Chelsea pulled this game round in sensational style scoring twice in the last 11 minutes to draw 2-2 at St James' Park against a mediocre Newcastle United.
Substitutes Ramires with a 25-yard blaster and a Willian free kick secured a point when all looked gloom and doom for the champions who fell victim to a Ayoze Perez gift and an unmarked header by Georigino. Wijnaldum.
Jose Mourinho had decided to make the changes before the second goal and his attacking philosophy worked and could even have yielded a winner if it was not for the agile reflexes of Tim Krul who denied Ramires near the end.
But the deficiencies in defence were all too evident in a game where the Blues, when in possession looked comfortable but without the ball, looked shaky.
A Kurt Zouma blaster from 25-yards was the first effort on goal after four minutes.
The power was there, but accuracy was lacking as it swerved away from Tim Krul's goal at the last moment.
The home side then got to grips with the game with the majority of possession. But the Blues could and perhaps should have gone into the lead on 12 minutes
.Excellent set-up play by Oscar fed Branislav Ivanovic, on the right. He toe-poked the ball from the byline into the path of in-running Loic Remy. But his first-time shot inched past Krul's left upright.
A fine run and cross, on the left by Georgini Wijnaldum was met by the glancing head of Aleksandar Mitrovic, who out jumped Gary Cahill. Thankfully the ball zipped past Asmir Begovic's goal.
Second later, on 16 minutes, Moussa Sissoko, saw his right-footer, from the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, coast past Begovic but also his goal.
Begovic twice denied Newcastle within seconds of each other when Ayoze Perez and then Daryl Janmaat saw shots saved as t he home side piled on the pressure.
A sublime run and drive from 30-yards by Cesc Fabregas brought out a wonderful diving save from Krul with seven minutes left on the clock. Ivanovic went close from the resultant corner.
But it was Newcastle who took the lead on 42 minutes. A speculative cross from the right was bizarrely left by Zouma who allowed the ball to float over him. Perez was on the spot, just inside the area to pick the ball up, and slot it home, off Begivic's right post.
It's almost certain that had John Terry been playing, he would not have missed the cross.
Another excellent effort, this time a half-volley by Fabregas, from distance,was almost the perfect response. But the shot inched over Krul's crossbar.
Mourinho refused to ring any changes at half-time.
Another sensational save by Krul denied ex-Magpie Remy on 50 minutes when he met a wonderful cross by Fabregas, full on the meat of his forehead. Krul arched to his left and somehow managed to party the ball to safety. Depending on how you look at it, the fact remains, despite being given offside, he should have scored.
Chelsea had the bulk of the possession but it was Newcastle who doubled the lead on 60 minutes when a regulation corner was picked up by an unmarked Wijnaldum who headed past a hapless Begovic.
Mourinho then opted to make a double change bringing in Radamel Falcao for Remy and Willian for Ineffectual Nemanja Matic.
Ramirez was soon to follow and what a replacement he was. With 11 mi Utes in the clock, the Brazilian picked up a pass from Hazrad, took one touch and drilled a worldly of a shot from 25-yards which screamed past Krul.
Pedro then missed a sitter with seven minutes left. Latching onto a long ball the Spain wing raced clear but with just Krul to beat he skied the ball high over his crossbar.
Sensationally the champions then got an equaliser with four minutes left. Substitute Willian, like he did against Maccabi Tel Aviv scored directly from a free-kick, Ramires may have felt he got a hair to the ball, but Willian took the plaudits.
Krul then brilliantly stopped Ramires with a point-blank save from close range as the Blue when for the jugular.
Teams: Begovic; Ivanovic (c), Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Pedro, Oscar, Hazard; Remy.
Subs: Blackman, Terry, Mikel, Ramires, Willian, Kenedy, Falcao. #CFC
Newcastle United: Krul, Coloccini, Colback, Wijnaldum, Sissomo, Anita, Perez, Mbemba, Janmaat, Mbabu, Mitrovic.
Subs: Williamson, de Jong, Obertan,Lascelles, Thauvin, Elliot,Toney
Referee: Martin Atkinson
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