Chelsea secured a vital 1-0 victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge, climbing to fourth in the Premier League as pressure mounted on Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou. A second-half header from Enzo Fernández proved decisive in a fiercely contested derby, further denting Tottenham’s European ambitions.
The breakthrough came in the 50th minute when Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s creative spark, delivered a pinpoint cross into the box. Fernández, timing his run perfectly, rose above the Tottenham defense and powered a header past Guglielmo Vicario, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. The goal ignited celebrations among the Chelsea faithful as they took a crucial step in the race for Champions League qualification.
Before kickoff, Chelsea had slipped to sixth after victories by Manchester City and Newcastle. However, this hard-fought win propelled them back into fourth, one point ahead of City and two clear of Newcastle. With Champions League spots at stake, the Blues showed resilience and determination, despite struggling for fluidity in attack.
Tottenham’s winless run extended to four league matches, and they have now won just one of their last six games in all competitions.
Currently sitting in 14th place, their poor form has sparked frustration among fans. Chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” directed at Postecoglou reflected growing discontent, with the Australian facing mounting pressure over his tactical decisions and team performances.
Tottenham’s defensive frailties and lack of attacking cohesion were evident, with their last victory coming nearly a month ago. They are now enduring their worst league campaign in over two decades, having suffered their 16th defeat in 30 matches. With fans voicing their frustrations and their hopes for European football fading, Postecoglou’s position is increasingly uncertain.
Within the first minute, Trevoh Chalobah played a long pass to Nicolas Jackson, whose shot was saved by Vicario before ricocheting off Micky van de Ven and onto the post. Chelsea maintained early dominance, with Malo Gusto narrowly missing from the edge of the area.
Five minutes into the second half, Palmer swung in a dangerous cross, and Fernández met it with a thunderous header to give Chelsea the lead.
Tottenham believed they had equalized in the 69th minute when Pape Matar Sarr fired a long-range shot into the net. However, VAR intervened and disallowed the goal due to Sarr’s foul on Moisés Caicedo in the buildup, leaving Postecoglou visibly frustrated.
Spurs had one final opportunity in the 89th minute when Son Heung-min found himself through on goal, but Robert Sánchez produced an outstanding save to deny the South Korean, ensuring Chelsea’s victory.
