A day after derby rivals Middlesbrough had opened the door for the reigning champions, the Magpies slammed it shut to leave United three points clear at the top.

Glenn Roeder's side were more than good value for their point after limiting the Blues to only one effort on target, and that 10 minutes from time.

However, Jose Mourinho's side may live to regret misses from Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and at the end, substitute Joe Cole, as they rallied after the break but could not extend their run of nine successive Barclays Premiership victories.

But things could have been even worse for Chelsea had goalkeeper Petr Cech not got down to block Kieron Dyer's 59th-minute shot, and the Magpies left the field to warm applause from a crowd of 52,056 after a second successive home draw against one of the top-four sides.

Chelsea arrived on Tyneside knowing victory would take them to within a point of United a day after they were held 1-1 at Old Trafford by the Magpies' derby rivals Middlesbrough.

However, they did so knowing that was something they had not managed to achieve in the league at St James' Park in four visits.

Newcastle have had an intensely frustrating capacity this season to save their best for the Premiership's big guns, and having taken all three points from Liverpool and one apiece from United and Arsenal already, they were determined to extend that record.

For 45 minutes, they looked more than capable as Roeder's men made the double champions look distinctly ordinary and limited them to two attempts on goal, neither of which troubled goalkeeper Steve Harper.

John Terry's wayward 36th-minute header and a wild long-range striker from full-back Wayne Bridge on the stroke of half-time were as near as the Blues, who lost Michael Ballack to injury after just 18 minutes, came to calling Harper into action.

That was due in the main to a spirited display from the Magpies, for whom captain Nicky Butt was tenacious in midfield and central defender Steven Taylor little short of faultless as he marshalled Didier Drogba to such an extent that the striker started to lose his composure as the game wore on.

For their part, Newcastle created few genuine chances, but always looked the more likely scorers.

Antoine Sibierski caused problems for both Cech and full-back Paulo Ferreira with a second-minute header, while Dyer saw a shot deflected wide eight minutes later.

Obafemi Martins went close with another effort which flew behind off a Chelsea leg and then whistled a 25-yard drive past the post with the home fans sensing an opportunity to have a major say in the destination of the title.

However, Chelsea returned in determined mood and had two opportunities to take the lead within three minutes of the restart.

Lampard shot over in the 47th minute after Kalou had twisted his way past Solano and Titus Bramble to lay the ball back into his path.

Kalou caused problems again seconds later to pick out Shaun Wright-Phillips, but when he pulled the ball square for Drogba, his attempt to curl a shot into the top corner was woefully high and wide.

Mourinho replaced Wright-Phillips with Cole on 55 minutes, but the Magpies went close four minutes later.

Dyer was given the benefit of a marginal offside decision to run on to Butt's through-ball, but Cech made a vital block.

Martins headed over from Milner's corner, but the drama switched swiftly to the other end when Cole found himself in space on the left on 62 minutes.

Lampard's effort from his low cross was blocked and Kalou miskicked as he slid in, allowing Butt to tidy up.

Sibierski headed over from Milner's cross two minutes later, but it was Chelsea, aided by the arrival of substitute Andriy Shevchenko, who finished stronger.

They got their first attempt on target when Drogba flicked in a header at the near post, but Harper was equal to the task.

Martins headed over from a Milner cross and substitute Andy Carroll blasted across the face of goal in injury-time.

However, Cole might have snatched victory in the final seconds when he got a touch on Paulo Ferreira's cross, only to see his effort spin agonisingly wide of the far post.

Afterwards, man-of-the-match, Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, 21, admitted: "It was a great team performance. We thoroughly deserved the point and it was massive for us.

"We tried to catch them on the counter attack but it was very difficult. We will settle for the draw."

Mourinho vented his frustration after referee Mark Halsey had turned down two Chelsea penalty claims in the goalless draw at St James' Park.

The Chelsea manager was already aggrieved that United had escaped defeat against Middlesbrough 24 hours earlier when referee Peter Walton ignored strong claims for a penalty when South Korean striker Lee Dong-Gook was felled by John O'Shea in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Had all three decisions gone Chelsea's way, Mourinho's side could potentially be level with United instead of being three points adrift.

"One rule is not to allow penalties against Man United and another says none in favour of Chelsea," he said. "You are speaking about big decisions which affect points.

"We can speak about the game we saw or the game that could be if Chelsea is winning 1-0 (had they been awarded an early penalty at St James' Park)."

Referring to the Lee Dong-Gook incident at Old Trafford, he added: "They cannot lose. Yesterday it was a penalty in the last minute and they are forbidden to lose."

Mourinho also reiterated his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge next season and claimed that chief executive Peter Kenyon's public backing earlier this week should mean any doubts about his future are at an end.

"I said many times in the last few months that I want to stay," he added. "They (the board) have told me they want me to stay and not leave, and end any speculation.

"I have worked with them for three years and I believe what they say. When they want me to stay and I want to stay that is the end of the story. Between us everything is clear."

Mourinho admitted his side did not deserve to take three points from the game. The Blues dominated the majority of the match but failed to create clear-cut chances against a resolute Newcastle defence.

"If you ask if Chelsea deserve to win this game, I don't think so," Mourinho added. "Newcastle were fresher and were dangerous on the counter attack.

"They deserve to get their point."

Despite seeing his side spurn the opportunity to move within a point of Manchester United, Mourinho claimed he was content to go into the final four games - three of which are at Stamford Bridge - still in touch at the top.

"Our target for weeks has been to finish this period with a situation where we could do it (win the title) and I would have been very happy with this situation 10 weeks ago," he said.

"We are in a position to fight for the Premiership. One win is not a lot."