Chelsea dealt a blow to Tottenham Hotspur‘s aspirations of clinching a top-four finish by securing a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, bolstering their quest for European football next season.
Trevoh Chalobah broke the deadlock in the first half with his first goal since March 2022, providing Chelsea with a vital lead at home. Nicolas Jackson, often criticised throughout his challenging debut season with the Blues, sealed the win with his 14th goal late in the game.
The defeat marks Tottenham’s third consecutive loss, leaving them trailing seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, with only four matches remaining in the season.
Their hopes of securing a Champions League spot have significantly dwindled, while Chelsea’s victory keeps them in contention for European qualification.
The result dealt another blow to Tottenham, whose promising season under manager Postecoglou has been marred by recent setbacks. Despite the Australian’s efforts to revitalize the team, Tottenham’s recent performances have fallen short of expectations.
In contrast, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino enjoyed a satisfying victory against his former club for the second time this season, having previously led them to a 4-1 triumph in November.
Pochettino, who managed Tottenham for five years and guided them to the 2019 Champions League final, put aside any sentimental attachments to secure a crucial win for Chelsea.
The match was Pochettino’s 400th in English football, a milestone that he nearly celebrated with an early goal for Chelsea.
Despite Postecoglou’s attempts to address Tottenham’s deficiencies following their loss to Arsenal, the team failed to deliver, further complicating their pursuit of a top-four finish.
