Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle United: Batshuayi and Alonso help Conte's men to convincing victory

Full-time: Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle

A convincing performance from Chelsea in the end as goals from Batshuayi and Alonso secure their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Batshuayi opened the scoring after brilliant work from Pedro and all but sealed the game with a deflected second before Alonso's splendid free-kick sealed matters. Newcastle made a fist of it in the first half, but Premier League survival is the only thing that matters now.

Two minutes of stoppage time to be played. Batshuayi again denied by Darlow after he was played in by Barkley.

Batshuayi almost makes it four and three for himself as he bursts down the channel, rolls the ball past Mbemba and stings the shins of Darlow from close range.

Hudson-Odoi has looked lively since coming on, darting infield and spraying passes to the flank.

The teen tried to link up with Alonso, but the Spaniard wasn't reading from the same hymnsheet.

Final change for Newcastle - Hayden is replaced by former Chelsea man Atsu.

Zappacosta tries his luck with a curling effort that Darlow tips over the bar.

Final change for Chelsea - young Hudson-Odoi is on for Pedro.

Chelsea are home and hosed. Pedro almost made it four after getting in behind but Darlow managed to deny him.

Changes for both sides - Kante is replaced by Ampadu for Chelsea while Murphy comes on for Manquillo for Newcastle.

Lovely free-kick from Alonso seals the game for Chelsea. Great technique from the Spaniard, but could Darlow have done a little better there?

Chelsea make a change - Hazard off, Barkley on.

GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle (Alonso)

Zappacosta's trickery earns Chelsea a dangerous free-kick.

Alonso takes, and scores!

Hazard dances and jinks away from Newcastle bodies to earn himself a corner. The set-piece comes out to Drinkwater, whose volley is deflected for another corner.

The game has lost a bit of zip in the second half. Hayden tries to find Ritchie but his pass is overcooked. Newcastle not really pushing fervently for an equaliser as we head into the final 20 minutes.

Batshuayi and Pedro link up well to allow the latter to cut the ball back. Hazard misses it, and Drinkwater fires well wide.

Newcastle making the first substitution of the afternoon - Joselu on for Gayle.

Stunning volley from Alonso is palmed away by Darlow as Chelsea look to kill the game. A good save from Darlow, made even better by the deflection the effort took off Manquillo.

Pedro almost nets Chelsea's third of the match with a rasping effort that just flies over the bar.

The teams have emerged for the second half and we are back underway at Samford Bridge.

This man is the difference at the break.

Half-time: Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle United

A brace from Batshuayi has put Antonio Conte's side in a commanding position despite a laboured performance. Newcastle have taken the game to the hosts and have forced Caballero into a number of saves, but one moment of quality and a slice of misfortune sees them two down at the break.

Caballero then denies Newcastle once again after a bit of pinball sees Mbemba test the veteran.

The resulting corner is dealt with, and the half-time whistle blows.

Caballero forced into another save as Shelvey's deflected shot is parried behind for a corner by the Argentine.

Pedro finds Hazard, who dribbles forward and finds Batshuayi brilliantly. The Belgian's shot deflects of Lascelles, loops over Darlow and nestles into the net.

Chelsea dally with the pall and almost pay the price as Shelvey robs Drinkwater and forces a save from Shelvey. Daft from the Blues.

Rudiger comes close to making it 2-0 with a lovely drive that just evades Darlow's post.

Hazard almost feeds Batshuayi with a sublime pass but Newcastle manage to clear for a corner, which causes some panic but is eventually dealt with.

Gayle goes for goal but his venomless strike is easy for Caballero to smother. Batshuayi is then scythed down by Saivet midway through Newcastle's half.

Newcastle not mustering an immediate response as Shelvey's ball is overcooked. Chelsea now stamping their authority on proceedings.

An inch perfect ball from Pedro finds Hazard, who waits and lays the ball off to Alonso, who battles with Manquillo to give Batshuayi a tap-in. Not deserved, but the first real piece of quality gives Chelsea the lead.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle (Batshuayi)

Zappacosta zooms past Mbemba and whips in a dangerous cross that evades Pedro but falls to Alonso, whose shot is easily blocked by Lascelles.

First real chance of the game comes for Newcastle. Haidara's cross is met well by Shelvey, who forces Caballero into a decent save.

Not a lot happening in truth. Hazard has been relatively quiet so far.

Hazard is scythed down by Chancel Mbemba on the edge of Newcastle's penalty area. The defender receives a yellow card for the late tackle, having been penalised just seconds before for a similar challenge on the Belgian.

Hazard takes, but it hits the Newcastle wall.

Zappacosta whips in a dangerous ball but Alonso can't connect with the cross. The Italian is now down receiving treatment and looks in some pain after being caught late by Saivet.

Newcastle exerting some early pressure on Chelsea, who can't keep hold of possession.

Conte going mad at the referee for not stopping play for offside, but Kevin Friend bows to the Italian's wish the second time around.

Newcastle come forward through Ritchie and Gayle, who goes down far too easily in search for a penalty.

Shelvey then sprays a lovely ball out to Manquillo, who feeds Hayden, but Newcastle can't get the cross right.

Manquillo runs into trouble in the form of Alonso, who allows Hazard a chance to stretch his legs. Mbemba gives away a corner, but referee Kevin Friend awards a goal kick, much to Hazard's dismay.

Chelsea get things underway. Newcastle hassle the hosts early but they just about evade the first press.

Inching towards kick-off here. Both teams side-by-side in the tunnel.

This is starting to become all too common at football grounds now. Just buy one yourself, the store's right next to the stadium.

