Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham LIVE REACTION: Pochettino does the double over former side to hand Spurs major Champions League blow
Chelsea could have sunk Tottenham’s hopes of a top-four finish at Stamford Bridge with a decisive 2-0 victory.
The Blues boosted their own chances of a European place themselves while hugely damaging Spurs’ in the process.
Mauricio Pochettino came back to haunt former club Tottenham again as he completed the double this campaign.
Spurs' recent set piece woes were apparent once again when Trevoh Chalobah headed in from a free-kick in the 24th minute.
The goal was finally given after a lengthy check for offside and then a foul, with Chelsea deservedly going ahead on the night.
They were second best at the start of the second half though as Spurs showed more intent going forward in the opening stages.
But they failed to make the most of their pressure and Chelsea were on hand to punish them for this with 18 minutes left to play.
A Cole Palmer free-kick rattled the crossbar and Nicolas Jackson was the first to reply on the rebound, heading into an almost empty net.
And that's it from us!
Pochettino came back to haunt former club Tottenham again as Chelsea sealed a 2-0 win against them at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues won a chaotic reverse fixture 4-1 earlier in the season, Spurs' first Premier League defeat of the campaign, and completed the double in relative comfort on Thursday night.
For more coverage, check out our match report below...
Top four 'will be difficult'
Van de Ven speaking to Sky Sports: "Today was not a good performance from us. We can do much better.
"First half we didn't try to play. We didn't push forward when we come out. We tried to play in the second half but there was not that confidence today.
"We have to take a look back a this game and bounce back better at the weekend."
"[Top-four] will be difficult. I don't want to look up to the Champions League after this game, it was not a good performance from us and it is important we play a good game on Sunday."
Pochettino: First time this season that I feel so happy
Pochettino to Sky Sports: "We trust in our players and even with the circumstances we were in today (14 injuries) we really believe it's an opportunity to show we believe in what we're doing, our philosophy.
"Full credit to the players. In the way they approached the game, the first half, the way we defend and the way we try to play.
"I think it's my first time in the season that I feel so happy because it's the moment that after 10 months the team start to realise that we need to compete. And today we competed really well.
"I don't know if it's the best performance [of his tenure] but the most important thing is the feeling. With all the negative circumstances that showed we're doing things well, but not only the click we need to compete better but how? Be connected with the game, the whole team in both phases was connected.
"A few weeks ago we were talking 'what happened here?' The standard was so, so, so low. In that process we were talking about time."
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 960 640"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Reaction
Nicolas Jackson netted his 11th Premier League goal of the season for Chelsea, with four of them coming against Tottenham. Only Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has netted more against Spurs for the Blues in a single Premier League campaign (5 in 2001-02).
He now has more goals than Didier Drogba (10) in his debut season
Postecoglou snaps back
What message failed to get through? "Come on mate, we didn't play well, do you want me to write you a dossier of where it went wrong?
"I feel like we've lost a bit of belief and conviction in our football and that is on me to change that.
"It wasn't about conceding the [first] goal, it was our approach to playing football and we were nowhere near good enough. That is on me.
"We've been in a bit of a grind for a while now, that is part of our challenge and part of our growth. We have to go out there and perform and sometimes you have to grind out. We were poor today."
Top four out of the question now? "I don't now how to answer these questions. We were poor today, what is the point of thinking about anything else? My responsibility is to make sure we play better next time."
'It wasn't good enough'
Postecoglou speaking to Sky Sports: "It wasn't good enough and I have to take responsibility for that, it is on me. I am the manager and I am the one putting them out there and it was not good enough.
"When we put in a performance like we did in the first half it meant my message wasn't getting through."
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Reaction
Tottenham have conceded 22 goals from set-piece situations this season in the Premier League (including penalties), with only Nottingham Forest (26) and Sheffield United (23) shipping more, while Spurs last conceded more in a single season in the competition in 2007-08 (27).
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Reaction
Chelsea's win increases their chances of qualifying for Europe, with the Europa League or Europa Conference League the likely outcomes.
But for Spurs, they now sit seven points outside the top four with four games left to play.
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 960 960"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Reaction
A lot of love for Cucurella at full-time as fans were chanting his name.
Quite a turnaround after getting booed last season!
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Reaction
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is the first manager to complete a Premier League double over Tottenham having previously managed them in the competition.
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 960 698"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham Reaction
- 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 2-0 Tottenham FULL TIME
Pochettino does the derby double over his former side which has ramifications in the race for Europe.
Goals from Chalobah and Jackson have boosted Chelsea's own chances of a top-seven finish.
But for Tottenham, its yet another costly defeat for their side that leaves their own hopes of Champions League hanging by a thread.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
95' - Jackson receives a standing ovation as he's withdrawn for youngster Tauriainen to make his senior debut.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
94' - Case-in-point Maddison lets fly from distance and and watches it sail into the stands. What has happened to him since his return?
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
92' - A fire drill in the away end at Stamford Bridge gets underway as Spurs fans clear out to avoid the end of this one.
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 960 540"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
90' - There will be six minutes of added time as Maddison has a dipping effort deflected behind for a corner.
Spurs are still pushing for a consolation but it's just not happened for them tonight!
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
88' - Son jinks through the middle before teeing up Bentancur who dribbles an effort towards Petrovic.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
87' - Emerson is withdrawn late on for Lo Celso as Palmer tries to catches out Vicario with a deep inswinging free-kick.
The Spurs keeper takes no chances and tips the effort over for a corner which Chelsea take short and it ultimately comes to nothing.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
84' - Postecoglu - who was so angry in the first-half - now puffs out his cheeks in resignation at what he is seeing.
Gilchrist meanwhile can't continue and gingerly departs for Acheampong.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
82' - The visitors' Champions League hopes are collapsing at the hands of their London rivals!
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
80' - The home side are now sitting in protecting what they have and Spurs are struggling to break them down.
Maddison stands up a hopeful cross that bounces aimlessly out of play.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
78' - A change from the hosts of Casadei comes on and instantly makes a nuisance of himself as he clashes with Romero.
The Argentine is briefly dazed and needs minor treatment which allows Spurs to swap Johnson for Gil.
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
77' - Jackson has scored four league goals against Tottenham this season with only Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink netting more against Spurs for the Blues in a single Premier League campaign (5 in 2001-02).
In fact, 36 per cent of Jackson's entire Premier League goals have come against Tottenham...
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 960 624"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
76' - So close to an instant response!
The ball falls kindly for Johnson at the backpost but he can only find the side-netting. Postecoglu has his head in his hands!
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
75' - Keown: "Let's call him Cool Palmer."
Keown added: "Such quality, it comes off the bar and there's Jackson, just heads it in, good reaction but a wonderful free-kick. Jackson reacts first and it's 2-0."
