Goals in either half from Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson gave Chelsea a vital 2-0 win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The win moves Mauricio Pochettino’s side to eighth in the Premier League table and just two points behind Newcastle United who are in the final European spot. Spurs meanwhile are still seven points Aston Villa in fourth with just four games left.
After striking the first dent in Tottenham Hotspur’s title hopes in November, Chelsea may have shattered their London rivals’ Champions League prospects with a dazzling display to triumph 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Two fantastic free-kicks from England duo Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer set up two superb headed goals for Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson as a threadbare Chelsea side outplayed the visitors and showed they’ve not given up on their own European dreams.
Apart from a wave of pressure early in the second-half, Ange Postecoglou’s team were distinctly second-best for much of the evening and failed to take the few chances they did create – including a gilt-edged set-piece opportunity for Cristian Romero to equalise. The result means Tottenham remain seven points behind Aston Villa and now have just one game in hand during a run-in that features matches against Liverpool and Manchester City.
Meanwhile, with the Premier League top seven all in contention for European football next season, Chelsea have closed to just two points behind seventh-placed Newcastle and three behind Manchester United in sixth. With the outgoing Thiago Silva becoming the fourteenth name on Mauricio Pochettino’s injury list, the Chelsea boss could only afford to make one change to Postecoglou’s five with both managers navigating a short turnaround the weekend.
However, it was the hosts who looked the more energetic from the off, with Tottenham’s often laboured build-up play rarely threatening Dorde Petrovic’s goal.
Brennan Johnson was the one exception to that rule, with the electric Welshman’s direct runs giving Tottenham their only spark in the first-half, but the lack of penetration from the other wing was the biggest surprise.
Up against the most experienced player on the pitch with just ten Premier League caps under his own belt, Alfie Gilchrist looked to be in for a tough evening at right-back but the reality was anything but that.
Son Heung-Min didn’t register a touch in the final third in the opening 45 minutes and despite Postecoglou introducing James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – all dropped to the bench after the derby defeat to Arsenal – Chelsea enjoyed the better second-half opportunities too.
Pochettino didn’t have anything like those substitute options, with only two outfield players on his bench possessing any Premier League experience – but his young guns showed there’s hope for next season at Stamford Bridge.
TALKING POINT: PENDULUM SWINGS IN TWO EUROPEAN RACES
A boisterous rendition of ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’ rung around Stamford Bridge after Jackson’s goal effectively sealed the win for Chelsea.
It may also ensure Tottenham are hearing that chant for another 24 months, as they took yet another hammer blow to their Champions League prospects.
With Borussia Dortmund ensuring only the Premier League’s top four can qualify for the Champions League, Tottenham now need require a miracle – but fifth-place would still constitute a successful first season for Postecoglou after Kane’s departure.
Chelsea can start dreaming once again though, with West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Bournemouth left on the schedule then a tilt at the Conference or even Europa League remains on the cards, particularly if they can replicate tonight’s performance.
There were standouts all over the field, with the centre-back pairing looking rock-solid throughout and expertly linked to the front four by Moises Caicedo and in particular Conor Gallagher.
The pace of Palmer, Jackson, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk had their opponents looking rattled almost every time they broke forward too, with the 2-0 scoreline a deserved margin of victory.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: CONOR GALLAGHER
Chalobah’s first-half interventions to score and save a goal in the first-half were incredibly impressive, but captaining a young team, 24-year-old Conor Gallagher looked like a veteran ten years older to lead his side to victory.
While Palmer’s free-kick assist for Jackson’s goal will deservedly grab the headlines, Gallagher drew the foul that started that passage of possession off and his delivery for Chalobah’s first was inch-perfect too.
PLAYER RATINGS
CHELSEA: Petrovic 6, Gilchrist 7, Chalobah 8, Badiashile 7, Cucurella 6, Caicedo 6, Gallagher 8, Madueke 7, Palmer 7, Mudryk 7, Jackson 7. Subs: Casadei 6, Acheampong 6, Tauriaimen 6.
TOTTENHAM: Vicario 5, Porro 6, Romero 5, Van de Ven 7, Emerson 6, Bissouma 5, Sarr 6, Johnson 7, Kulusevski 5, Son 5, Richarlison 5. Subs: Maddison 5, Bentancur 6, Hojbjerg 5, Gil 6, Lo Celso 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
6’ – OFF THE LINE!!! Wow it’s exploded into life now though! Conor Gallagher robbed Pedro Porro allowing Nicolas Jackson to burst clear of a scrambling Spurs , the striker’s shot squirmed under Guglielmo Vicario and he turned away to celebrate, but didn’t reckon on Micky van de Ven! The fastest player in the Premier League put his pace to good work there, clearing off his own line to safety despite a ricochet off Cole Palmer at point-blank range… Game on!!
24’ – GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 TOTTENHAM (CHALOBAH) It’s another set-piece goal against Tottenham, but that was all about Chelsea brilliance! Gallagher swung in a pinpoint deep free-kick and met Trevor Chalobah all alone but with plenty to do around ten yards out, he produces a perfect header though, looping over Vicario and into the net!
38’ – HAD TO SCORE! Wow. A foul on Richarlison buys Spurs precious attacking position in line with the penalty area, and it’s almost perfectly executed as a cross flashes in to Cristian Romero in front of goal just a few yards out. However, he can’t redirect the ball quite enough and it flies past the post with the net gaping.
45+2’ – CHALOBAH AGAIN! It’s at the other end of the field, but that intervention is just as important as his goal! A lightning-quick 1-2 between Johnson and Porro allowed the Welshman to pull the ball back to Sarr, but Chalobah got in front of his shot for a crucial block.
72’ – GOAL!! CHELSEA 2-0 TOTTENHAM (JACKSON): It’s Jackson on the scoresheet but that is ALL ABOUT COLE PALMER! His screaming free-kick from over 25 yards out that crunches the crossbar, then Jackson is quickest to respond with a fantastic header that arcs over Son and Hojbjerg and into the net!!!
KEY STATS