A thorough workout

Mauricio Pochettino selected a strong side. There were first starts in pre-season for Reece James and Enzo Fernandez while Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson were both deployed in the attack.

In the vast Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it was Newcastle who made the better start. Early pressure was put on the Chelsea backline. There was no way through.

It gave Pochettino's side a platform from which to build. They did so in impressive style. There appeared little danger when Cesare Casadei, deployed in midfield alongside Fernandez, was given time on the ball in the 13th minute. Yet he picked the right option.

His pass into Ian Maatsen, used off the right flank, was perfectly weighted and allowed the young Dutchman to turn and feed the ball through the Newcastle defence to Jackson.

As has become customary during pre-season, the striker coolly finished from 20 yards. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was given no chance.

Genuine opportunities to add to our lead were sparse. Casadei drove a shot wide from distance; Mykhailo Mudryk did the same after cutting inside off the left flank from which he started; Maatsen had a scuffed effort saved by Dubravka.

For much of the opening period, Newcastle's biggest threat came from set-pieces, and Kepa had to react quickly to deny young defender Alex Murphy, who attempted to beat the Spaniard from close range with a header.

Then came the moment many fans inside the stadium hoped would play out. A pass was fed through to Newcastle winger Miguel Almiron – who spent two years playing for MLS side Atlanta United – and he beat Kepa to find the far corner.

It was a goal that bookended the first half. At the break, Pochettino made two changes. Conor Gallagher replaced Jackson, a move that saw Christopher Nkunku pushed forward from his No.10 role, and Raheem Sterling came on for Mudryk.

There was no change to the tempo of the game as both sides pressed and probed in order to take the lead.

Kepa had to be alert to deny midfielder Lewis Miley before Nick Pope, introduced at the interval, was twice called into action.

The England international first had to get down to push clear a powerful drive from Nkunku and moments later, Gallagher forced Pope into a full-length dive to keep the score level.

Four changes were made after the hour mark, with Malo Gusto, Ben Chilwell, Andrey Santos and Carney Chukwuemeka introduced. The centre-back pairing remained academy graduates Trevoh Chalobah and Bashir Humphreys, both of whom performed well.

Much of the final 15 minutes were played in the Newcastle half. The midfielders tried to find gaps to exploit, the wingers and full-backs attempted to crowbar a way through. It was Chilwell who came closest with a rasping drive in the final moments. Unfortunately, Pope saved.

So, for the first time in pre-season, Chelsea did come away with a victory. Yet as has been emphasised by Pochettino throughout the past four weeks, results are not the be-all and end-all at this stage.

He will be encouraged by several aspects of the performance and appreciative of another thorough workout for his squad.

What it means...

The draw has left Chelsea in second place in the Premier League Summer Series table. Aston Villa now sit top after overcoming our west London neighbours, Fulham.

What's next...

The Chelsea first-team return to Philadelphia to continue their pre-season work. Then it's on to Washington DC to take on Fulham in our final Premier League Summer Series fixture.

The teams...

Chelsea: Kepa; James (Gusto, 64), Chalobah, Humphreys, Cucurella (Chilwell, 64); Fernandez (Santos, 64), Casadei (Moreira, 77); Maatsen (Chukwuemeka, 64), Nkunku (Burstow, 77), Mudryk (Sterling, HT), Jackson (Gallagher, HT)

Chelsea substitutes: Slonina, Bergstrom, Silva, Gilchrist, Hall, Angelo

Newcastle United: Dubravka (Pope, HT); Trippier (Ashby, 84), Botman, Schar (Murphy, 33) Burn; L.Miley, Tonali, Joelinton (Turner-Cooke, 84); Almiron (Parkinson, 77), Isak, Gordon

Newcastle United substitutes: Gillespie, Savage, J.Miley