Chelsea stay third, but are now only seven points behind second-placed Liverpool and 10 adrift of leaders Manchester City.
The relief and delight shown from Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, both at the goal and again at the final whistle, showed what this meant to him by screaming at the fans and punching the air.
And it was easy to see why he was so emotional with the club's very existence potentially under threat.
Roman Abramovich has been the Chelsea owner for nearly 19 years, a period in which they have won 21 trophies, including the Premier League on five occasions and the Champions League twice.
It seemed fitting that Newcastle, another side with hugely controversial owners following their takeover in October by the Saudi Arabian-backed Public Investment Fund (PIF), were Chelsea's opponents on a day when events off the field were talked about as much as those on it.
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