Chelsea climbed into the Premier League’s top four with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge, keeping their Champions League hopes alive while heaping more pressure on Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou.
Enzo Fernandez’s well-timed header early in the second half sealed the victory for the Blues, who welcomed back Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson from injury.
The win pushed Chelsea above Manchester City into fourth place, leaving Spurs languishing in 14th, in danger of finishing outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008.
From the outset, Chelsea looked sharp and hungry following the international break. Jackson nearly gave them a dream start, striking the post within the opening minute after a deflected clearance off Micky van de Ven.
Moments later, the home crowd thought Malo Gusto had broken the deadlock, only to realize his thunderous shot had found the side netting.
Despite dominating the first half, Chelsea couldn’t find a breakthrough. However, just five minutes after the restart, Fernandez ghosted between Van de Ven and Cristian Romero to head home Palmer’s pinpoint cross.
Moises Caicedo appeared to double the lead with a brilliant volley, but the goal was chalked off for a narrow offside after a lengthy four-minute VAR check.
Spurs thought they had found a lifeline when Pape Matar Sarr rifled in from distance, but referee Craig Pawson overturned his original decision after VAR advised him to review the tackle, Sarr was judged to have caught Caicedo with his studs in the buildup.
Chelsea’s energy remained high throughout, and they continued to apply pressure. Jadon Sancho forced an impressive fingertip save from Guglielmo Vicario, while Jackson kept Spurs’ defense on edge with his lively movement.
Tottenham’s response came too late. Son Heung-min came inches from an equaliser in the 89th minute, sliding in to meet Brennan Johnson’s delivery, but Robert Sanchez reacted brilliantly to preserve Chelsea’s lead.
Defensively, Spurs were unconvincing — disorganized at the back and careless in possession. Vicario’s distribution was erratic, and he failed to assert himself in the box, offering little confidence to his backline.
Tensions flared just before halftime when Cristian Romero shoved Levi Colwill, sparking a brief scuffle between both sides.
However, Tottenham couldn’t convert that emotion into a meaningful comeback.
As the pressure mounts on Postecoglou, who has now lost his first four matches against Chelsea, a record low for a Spurs manager, frustration among the travelling fans was palpable. Some directed chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” at the Australian tactician.
Despite this latest setback, Spurs still have a chance to salvage their season with a Europa League campaign still alive. They face Eintracht Frankfurt in a quarter-final first leg next week, clinging to hopes of securing their first trophy in over 15 years.
Meanwhile, with the return of several key players and momentum on their side, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea are eyeing a strong finish, both in the league and in Europe.
