Chelsea reclaimed their place in the Premier League’s top four with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, thanks to a decisive second-half header from Enzo Fernandez.
The Argentine midfielder rose highest in the 50th minute to nod home Cole Palmer’s perfectly measured cross, sealing a crucial win for Enzo Maresca’s side in their pursuit of UEFA Champions League qualification.
Chelsea, who needed to respond after Manchester City and Newcastle secured midweek wins, showed their intent early on. Within the opening minute, Nicolas Jackson nearly capitalised on a defensive error when Micky van de Ven’s clearance struck him and bounced back off the post.
The Blues dominated much of the first half and were nearly rewarded in stoppage time when Jadon Sancho’s powerful drive was tipped over superbly by Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
The breakthrough came shortly after the restart. Palmer, who has been a standout performer this season, delivered a delightful cross that found Fernandez unmarked in the box. The Chelsea skipper made no mistake, powering a header past Vicario to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Chelsea thought they had doubled their advantage just six minutes later when Moises Caicedo smashed home a volley, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review showed Levi Colwill was offside in the build-up.
Tottenham also suffered VAR frustration. Pape Sarr appeared to have scored an equaliser when his long-range effort was parried by Robert Sanchez into the net, but the goal was chalked off for a foul on Caicedo in the build-up.
Despite late pressure from Spurs, Chelsea held firm to secure a fifth straight home win in the Premier League. The result leaves Tottenham with their 16th league defeat of the season and increases pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, especially given their poor record in London derbies losing six out of 10 this campaign.
Chelsea now sit fourth in the table, reigniting hopes of a strong finish to the season and Champions League qualification. For Tottenham, however, the defeat highlights their ongoing inconsistency and defensive frailties.
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