Chelsea show title credentials in seven-goal thriller against Spurs
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CHELSEA closed the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table to four points and condemned Tottenham to more misery by coming from behind to win an enthralling London derby 4-3.
Ange Postecoglou has been under pressure after a poor run of results, with only one win in their previous six games, and this latest defeat will hurt all the more considering Tottenham were 2-0 ahead inside the first 11 minutes.
But Chelsea showed why they must be taken seriously as title contenders with an outstanding display second-half display. After Jadon Sancho reduced the arrears before half-time, Cole Palmer scored twice from the penalty spot and Enzo Fernandes volleyed home to complete a remarkable turnaround that enabled Chelsea to move clear in second place, two points ahead of Arsenal.
Enzo Maresca has surprised most neutrals - and even some Chelsea supporters - by taking over an expensive but underperforming squad and moulding them into a serious unit. They have lost only twice in the league - to Manchester City and Liverpool - and this was their fifth consecutive victory.
Yet it had started so well for Spurs, who desperately need a break.
The team sheet showed a surprise with the return for injury of Tottenham’s first-choice centre-back pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. It was something of a gamble, perhaps a sign of the pressure Ange Postecoglou has been feeling, and it backfired to some extent when Romero limped off in the 15th minute.
By then, however, Spurs were 2-0 ahead. Both goals originated from an unlikely source, with Marc Cucurella slipping to concede possession each time. From the first, Brennan Johnson nipped in and crossed low for Dominic Solanke to stab home from close range, the Spurs striker getting ahead mid his marker Levi Colwill.
The second time Cucurella slipped, six minutes later, Johnson again pounced to feed Dejan Kulusevski, who dribbled across the edge of the Chelsea penalty area before hitting a low shot through a crowd of legs inside Robert Sanchez’s near post.
Cucurella immediately changed his footwear and was more settled thereafter. Sanchez was also having a nightmare, regularly giving away possession, and it looked like Tottenham might go on to make hay.
But Jadon Sancho gave Chelsea hope with a fine strike in the 18th minute, cutting in from the left before unleashing a low shot that rebounded in off the far post.
Chances came and went at both ends. Heung Min Son curled a shot just over the angle of bar and far post, then crossed for Pape Matar Sarr to head on to the crossbar.
Fraser Forster, in the Tottenham goal, made a fine save from Cole Palmer and then blocked Pedro Neto’s follow-up shot with an outstretched leg.
But the keeper had little chance when Palmer equalised from the penalty spot after Yves Bissouma brought down Moises Caicedo on the hour mark.
From that point on, Chelsea looked the most likely side to score and so it proved 12 minutes later when Enzo Fernandes volleyed home from 15 yards to put them ahead for the first time.
It was all over soon afterwards when Palmer scored his second penalty of the game, having been barged over by Sarr. The England midfielder is known for his cool temperament, and he was ice-cold as he cheekily chipped the ball over a diving Forster.
Son pulled one goal back for Spurs deep in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late to prevent another momentous win for the Blues.
Forster 7; Porro 6, Romero 6 (Dragusin 15), Van de Ven 7 (Gray 79); Udogie 6; Sarr 6, Bissouma 6 (Bergvall 79), Kulusevski 7 (Maddison 79); Johnson 7 (Werner 53) Solanke 7, Son 6
Sanchez 5; Caicedo 6, Badiashile 6, Colwill 6, Cucurella 5; Palmer, 9 Lavia 7 (Gusto 46), Fernandez 8; Neto 7, Jackson 6 (Nkunku 76), Sancho 7.
Anthony Taylor 8/10