Chelsea beat Tottenham 1-0 to move back into top four
Spurs winless in four and 14th in Premier League
Fernandez heads Chelsea ahead after the break
Sarr has long-range equaliser ruled out after VAR check
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FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
That is all for tonight as Chelsea got a vital three points to move into the top four with a tight 1-0 win over Tottenham on another difficult night for Ange Postecoglou.
Thanks as always for joining us and for your comments.
Until next time, bye for now.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Emily Salley
BBC Sport
Enzo Fernandez scored as Chelsea beat Tottenham to move into the Premier League's top four and boost their hopes of Champions League football next season.
Defeat for Spurs piled more pressure on head coach Ange Postecoglou - whose side stay 14th, and remain on course to finish outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008.
The Blues, boosted by the returns from injury of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, dominated proceedings at Stamford Bridge, but they were frustrated by a goalless first-half having missed plenty of opportunities.
They carried the same threat after the interval and were rewarded in the 50th minute when Fernandez headed home Palmer's inch-perfect delivery.
Moises Caicedo swept a crisp volley past Guglielmo Vicario moments later, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside in the build-up following a four-minute VAR review.
Tottenham then had an equaliser ruled out after substitute Pape Matar Sarr fired in from 20 yards out.
Referee Craig Pawson, advised by VAR to have a look at the pitchside monitor, overturned his decision after watching the Spurs midfielder catch Caicedo with his studs before taking aim.
The result moves Chelsea to fourth in the Premier League, knocking reigning champions Manchester City down to fifth and Newcastle to sixth.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou on claims he cupped his ears towards Spurs fans after Pape Sarr thought he had equalised. He had earlier been jeered for making the change,
He said: "Oh, jeez mate. It is incredible, we just scored, I wanted to hear them cheer, I wanted them to get excited, I wanted to win the game with the momentum, it wasn't the first time my substitution was booed."
When pressed on whether it was a mistake to do it: "I am at some disconnect with the world these days - I don't know. Maybe you are right."
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Jamie Redknapp
Former Tottenham midfielder on Sky Sports
On Ange Postecoglou's VAR complaints: "It [Tottenham's goal being disallowed] was clear and obvious, I would say that.
"I totally get his frustration because it does border on re-refereeing the game, but ultimately, it got to the right decision. How he [Craig Pawson] had to stand at the screen and look at it as long as he did when you can see it's a blatant foul. He catches him high, it's quite a nasty foul to be honest.
"This is what we put VAR in for, to help the referee. but it should be 30 seconds, go and look at it. You should understand the game enough."
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou on VAR, speaking to Sky Sports: "It's killing the game mate, it's not the same game it used to be. We all sat on our couches last night and watched TV [when Everton's James Tarkowski was not sent off for a high challenge on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister] and I guarantee you if Jarred Gillett was VAR last night it would've been a different outcome so you just don't know what we're going to get.
"You are standing around for 12 minutes. It's just killing the game, but no-one cares about that, they just love the drama and controversy and I'm sure there will be 24 hours discussion about it and that's what everyone wants - they're not really interested that it's killing the spectacle of the game.
"If a referee sees that and he needs to see it for six minutes, what's clear and obvious about it?
"Last night we were all sat on our couches and saw one replay and thought 'oh my god'. Tonight we sat there and were waiting for six minutes for something that VAR official Jarred Gillett thought was clear and obvious - it's crazy, it's madness. We accept it and have to take the fall out from it. Clear and obvious? What does that suggest, that it's on the first replay. That's why the game is going the way it is."
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Cole Palmer has assisted seven goals in the Premier League this season (1 in this game), more than any other Chelsea player.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea manager Enzo Maresca speaking to Sky Sports: "The result is an important part because we are close to the end of the season. At the same time we try to achieve the result playing in the way we want to play. At some moments the team was very good, then we don't work every day, we don't like to finish the game like we did in the last five minutes. If we want to become an important team we need to win in a dirty way, ugly way and [I'm] quite happy.
"Overall, I think it was a very good performance, I think we deserved to win the game we created enough chances already in the first half to score. In the last 10 minutes I think the team showed effort, togetherness, spirit and it's something that we need.
"If you measure on the result then for sure if we achieve Champions League is an important thing but from my point of view, I try to see how we improve day by day and I can see, since the first day, I think the team is getting better and better."
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, speaking to Sky Sports, said: "It's a difficult night, a tight game and not an easy place to come. We had to work hard to stay in the game, we let in a disappointing goal then fought our way back into the game but weren't able to get anything out of it.
"It is still a work in progress, the first time we had the whole group in together and in the final third we could've been a bit cleaner with our football but for the most part we handled it quite well.
"It's a tough ask coming here, there was still enough there tonight to show the lads are getting back to the level we need."
