Chelsea FC News

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Jamie Redknapp discusses Chelsea’s first season under Mauricio Pochettino and believes the Blues need to stick with the Argentine and feels they need a long-lasting period of continuity.

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Mauricio Pochettino reflects on Chelsea’s 2-0 win over rivals Tottenham and admits the result has given him happiness for the first time this season.

Chelsea dealt a huge blow to Tottenham’s top-four hopes and boosted their own chances of European qualification with a 2-0 victory over their London rivals at Stamford Bridge.

The hosts, missing 14 first-team players due to injury, went in front through Trevoh Chalobah’s towering header from Conor Gallagher’s free-kick in the first half as Spurs’ set-piece frailties were exposed again following their defeat to Arsenal.

Ange Postecoglou was visibly incensed with his side’s poor display in the first period and Chelsea doubled their lead in the 72nd minute, despite some Spurs improvement, when Nicolas Jackson headed home after Cole Palmer’s free-kick came back off the crossbar.

The victory ensures Mauricio Pochettino has completed the double over his former side following Chelsea’s 4-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November and puts them only two points behind Newcastle in eighth. Spurs, meanwhile, remain seven points off fourth-placed Aston Villa, now with only one game in hand.

How Chelsea powered to victory

Spurs were fortunate not to fall behind as early as the fifth minute, when the dangerous Mykhailo Mudryk played in Jackson, whose low effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven, with Palmer unable to turn home the loose ball.

As Chelsea continued to tear through Spurs, Postecoglou, normally a figure of calm on the touchline, became increasingly furious, raging at the concession of a free-kick by Emerson Royal from which his side’s much-discussed set-piece frailties were again exposed.

Chalobah did superbly to direct his towering header over Guglielmo Vicario and into the net from Gallagher’s delivery, but the defender was unmarked, with Marc Cucurella blocking Brennan Johnson and VAR deeming the goal fair after a lengthy check.

Postecoglou remained animated on the touchline, berating his players during breaks in play, but Spurs did improve as the half wore on and should have levelled when Cristian Romero headed wide from close range at the far post. Pape Sarr sent another chance just wide.

Spurs pinned Chelsea back at the start of the second half but struggled to carve out chances, not even mustering a shot on target until just after the hour-mark, when Pedro Porro’s diagonal effort was parried away by Djordje Petrovic.

Chelsea remained a threat on the break but it was from another set-piece that they got their second goal, Palmer’s superb free-kick crashing back off the underside of the bar, with Jackson reacting quickest to loop a header into the net.

Johnson spurned an immediate chance to pull a goal back at the other end, but Spurs never really looked likely to rally after that, with Postecoglou’s first-half rage replaced by a look of resignation as his side suffered a third consecutive defeat, leaving their top-four hopes hanging by a thread.

Spurs’ set-piece woes – Opta stats

• Tottenham have now conceded 14 set-piece goals in the Premier League this season. Only Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Luton and Burnley have conceded more.
• Chelsea have won eight of their last 10 home Premier League games (D1 L1), after winning just one of the 14 before that (D7 L6).
• Tottenham have lost each of their last three Premier League games, as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 16 in the competition (W10 D3).
• Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is the first manager to complete a Premier League double over Tottenham having previously managed them in the competition.
• Tottenham have kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 Premier League games, while their total of just six shut-outs in the competition this season is their lowest tally since 2006/07 (six in 38 games).

Chelsea’s remaining fixtures

May 5: West Ham (H) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm

May 11: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports

May 15: Brighton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm

May 19: Bournemouth (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4pm

Tottenham’s remaining fixtures

May 5: Liverpool (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

May 11: Burnley (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm

May 14: Man City (H) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports

May 19: Sheffield United (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4pm

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Mauricio Pochettino recalls the infamous ‘Battle of The Bridge’ from 2016, however the Chelsea manager has a different version of events!