he is benefiting from the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea manager after languishing on the club’s bench under Frank Lampard.

It was Lampard’s departure almost three weeks ago that paved the way for Thomas Tuchel’s arrival. The former Borussia Dortmund and PSG manager is unbeaten in the Premier League so far, winning his last three matches.

Tuchel adds to a growing German contingent at Chelsea, including Rudiger, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. But for the defender, their shared nationality does not come into his thinking.

“That doesn’t do anything because at the end of the day, the job you have to do on the pitch it is not about sympathy, we are professionals, you have to deliver and earn your spot,” Rudiger told Sky Sports.

The Germany international reveals how he fought for his place at Chelsea after he almost left the club.

“I’m a competitor, I want to play. Obviously it is frustrating and it was the first time in my career that I had this type of situation,” he said.

“I just said to myself ‘work, try hard to get back into the first team’. Now I can say I’m receiving the good from the hard work that I did before.”

Funnily enough, Rudiger’s first Premier League appearance this season was against Newcastle in a 2-0 victory at St James’ Park in November. In the previous eight games, he had an even split of being an unused substitute and not being included in the matchday squad at all.

Now, the Germany international has started in seven of the last eight Premier League games for Chelsea, adding to appearances in the FA Cup and Europa League.

“You just have to get ready,” Rudiger explained. “You have to always make yourself available and always be ready in your mindset. Maybe in the future – I hope not, but this is football – someone gets injured and maybe they are going to say your name and you have to be up there and ready.

“This is how I prepare for every game. Although maybe you know you’re not playing because you can see it through the training, but in my head, I always prepared like I was going to play so that I’m always ready in my mind.

“Inside myself, I was always calm and relaxed, I’ll be very honest. I was not going crazy because I was not playing at the beginning and when you’re not in the squad, you think ‘oh wow, what’s happening?’

“But then suddenly I was back in the team and got some games. From that moment on, my head was ‘I’m staying here at Chelsea and trying to fight for my spot’. In the last games of Frank Lampard, I was featuring even more.

“Lampard in or out, I would have stayed anyway.”

While Rudiger decided to stick with Chelsea this season, his current deal only has 18 months left to run. Could there be a new contract on the cards?

“The thing is I cannot give myself a new contract,” Rudiger said.

“The talks have to come from the board, from Marina [Granovskaia], I’m very calm when it comes to that.”

Premier League club boss beefs up security after robbers broke into his apartment

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has beefed up security after raiders stole a safe from his £2million home.

A guard patrolled by the gates at the weekend while cops have increased visibility in the area. It came after Friday’s 6.30pm heist in which Ancelotti’s stepdaughter Chloe, 25, disturbed the two thieves.

Italian Ancelotti, 61, raced back from training to join her in Crosby, Merseyside. Yesterday, the former Real Madrid boss left in his £313,000 Rolls-Royce SUV for Everton’s home game with Fulham.

A security source said: “Carlo’s never had any visible guards before. He’s clearly ramped things up.

“I’d also expect him to have some close protection for his family while out and about.

“As for the raid, the thieves knew what they wanted and how to get it. It’s probable they’d watched the house or were acting on information.”

(Watch Highlights) Lukaku at the double as Inter Milan flatten Lazio to top Serie A table (Match Report)

Romelu Lukaku scored two and created the other for Lautaro Martinez, as although Lazio had more possession, Inter won 3-1 to leapfrog Milan at the top of the table.

With Milan and Juventus losing on Saturday, the Nerazzurri knew a victory would put them in first place, but the Biancocelesti were coming off six consecutive Serie A victories and pushing for joint third place.

To mark Chinese New Year, Inter players had their names written in Chinese characters on the back of their jerseys.

Eriksen set up two good opportunities for Marcelo Brozovic and Lautaro Martinez, but both were blocked by defensive interceptions, while Samir Handanovic came flying outside the area to clear from Joaquin Correa.

However, it was Inter who were more direct on the counter-attack, despite being the home side, as Reina had to smother at Lautaro’s feet on another Eriksen assist and then smother a Lukaku snapshot.

VAR was involved again for the second Inter goal, which was initially disallowed for offside. Brozovic’s sliding tackle ricocheted off Manuel Lazzari’s shin and into the path of Lukaku to score. It was not an intentional pass. However, when Brozovic made the initial touch, Lukaku was level and therefore Lazzari’s contribution was irrelevant.

Simone Inzaghi made a double change at the break and his team continued to dominate possession without real shots on target, as Marusic and Francesco Acerbi fired over from very promising opportunities.

Once again, a lucky ricochet fell kindly for Inter and Lautaro Martinez sent Achraf Hakimi clear, but substitute and makeshift defender Marco Parolo made a desperate interception as he was pulling the trigger.

Moments later, Lazzari was brought down just outside the area by Hakimi and on that Milinkovic-Savic free kick, it took a big deflection off Gonzalo Escalante to wrong-foot Handanovic. Initially, the goal had been awarded to Escalante, but the Lega Serie A changed it to the Serbian, as his effort had originally been on target.

It was game on and Lazio were pouring forward, but this left them open to the counter-attack. Lukaku deserves most of the credit for the goal, as he started the run from his own half, held off Parolo while sprinting, kept his cool and rolled it across for Lautaro Martinez to tap into an empty net.

Photo Credit: OfficialSSLazio/Twitter/inter.it