Chelsea dealt an enormous blow to Tottenham’s top-four hopes and boosted their very own probabilities of European qualification with a 2-0 victory over their London rivals at Stamford Bridge.
The hosts went in entrance by Trevoh Chalobah’s towering header from Conor Gallagher’s free-kick within the first half as Spurs’ set-piece frailties have been uncovered once more following their defeat to Arsenal.
Ange Postecoglou was visibly incensed along with his facet’s poor show within the first interval and Chelsea doubled their lead within the 72nd minute, regardless of some Spurs enchancment, when Nicolas Jackson headed house after Cole Palmer’s free-kick got here again off the crossbar.
The victory ensures Mauricio Pochettino has accomplished the double over his former facet following Chelsea’s 4-1 win on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November and places them solely two factors behind Newcastle in eighth. Spurs, in the meantime, stay seven factors off fourth-placed Aston Villa, now with just one sport in hand.
How Chelsea powered to victory
Spurs have been lucky to not fall behind as early because the fifth minute, when the damaging Mykhailo Mudryk performed in Jackson, whose low effort was brilliantly cleared off the road by Micky van de Ven, with Palmer unable to show house the free ball.
As Chelsea continued to tear by Spurs, Postecoglou, usually a determine of calm on the touchline, grew to become more and more livid, raging on the concession of a free-kick by Emerson Royal from which his facet’s much-discussed set-piece frailties have been once more uncovered.
Chalobah did beautifully to direct his towering header over Guglielmo Vicario and into the online from Gallagher’s supply, however the defender was unmarked, with Marc Cucurella blocking Brennan Johnson and VAR deeming the purpose honest after a prolonged test.
Postecoglou remained animated on the touchline, berating his gamers throughout breaks in play, however Spurs did enhance because the half wore on and may have levelled when Cristian Romero headed extensive from shut vary on the far put up. Pape Sarr despatched one other probability simply extensive.
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Cristian Romero missed a golden probability for Spurs
Spurs pinned Chelsea again firstly of the second half however struggled to carve out probabilities, not even mustering a shot on track till simply after the hour-mark, when Pedro Porro’s diagonal effort was parried away by Djordje Petrovic.
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Nicolas Jackson headed in Chelsea’s second purpose
Chelsea remained a risk on the break but it surely was from one other set-piece that they obtained their second purpose, Palmer’s excellent free-kick crashing again off the underside of the bar, with Jackson reacting quickest to loop a header into the online.
Johnson spurned a direct probability to tug a purpose again on the different finish, however Spurs by no means actually seemed more likely to rally after that, with Postecoglou’s first-half rage changed by a glance of resignation as his facet suffered a 3rd consecutive defeat, leaving their top-four hopes hanging by a thread.
Chelsea’s remaining fixtures
Might 5: West Ham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm
Might 11: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, reside on Sky Sports activities
Might 15: Brighton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
Might 19: Bournemouth (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4pm
Tottenham’s remaining fixtures
Might 5: Liverpool (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, reside on Sky Sports activities
Might 11: Burnley (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
Might 14: Man Metropolis (H) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, reside on Sky Sports activities
Might 19: Sheffield United (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4pm
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