Tottenham’s hopes of playing Champions League football next season took a significant hit after goals from Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson handed Chelsea an impressive win at Stamford Bridge.
It was a sweet night for Mauricio Pochettino, who celebrated his 400th game in England as a manager – the bulk while manager of Spurs, with a win that moved his Chelsea side up to eight, just three points behind Manchester United in sixth.
Chalobah nodded the hosts in front after 24 minutes and Jackson secured a deserved victory for Chelsea with 18 minutes to go.
The defeat means Spurs stay fifth, still seven points behind Aston Villa but now with just one game in hand.
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Despite a crippling injury list, Chelsea looked surprisingly cohesive in the opening half hour and came close to taking the lead after four minutes.
The lively Mykhailo Mudryk escaped down the left and played in Jackson, whose shot under Guglielmo Vicario was heading in only for Micky van de Ven to get back to clear off the line. Cole Palmer failed to turn home the loose ball.
Chelsea did take the lead 20 minutes later when Conor Gallagher’s free-kick was met by Chalobah and he powered a superb header into the top right-hand corner.
Trevoh Chalobah opens the scoring at Stamford Bridge!
The @ChelseaFC defender expertly heads in from Conor Gallagher’s free-kick, putting the home side ahead 🔓#CHETOT pic.twitter.com/7H9UjbNOj5
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 2, 2024
The home side were rampant and Mudryk almost made it 2-0, firing inches over the bar, after some lovely footwork from Palmer.
Having been completely outplayed, Spurs almost levelled after 37 minutes – Pedro Porro’s free-kick from the right nodded wide from six yards by Cristian Romero.
And Spurs finished the half on top, Chalobah excelling at the other end with a brave block to keep out Pape Sarr’s goalbound effort.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou cut a frustrated figure during the first half, repeatedly berating his players for their lack of press.
And, no doubt with the Australian’s words ringing in their ears, the visitors started the second half with a lot more urgency.
It meant Chelsea were playing largely on the break but it was a tactic that almost proved fruitful as Noni Madueke found Palmer in space but, for once, his radar was awry and he fired high and wide.
It’s two for @ChelseaFC ✌️
Nicolas Jackson heads-in his 11th goal of the season, reacting quickest to Cole Palmer’s fierce free-kick which struck Guglielmo Vicario’s crossbar! #CHETOT pic.twitter.com/LM1u1TsK5n
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 2, 2024
Chelsea did secure the points after 72 minutes, however. Palmer’s brilliant free-kick came back off the underside of the bar and Jackson reacted well to nod the ball home.
Spurs ought to have halved the deficit within a minute but Brennan Johnson fired horribly wide at the far post with the goal gaping.
Rodrigo Bentancur also shot wide late on as Spurs’ search for a consolation came to nought.