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea defender Levi Colwill speaking to Sky Sports: "It was a tough one out there but it meant everything to me, the boys and the fans, especially. The fans were amazing out there. they got us through that I can tell you that.
"It was giving the Tottenham fans stick and that was what we needed. That gave us the extra 10 minutes, the runs at the end and the boys were buzzing from it. That was amazing.
"We felt comfortable. We knew how they play and we knew how to hurt them. Today we played really well and we could've scored way more chances.
"Everyone always says I have a load of potential but I don't think potential means anything, you've got to show it every game. This season, at times, I have at times I haven't. I need to keep progressing and learning because I know where I can be and under this gaffer he'll take me there I'm sure.
"We need to win games at the end of the day. we're fighting for Champions League. To win games we have to change style sometimes. We knew they have a high line and we have Nicolas Jackson. He's a huge threat, to feet and in behind and we know if we play to his advantages we'll score goals and today we did score goals through that."
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou has just said VAR is "killing the game, killing the spectacle", full quotes to come soon.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Tottenham have failed to win in their last four games in the Premier League, their last longer winless streak was from 22 December to 26 January, a run of seven games.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Jamie Redknapp
Former Tottenham midfielder on Sky Sports
There's a disconnect between the two [Tottenham fans and Ange Postecoglou] at the moment. It's not ideal for the manager.
He's got some big games ahead. He's got to keep his head up, got to keep going, working hard and believing in what they do.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Gary Cahill
Former Chelsea defender on Sky Sports
It's a huge result. Decent performance from Chelsea I thought they were the better team throughout.
If I was a Spurs fans I'd be disappointed with that performance. I thought they were really poor in the game.
Delighted for Chelsea, professional performance and a great win en route to Champions league qualification.
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Chelsea jump up two spots above Newcastle and Manchester City into fourth place.
Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Chelsea go up to fourth in the table, while Tottenham suffer a 16th Premier League defeat of the season.
Enzo Fernandez headed in from Cole Palmer's cross early in the second half, before both teams had a goal ruled out after VAR interventions and Spurs could not find a leveller.
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Chelsea's Noni Madueke is chopped down by Djed Spence, who gets a yellow card.
Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Guglielmo Vicario launches a ball forwards, but Chelsea clear their lines.
Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Two minutes of the 12 additional to go.
Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Tottenham then do get a corner, but it comes to nothing. Time running out for Ange Postecoglou.
Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham
Pedro Porro is furious with the assistant referee. The Spurs man wanted a corner, the official says 'no' and Porro gets a yellow for complaining.
Cole Palmer has been involved in 21 Premier League goals this season (14 goals, seven assists)
Enzo Fernandez scored as Chelsea beat Tottenham to move into the Premier League's top four and boost their hopes of Champions League football next season.
Defeat for Spurs piled more pressure on head coach Ange Postecoglou - whose side stay 14th, and remain on course to finish outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008.
The Blues, boosted by the returns from injury of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, dominated proceedings at Stamford Bridge, but they were frustrated by a goalless first-half having missed plenty of opportunities.
They carried the same threat after the interval and were rewarded in the 50th minute when Fernandez headed home Palmer's inch-perfect delivery.
Moises Caicedo swept a crisp volley past Guglielmo Vicario moments later, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside in the build-up following a four-minute VAR review.
Tottenham then had an equaliser ruled out after substitute Pape Matar Sarr fired in from 20 yards out.
Referee Craig Pawson, advised by VAR to have a look at the pitchside monitor, overturned his decision after watching the Spurs midfielder catch Caicedo with his studs before taking aim.
The result moves Chelsea to fourth in the Premier League, knocking reigning champions Manchester City down to fifth and Newcastle to sixth.
Maresca 'happy' to be back in top four
The Blues were in scintillating form from the off as they returned to action following the recent international break.
They were unlucky not to score in the first minute, when Jackson hit the post after Micky van de Ven's attempted clearance rebounded off the forward's shin.
The home fans were quick to celebrate when they though Malo Gusto had scored with a fierce strike before quickly realising it had rifled into the side-netting.
Vicario made a superb fingertip save to deny Jadon Sancho, while Jackson continued to cause Van de Ven and Cristian Romero all sorts of problems with darting runs towards the Tottenham penalty area.
And it was the two Spurs centre-backs who were caught off guard when Fernandez drifted easily between the pair and leapt highest to direct Palmer's cross in.
A strong end to the season is well within reach for Enzo Maresca's side.
Bolstered by the return of key players from injury, a Champions League spot is in their sights, while the chance for silverware in the Europa Conference League seems a genuine possibility.
Six minutes to come to a clear and obvious decision - Ange on VAR 'lottery'
After looking lacklustre for much of the game, Tottenham's surge forward in search of an equaliser came all too late.