Less than quarter of an hour remaining until kick-off at Stamford Bridge. A reminder of today's teams:

Chelsea: Caballero; Rudiger, Christensen, Cahill (c); Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Kante, Alonso; Pedro, Batshuayi, Hazard.

Newcastle: Darlow, Manquillo, Mbemba, Lascelles (c), Clark, Haïdara, Shelvey, Saivet, Hayden, Ritchie, Gayle.

Chelsea attempting to quash speculation over a transfer for Luiz here? He's not been in Conte's good books for a while, it seems.

Despite the ongoing speculation around Newcastle's ownership and the trials and tribulations of working under Mike Ashley, Rafa Benitez is not totally against the idea of staying on at St James' Park for a while longer.

"I told Mike what I thought about that (the contract extension)," said Benitez.

"He knows my opinion, and we don't have to talk now. I don't have any problem with my future. I'm really pleased to be here and I love the city, the fans, the potential, everything.

"I can give my opinion in terms of football operations. But everything is subject to the financial position of the club. I give names, have some information, feedback from (managing director) Lee Charnley, and then give my opinion.

"The main thing is that we have to be on the same page. That's pretty simple."

Both sets of players head out onto the turf for a couple of last-minute exercises as kick-off nears.

Strike a pose, fellas.

Scintillating stuff from the Belgian. Can he run riot over the Magpies once again?

There was a distinct lack of Edin Dzeko in Chelsea' match-day squad.

The Bosnian was expected to sign for the Blues this week, but the deal to prise him away from the Italian capital, where he is settled with his wife and family is on the brink of collapse.

Hopefully Chelsea have Ade Akinbyi on speed-dial.

For Newcastle, Dwight Gayle leads the line with Matt Ritchie in support.

Benitez looks to have gone to a back five this afternoon, with Mbemba, Lascelles and Clark making up a defensive three. Haidara and Manquillo are the wing-backs, while Shelvey, Saivet and Hayden make up the centre of midfield.

Not exactly bold for the Spaniard on his return to west London.

Both managers pick pretty much the strongest team available to them.

Caballero deputises for Courtois for Chelsea, while Batshauyi, who could leave before Wednesday, spearheads the attack, flanked by Hazard and Pedro.

Christensen, Rudiger and Cahill make up the back three, while there is also a start for Drinkwater, who partners Kante in midfield. Fabregas and Barkley are on the bench.

SUBSTITUTES

Chelsea: Eduardo, Ampadu, Moses, Fabregas, Barkley, Musonda, Hudson-Odoi.

Newcastle: Woodman, Yedlin, Dummett, Diamé, Atsu, Murphy, Joselu.

TEAM NEWS

Newcastle United's starting line-up in text form: Darlow, Manquillo, Mbemba, Lascelles (c), Clark, Haïdara, Shelvey, Saivet, Hayden, Ritchie, Gayle.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea's starting line-up in text form: Caballero; Rudiger, Christensen, Cahill (c); Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Kante, Alonso; Pedro, Batshuayi, Hazard.

TEAM NEWS

TEAM NEWS

FA Cup fever is afoot.

Ominous stat for Newcastle - Chelsea have reached the fifth round of the FA Cup 17 times in the last 19 years. 2010/11 and 2014/15 the only times in which they failed to progress, Everton and Bradford City beating them on those occasions.

Team news expected in 10 minutes. How many changes will Benitez and Conte make?

Will Conte decide to afford Ross Barkley his first start for the club after inadvertently hanging him out to dry in midweek?

Some pre-match thoughts from Cesar Azpilicueta:

"It's a big game and we know how special the FA Cup is for this club, we know how special the games in this cup are, with the fans.

"Now we face a Premier League team, Newcastle, and a manager a few of us know very well, so we will try to bounce back from Wednesday's defeat and try to get into the next round."

Former Chelsea winger Christian Atsu is returning to Stamford Bridge today, and he is determined to make it one to remember for the Magpies.

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez understands the importance of the FA Cup, but Premier League is his number one priority.

"Every game is important, but obviously we know how massive it is to stay in the Premier League, because of all the money around and then you can improve your team if you have more money.

It's a win-win situation if you stay in the Premier League, so that is something we have to consider.

But at the same time, if we can use the squad, we will try to do our best.

We will use some players that were maybe not playing, and obviously some that were. I need to find this balance between players with match fitness and players who are not playing too much."

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte seemed to spark a war of words with the club's board earlier this week, but the former Juventus boss insists he is happy to be working with his current squad, though he would be even happier with new additions.

"I am the coach, and my task is to try to do the best for this club and try to improve my players for this club.

"As I have said before, and I am repeating every three days, I will be very happy to continue working with my players, and I will be very happy if there are some new players. My mind doesn't change after only three days.

"The players are happy [with the packed fixture list] because they want to play, and they want to play every game. In this case it's more difficult for the coach, because the players love to play and not have training sessions."

Good afternoon and welcome to IB Times UK's live FA Cup coverage of Chelsea vs Newcastle United.

All is not well around Stamford Bridge after the Blues were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Arsenal, a result which led Antonio Conte to criticise the club's board about their dealings in the transfer market.

The Chelsea boss will hope the powers that be in west London heed his call and strengthen sufficiently before Wednesday's deadline, but for the time being their focus rests on Newcastle, who are hoping to be busy in the remaining days of the window themselves.

Rafa Benitez's side are one of a host of Premier League sides in the relegation mix, and while he is primed to rest some of his first-team stars with one eye on the visit of Burnley, he would no doubt love to achieve a famous win over his former club and in turn raise morale in the north east.

Stick with IB Times UK for the latest team news, updates and reaction from all the goings on at Stamford Bridge.