Benitez blames individual errors for Chelsea loss
Saturday 2 December 2017 16:48, UK
Rafa Benitez says individual errors cost his side as Newcastle fell to a 3-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The visitors had led through an early Dwight Gayle strike but surrendered their advantage as Chelsea hit back with goals from Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata before half-time.
Hazard grabbed his second and Chelsea's third from the penalty spot late in the second half after Matt Ritchie felled Victor Moses, as Newcastle continued their alarming slide down the table.
"Individual mistakes cost us", said Benitez. "When you play against a good team, with the players and quality they have, you will be punished. We were in the game and you never know what could happen.
"We played against a top side and gave everything, but these very good players make the difference."
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Newcastle were undone twice by crosses from out wide, the first from Cesar Azpilicueta for Hazard to finish and then from Moses, whose neat ball was nodded home by Morata.
The defeat was Newcastle's fifth in their last six outings in the league, as Benitez's side struggle to maintain their bright start to the season following a frustrating summer of transfer business.
"We will try to do our best now to fix things and see in January. The main thing is that we improve the little things to improve the team ahead of this big run of games," he said.
