EPL: Chelsea edge Tottenham to secure fourth spot

Chelsea moved up to fourth place in the Premier League with a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham, courtesy of Enzo Fernandez’s powerful header early in the second half.

The win at Stamford Bridge on Thursday increased pressure on Tottenham’s embattled manager, Ange Postecoglou, whose side continued their poor run of form.

The Blues had dropped to sixth after wins by Manchester City and Newcastle on Wednesday, but their response was decisive, reclaiming fourth place by a single point ahead of City and two ahead of Newcastle. With the top four guaranteed a Champions League spot, Chelsea are now well-positioned, with a fifth-place finish also potentially securing qualification depending on England’s performance in European competitions.

Despite their recent struggles, Chelsea have now lost just once in their last 13 league meetings with Tottenham. However, head coach Enzo Maresca had faced criticism for his conservative tactics, particularly after their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal before the international break. In response to their lackluster effort in a practice match against the club’s youth side, Maresca canceled a planned day off for his players, demanding more intensity.

That urgency was evident against Tottenham, even though Chelsea still struggled to convert their dominance into goals. They managed to hold on for their fifth win in six matches across all competitions.

Tottenham’s Decline Continues

For Tottenham, the defeat deepened their woes, leaving them winless in their last four league matches and with just one victory in their last six across all competitions. Sitting in 14th place after their 16th defeat in 30 league games, Spurs are facing one of their worst Premier League campaigns.

The last time Tottenham finished as low as 14th was in the 2003-04 season, while their worst-ever Premier League finish was 15th in 1993-94. Frustrated fans have turned their anger toward chairman Daniel Levy and Postecoglou, with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” heard during the second half.

With their Premier League season in turmoil, Tottenham’s last hope for silverware remains the Europa League, where they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

Fernandez’s Decisive Goal and Late Drama

Chelsea nearly made a dream start in the opening minute when Trevoh Chalobah set up Nicolas Jackson, whose shot was saved by Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario before deflecting off Micky van de Ven and hitting the post.

The hosts continued to press, with Malo Gusto firing just wide and Fernandez almost bundling the ball in after Cole Palmer’s deflected cross. Jadon Sancho, who has faced criticism for his inconsistent performances, forced a brilliant save from Vicario with a curling shot.

Tempers flared just before halftime when Tottenham’s Cristian Romero shoved Levi Colwill, sparking a mass confrontation. The intensity carried over into the second half, and in the 50th minute, Palmer delivered a pinpoint cross that Fernandez headed powerfully past Vicario from five yards out.

Tottenham thought they had equalized in the 69th minute when Pape Sarr fired in a long-range effort, but VAR ruled the goal out for a foul on Moises Caicedo. Postecoglou was left visibly frustrated as the decision went against his side.

In the dying moments, Son Heung-min almost rescued a point for Spurs, but Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made a stunning save to deny him, sealing all three points for the home side.