And after a drab goalless draw stretched their winless away run to eight matches, to leave their Champions League hopes in the balance, questions about his team selection grew even louder.

The threat of Champions League exclusion is hanging over Chelsea after they were found to have breached UEFA spending limits. Even if a ban is taken off the table by European football's governing body, the Blues could find themselves barred from the competition due to another of its rules.

Chelsea couldn't make the most of a golden opportunity on Sunday, as they sleepwalked to a 1-1 draw away to Brentford a day after Nottingham Forest were beaten by Aston Villa.

Newcastle United scored early and often to strengthen their UEFA Champions League hopes with a 3-0 win over relegation-destined Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Monday.

Away from home, Howe’s players have lost at Fulham and Brentford. At St James’ Park, they have succumbed to Brighton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Fulham. This tells a story; rousing themselves for mid-tier opponents has, on occasion, been problematic.

Newcastle blew Leicester away with three first-half goals to inflict a miserable 3-0 defeat on the Foxes who moved a step closer to suffering relegation from the Premier League. The Magpies flexed their muscles in front of Sky Bet Championship-bound Leicester in a ruthless start to boost their hopes of returning to the Champions League by moving level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea.