Chelsea maintained the pressure on Manchester United, the league leaders, by winning at Newcastle United to ensure the destiny of the Premier League title is not decided until after next Sunday’s final round of matches.

As has often been the case this season, the west Londoners produced a far from vintage performance, particularly in the first half, but one that was ruthlessly efficient and carried the cutting edge when it mattered.

The opener, from Michael Ballack, came on 61 minutes and was a strike of admirable simplicity. Chelsea were awarded a free-kick on the right-hand edge of the area, Didier Drogba dummied the setpiece to freeze the Newcastle defence and then dinked in his cross right-footed from which the German rose, unchallenged, to head home from six yards.

Florent Malouda, the France international, added a second for insurance eight minutes from time, finishing with aplomb after a delightful flowing Chelsea move, ultimately collecting an inch-perfect through ball from Frank Lampard, the substitute, and slotting the ball effortlessly past Steve Harper.

It is the third time in Premier League history that the title has been decided on the final day of the season. Chelsea host Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge, while Manchester United, who lead on goal difference, travel to face Wigan Athletic, the club managed by their former player, Steve Bruce.

“I think they [Wigan] will do the Premier League justice,” Terry said after the game. “Wigan are safe now but with a great manager like Steve Bruce they are going to go for it.

“If we pick up three points at home to Bolton, we have a very good chance.”

It was a far from a straightforward victory for Avram Grant’s side on Tyneside and Michael Owen in particular will feel he could have had a couple of goals on another day.

Terry admitted it had taken a rocket from Grant at the interval to get the side going after a lacklustre first-half display

“It was a bit slow at times and we got a bit of a rollicking at half-time,” he added. “All we can do is our job and I thought we did a professional job.”

Grant, though, was impressed with the resolve shown by his side to grind out a result.

“We didn’t play good. We started the first half very slow, the movement was not good. Maybe they were a little bit tired. We changed the tactics and the second half was one of our best."

He added: “I think this is one of the best seasons. We have shown a lot of character. The advantage is to United but it will not be easy in the last game. They need to win.

“I think we have given United a good battle and we want to continue until the last minute.”

Newcastle’s pressing game frustrated Chelsea early on as they struggled to get Drogba into the game, while Nicolas Anelka was seeing plenty of the ball, but mainly in wide positions.

The home side came agonisingly close to taking the lead just before the half hour after Obafemi Martins caused havoc in the Chelsea box. The Nigerian controlled the ball on his chest, allowing Mark Viduka to stab in a shot which Petr Cech blocked. Owen seemed certain to convert the rebound - but was denied by a superb goal-line clearance from John Terry.

The Chelsea captain was booked for a 34th-minute challenge on Owen, although his displeasure at referee Steve Bennett’s decision was understandable. The visitors could have gone ahead seconds later when Essien’s pass left Michael Ballack in acres of space inside the Newcastle box, but he sliced his left-foot shot from a narrowing angle wide.

Anelka drilled a long-range effort just off target as the visitors started to increase their tempo, but the home side held firm.

Chelsea looked far more purposeful when they emerged after the interval and Terry thundered a header against the crossbar from a right-wing Malouda corner.

Six minutes later, though, Chelsea were in front courtesy of Ballack, but still Newcastle were still not done.

Martins saw a shot deflected inches wide and Owen, who was just onside, stole in unmarked but just lacked the inches to prod home a ball by Nicky Butt which had bounced over the sleeping Chelsea defence.

Ballack fired a 25-yard shot straight at Harper before Malouda killed off the last of Newcastle’s resistance.