Son Heung-min was agonisingly close to netting an 89th-minute leveller as he slided in to reach Brennan Johnson's cross, but Robert Sanchez scrambled across his goalline brilliantly to deny the Spurs captain.
While Chelsea constantly hassled their visitors, Tottenham looked panicked in defence, sloppy in possession and struggled to fashion many clear-cut chances.
Vicario, meanwhile, provided little reassurance to his backline with multiple wayward passes and an inability to command his box convincingly.
Frustrations boiled over on the stroke of half-time when Cristian Romero's shove on Levi Colwill caused a maul as players squared up to each other.
But Tottenham were unable to channel their emotions into anything worthwhile.
And in the wake of this defeat, Postecoglou's future at the club becomes all the more uncertain.
Some away fans directed chants of "you don't know what you're doing" at the Australian manager, who becomes the first-ever Spurs boss to lose his first four fixtures against Chelsea.
But there is still a hope for success in the Europa League - and a first trophy since 2008 - with a quarter-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt next week.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 70 | 27 | 43 | 73 |
| |
| 30 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 55 | 25 | 30 | 61 |
| |
| 30 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 50 | 35 | 15 | 57 |
| |
| 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 37 | 17 | 52 |
| |
| 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 57 | 40 | 17 | 51 |
| |
| 29 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 49 | 39 | 10 | 50 |
| |
| 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 44 | 45 | -1 | 48 |
| |
| 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 48 | 45 | 3 | 47 |
| |
| 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 44 | 40 | 4 | 45 |
| |
| 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 49 | 38 | 11 | 44 |
| |
| 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 51 | 47 | 4 | 41 |
| |
| 29 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 34 | 3 | 40 |
| |
| 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 37 | 41 | -4 | 37 |
| |
| 30 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 55 | 44 | 11 | 34 |
| |
| 30 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 32 | 37 | -5 | 34 |
| |
| 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 33 | 50 | -17 | 34 |
| |
| 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 41 | 58 | -17 | 29 |
| |
| 30 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 30 | 63 | -33 | 20 |
| |
| 30 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 25 | 67 | -42 | 17 |
| |
| 30 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 22 | 71 | -49 | 10 |
|
Manager: Enzo Maresca
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Ange Postecoglou
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Enzo Maresca
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Ange Postecoglou
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Premier League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games against Spurs (W9 D2), winning the last three in a row by an aggregate score of 10-4.
Tottenham have lost each of their last three Premier League games against Chelsea, last losing more consecutively against the Blues between January 2000 and March 2002 (6).
Chelsea have won more Premier League games (36) and scored more Premier League goals (120) against Tottenham than they have vs any other opponent. Indeed, only three teams have scored more goals against a side in the competition than their 120 vs Spurs (Arsenal vs Everton, Manchester United vs Everton, Liverpool vs Newcastle, all 124).
No side has earned fewer points in Premier League London derbies this season than Tottenham (10, level with Brentford), who have lost five of nine such games this season (W3 D1). Only in 1987-88 (6), 1989-90 (6), 2003-04 (6), and 2004-05 (7) have Spurs ever suffered more London derby defeats in a league campaign.
Chelsea have won each of their last four Premier League games at Stamford Bridge, the last two of which while also keeping a clean sheet. Only once in the last five seasons (from 2020-21) have the Blues won three successive home league games without conceding, doing so from April to May 2024 in a run that included a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Coming into this matchday, only Leicester (10) and Southampton (12) have lost more Premier League away games this season than Tottenham Hotspur (8). Not since 2008-09 have Spurs suffered more away defeats in a single league campaign (11).
Heading into this matchday, only Liverpool have had more shots following fast breaks (56) in the Premier League this season than Chelsea (42), while only Liverpool have scored more goals from fast breaks (13) than Tottenham (10) in the division this term.
Ange Postecoglou has lost all three of his Premier League meetings with Chelsea – the only side he has faced without yet picking up a point in the competition. He could become the first ever Tottenham manager to lose each of his first four league games against Chelsea in charge of the club.
Against no other side does Nicolas Jackson have more Premier League goals than his four against Tottenham (also 4 v West Ham). Indeed, 47.8% of the Chelsea striker’s goals in the competition overall have been scored in London derbies (11/23); among players with 20+ Premier League goals, only Manuel Lanzini has netted a higher proportion in all-London clashes (48.1% - 13/27).
Son Heung-min has nine Premier League assists this season, making him one away from recording 10+ assists in four separate seasons in the competition (10 in each of 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2023-24), which would equal Christian Eriksen’s Premier League record for Tottenham. However, Son has faced Chelsea in the league 17 times without providing a single assist – the most he’s faced a side in the Premier League without setting up a goal.
