Chelsea opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday with a 2-0 win at home to Newcastle United.

The Blues took the lead against the run of play at the end of the first half when Oscar tapped in from close range following a cross from Branislav Ivanovic.

Jose Mourinho's side then doubled their advantage on 59 minutes as Diego Costa turned in the box before firing past Tim Krul and into the bottom corner.

Following a curious afternoon of action at Stamford Bridge, Sports Mole assesses the individual performances of those involved.

CHELSEA

Goal

Petr Cech: Was kept busy in the first half, pulling off a string of important saves for his side. Had a quieter second period as Chelsea took control. (8/10)

Defence

Branislav Ivanovic: Struggled to get involved high up the pitch until deep in the second half when the hosts began to dominate. Performed his defensive duties better as the game wore on. (7/10)

John Terry: Had to be focused and disciplined when Newcastle took the match to Chelsea. Dealt well with the likes of Sissoko and Perez. (7/10)

Kurt Zouma: Put in a good display on his first Premier League start for Chelsea. Had one or two moments where he looked unsure of himself, but they were only fleeting. (7/10)

Cesar Azpilicueta: Was given a torrid time by Cabella before he was brought off with an injury on 37 minutes. Not one of the Spaniard's better afternoons. (6/10)

Midfield

Cesc Fabregas: Was subdued for much of the game before enjoying more of an influence over things during the final half an hour or so. (6/10)

Nemanja Matic: Found it difficult to cope with Newcastle's midfielders in the opening half. Made a bit of an improvement after the break, though this was an underwhelming 90 minutes from the Serbian. (6/10)

Willian: An inconsistent afternoon for Willian, who drifted in and out of the game far too much when his side needed inspiration from somewhere. (6/10)

Oscar: It took him a while to get going, but the Brazilian fought hard for his side at both ends of the pitch before he came off with 20 minutes left. (8/10)

Eden Hazard: Similar to most of his teammates, Hazard struggled to have an impact on the game. He came to life more in the second half, running at the Newcastle defence and troubling them with his trickery. (6/10)

Attack

Diego Costa: Looked short on confidence for large spells of the game, though he showed everyone what he is capable of by scoring a fine goal with half an hour remaining. (6/10)

Substitutes

Filipe Luis: Was brought on towards the end of the first half after an injury for Azpilicueta. Provided the hosts with some solidity at full-back. (7/10)

Ramires: Came off the bench for the final 10 minutes to bolster Chelsea in midfield when they were trying to close out the game. (6/10)

Loic Remy: Had a couple of moments where he worried his former employers during the final few minutes. (6/10)

NEWCASTLE

Goal

Tim Krul: Provided the visitors with some much-needed reliability at the back. Made a couple of good stops that kept Chelsea at bay. (6/10)

Defence

Daryl Janmaat: Fought hard throughout the match, but the Dutchman had ran out of juice come the final whistle. (6/10)

Mike Williamson: Was occasionally caught out by the pace of Chelsea's attackers. Linked well with his defensive colleagues during periods of pressure. (6/10)

Fabricio Coloccini: Made a poor error leading up to Chelsea's first goal as he knocked the ball timidly out of play when a hoof into the stand would have given the hosts no chance of taking their corner quickly. That moment aside, the Argentine looked fairly solid at the back. (6/10)

Paul Dummett: Did not always have a lot to do in wider areas, though he helped Newcastle nullify the home team's forward line. (6/10)

Midfield

Vurnon Anita: Hustled well in midfield, particularly in the opening 45 minutes. Faded more as the game approached the full-time whistle. (7/10)

Jack Colback: His deliveries from set pieces were valuable for the Magpies. Showed good energy when those around him dropped off. (7/10)

Remy Cabella: Looked superb in the first half as he tore Azpilicueta to shreds down the right flank. Needs to produce these kinds of performances more often. (7/10)

Moussa Sissoko: Ran impressively from box to box until he was taken off with five minutes left. Could have got his name on the scoresheet, but his powerful drive came back off the woodwork. (7/10)

Yoan Gouffran: A disappointing day for the Frenchman, who failed to make anything happen for his side before he came off with a knock midway through the second half. (5/10)

Attack

Ayoze Perez: Worked hard for his team in the final third. However, a lack of service saw him stifled at times. (6/10)

Substitutes

Sammy Ameobi: Offered the Magpies more of a threat going forward when he was introduced with just under half an hour to go. (6/10)

Emmanuel Riviere: A fairly uneventful cameo appearance from the striker, who is looking out of his depth in the Premier League. (5/10)