Hero Shearer the toast of Highbury

That, though, was the last thing on the mind of the old goal-poacher last night as he savoured a sweet victory.

His 28th goal of the season, another masterpiece to add to his magnificent portfolio, as good as handed the top-flight crown to the Gunners before they made absolutely certain against North London rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

But all that mattered to Geordie hero Shearer was that his stunning strike had secured a priceless win which maintains the Magpies' push for a Champions League place.

Sir Bobby Robson's men climbed above Aston Villa back into fifth spot, level again on points with Liverpool and with a game in hand on the Reds in the battle for the coveted fourth berth.

In a memorable encounter of high intensity, Chelsea were finally forced to cede the title to Arsenal.

Regardless of that, and the outcome of his side's Champions League semi-final with Monaco, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri's fate has already been sealed.

Porto boss Jose Mourinho, who worked under Robson at Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona as well as his current club, is understood to be lined up as the Italian's replacement on a £5m-a-year deal funded by Roman Abramovich's riches.

Although this was Chelsea's fifth game without a win, Ranieri is going down fighting and Newcastle had to come from behind to claim the points.

The recalled Joe Cole struck in only the fifth minute when he took a return ball from Frank Lampard to evade Jonathan Woodgate's sliding challenge and poke his finish through the legs of goalkeeper Shay Given.

But superlative strikes from Shearer and Shola Ameobi turned the game around in a rousing contest. Ameobi earned a standing ovation when he was withdrawn for Michael Bridges five minutes from time after executing a brilliant finish that brought Newcastle level.

Two minutes before half-time, he met Hugo Viana's forward ball and held off Chelsea skipper Marcel Desailly to turn and drive home right-footed from the edge of the box.

Robson was off his bench punching the air and he was similarly ecstatic when Shearer effected a breathtaking effort three minutes into the second period.

Olivier Bernard pumped the ball up to Shearer and again it was Desailly who was turned before Shearer hit a swerving, dipping 30-yarder that careered into the far corner of the net and left keeper Marco Ambrosio rooted to the spot. Newcastle were grateful to Given six minutes later when he produced an outstanding reflex save, pushing out Eidur Gudjohnsen's close-range header one-handed from Cole's left-wing cross.

But the woodwork did the work for United in injury time when former Middlesbrough loan star Geremi centred from the right and John Terry's first-time effort amazingly hit a post from six yards.

That slice of good fortune ensured Newcastle stretched their unbeaten home run to 12 games in all competitions, and secured only their second success against Chelsea in a dozen Premiership meetings.

But Chelsea should have finished the game with ten men when German defender Robert Huth, who had replaced Desailly and already been booked, was guilty of a disgraceful stamp on Shearer's inner thigh.

Huth threw Shearer to the ground before putting the boot in, but somehow it escaped the attention of referee Rob Styles.

After tinkering fatally with his team in the first leg defeat in Monaco, Tinkerman Ranieri restricted himself to just two changes to the side that started the game last Tuesday, Cole coming in for Scott Parker and Geremi replacing Jesper Gronkjaer.

Robson kept faith with the side that started the goalless UEFA Cup semi-final first leg against Marseille 48 hours later, but given his crippling injury list it was Hobson's choice.

Initially, Chelsea looked set to maintain their grip over the Magpies when Cole conjured his quick-fire finish.

The England midfielder's close control and eye for an opening were a constant cause for concern to the home defence, but when he attempted to capitalise on another return ball, this time from Gudjohnsen, the moved petered out.

Newcastle finally fashioned a meaningful response when Ameobi played the ball out to Darren Ambrose on the right.

The winger worked a sight of goal for himself as he stepped inside his marker, but his shot was blocked in the box by Terry.

United were then relieved to see Hernan Crespo's first touch desert him as he beat Andy O'Brien and the offside trap but failed to take advantage.

The ubiquitous Cole incurred the wrath of the home fans when he went down clutching his head after a high tackle by Aaron Hughes before springing to his feet once the free-kick had been won.

The Geordie faithful were equally unimpressed when Mr Styles refused to entertain penalty appeals after Mario Melchiot appeared to block Bernard's attempted cross with his arm.

Chelsea immediately broke, but when Wayne Bridge took a return pass from Lampard, the left-back's effort sailed high into the Gallowgate End.

Ambrose's service from the right had left something to be desired, but he was certainly willing to have a go at goal himself.

Shearer's deft lay-off presented an opportunity in the 24th minute and Ambrosio's agility was put to the test by Ambrose's thumping 30-yarder, which the keeper turned over in spectacular style.

But Cole almost undid United again three minutes later when he received the ball from Gudjohnsen on the left and cut inside before rolling his shot wide.

Given then shepherded Gudjohnsen's effort wide before Laurent Robert served up a chance for Shearer. The Frenchman checked on to his wrong foot to centre from the left, but the captain's header drifted narrowly past the far upright.

Robert then brought another fine stop from Ambrosio when he emerged on the opposite flank to unleash a stinging left-foot drive that the Italian smothered superbly.

But there was nothing he could do when Ameobi grabbed his eighth goal this term, and the keeper was also at the mercy of the England Under-21 striker two minutes into the second half.

Ambrose crossed from the right, but Ameobi couldn't control his shot, which he hooked high and wide from in front of goal.

That miss, however, was nothing on the scale of an extraordinary sitter scorned by Shearer ten minutes after he had produced his wonder goal.

The ball broke to him from a goalmouth scramble and for a moment he looked a certain scorer.

But somehow he side-footed across goal from around six yards and in the direction of the far corner flag.

Ambrose's deep, curling cross caught Ambrosio unawares in the 66th minute, with the ball dropping fractionally outside the far post.

And Ambrose was in the thick of things again two minutes later when Hughes centred and he stretched to force a goalmouth block before Shearer's shot on the turn was pushed round the post by Ambrosio.

Ranieri had brought on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for the disappointing Crespo and the Dutchman should have equalised within three minutes of his introduction when he fired over from only eight yards on the end of Melchiot's low cross.

Lampard was then just inches away with a firm header after Geremi whipped the ball over from the byline.

Newcastle's sense of vulnerability grew when defensive kingpin Woodgate pulled up with a thigh injury after a challenge with Hasselbaink, and immediately signalled he could not continue.

And the Magpies were happy to see a header from Huth fly wide from Cole's left-wing centre.

Result: Newcastle United 2 Chelsea 1.

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