Didier Drogba climbed off the substitutes' bench to score the matchwinner for Chelsea against Newcastle and cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the Barclays Premiership to five points

Drogba, left out of coach Jose Mourinho's starting line-up in a bid to rest a niggling hamstring injury, was forced into action at the interval after Chelsea had failed to break down Newcastle's injury-ravaged side.

The move paid off for the champions in the 74th minute when Drogba pounced for his 15th of the season and his ninth in the Premiership to take their unbeaten home sequence to 53 games.

Shaun Wright-Phillips just failed to convert a flick-on from Kalou inside the first three minutes.

Two minutes later a mazy run from Ivorian forward Kalou provided Frank Lampard with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the penalty area but the England midfielder failed to hit the target.

But it was Newcastle who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute when Antoine Sibierski hit the crossbar with a header from six yards after James Milner's corner had eluded the home defence.

The offside flag spared the blushes of the young Kalou on the half-hour when he got on the end of Robben's headed knock-down only to turn and fire over the crossbar from six yards.

But United were still a danger and Giuseppe Rossi emphasised the fact in the 34th minute when he sent a 25-yard drive flashing wide of Hilario's right-hand upright. The on-loan Manchester United striker had been relatively quiet by his own standards but his opportunist effort was a warning to Chelsea that he had the necessary firepower to do his parent club a massive favour.

Newcastle's rookie side, which included a debutant right-back in Paul Huntington, coped adequately enough with the receding threat from Chelsea's front three.

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder was already without a dozen first-team players through injury when his squad was depleted yet further minutes before the break. Charles N'Zogbia had to be stretchered off after a collision with Lampard and was replaced by another rookie in Matty Pattison.

Mourinho was obviously unimpressed with the contribution of Wright-Phillips as he was replaced at the start of the second half by Makelele. Drogba was also back in action as a substitute for injured centre-back Ricardo Carvalho.

It took Drogba just two minutes to make his presence felt when he headed Robben's left-wing cross just wide of Shay Given's left-hand upright.

On the hour Robben almost broke the deadlock with a cheeky free-kick after Celestine Babayaro had felled Kalou on the right flank. With the Newcastle defence expecting a cross into the centre, the Dutch winger curled the ball towards the near post and Given had to act quickly to keep it out.

Chelsea were now powering forward at every opportunity but the Newcastle rearguard refused to buckle under the onslaught.

Their cause was helped by wayward shooting from Chelsea's Michael Ballack, whose 20-yard effort sailed high over the crossbar in the 63rd minute.

Chelsea almost paid for the wastefulness moments later when Essien skied a clearance towards his own goal and Hilario failed to collect it under pressure frm Obafemi Martins. Thankfully for the home side, Terry was on hand to tidy up and clear the danger.

But Chelsea finally broke the deadlock with an incisive move started by Robben. His pass into the penalty area was helped on by Shevchenko and Drogba pounced to provide the decisive finish.