Chelsea increased the pressure on Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglou after coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-3 in an exciting confrontation.
It seemed that the hosts and their Australian coach would achieve a moral victory when they took an early lead with two goals scored by Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski.
But Chelsea proved why it was in the title race with a brilliant comeback to achieve the victory that put it four points away from leaders Liverpool.
Cole Palmer scored two penalty kicks in the second half to add to the goals of Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandes, as Chelsea continued their remarkable renaissance under the smart leadership of Enzo Maresca.
“Personal coldness” 🥶
Cole Palmer converted a Panenka penalty to put the match beyond doubt! pic.twitter.com/JE96MpFUrr
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 8, 2024
Son Heung-min pulled one back late on, but it was another afternoon to forget for Postecoglou with returning defenders Christian Romero and Micky van de Ven – the latter a surprise addition – both failing to complete the 90 minutes.
The turnaround was unthinkable at first, as two slips from Marc Cucurella gave Tottenham the chance.
His first gaffe led directly to Spurs' opener. The Spanish full-back lost his footing on the greasy surface, enabling Brennan Johnson to pick up the ball and carry it down the right flank before crossing low for Solanke, whose clever throw in front of Levi Colwell gave him plenty of space, to prod him in. house.
Six minutes later, Cucurella's boots failed him again as he lost the ball. The ball was recycled back to Kulusevski and he ran across the Chelsea penalty area before directing a low shot that crept inside Robert Sanchez's left post.
Cucurella immediately ran to the touchline to change his boots but the damage had been done.
Cucurella slips again and Kulusevski doubles Tottenham's lead! 🤯
The Chelsea defender immediately ran off the field to change his boots 🫣 pic.twitter.com/R1enDM5PGp
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 8, 2024
Romero strike
Spurs were in complete control but the first sign that things were not going to be easy came 13 minutes later when Romero, making his first appearance since mid-November, was forced off after suffering discomfort while making a well-placed tap-in for his own penalty kick. region.
Four minutes later, Chelsea responded when Sancho cut the ball in from the left flank and fired a wonderful shot past Fraser Forster.
Palmer was supposed to make it 2-2 inside 20 minutes but completely missed the ball when he tried to fire Fernandes' pass into the net.
The frenetic half continued with Son waving at one end before Forster made a superb double save to deny Palmer and Pedro Neto at the other end.
Moises Caicedo was lucky not to see a red card after a challenge on Pape Sarr, which VAR judged to lack “excessive strength”, as did Kulusevski after hitting Romeo Lavia with a needless elbow just before half-time.
Were Moises Caicedo and Dejan Kulusevski lucky not to be sent off in the first half? 👇 pic.twitter.com/7ItrHvtDqh
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 8, 2024
Between those moments, Sarr headed towards the crossbar and Solanke fired a direct shot at Sanchez from a long distance.
Chelsea started the second half offensively, and only a brilliant save from Forster was able to prevent the dangerous Sancho from equalizing in the 48th minute.
Poor decision-making is costing Tottenham
The equalizer looked like it was coming and it duly arrived after 58 minutes when Yves Bissouma made a rash challenge on former Brighton team-mate Moises Caicedo inside the box. Palmer did not commit any error from the penalty kick, as he calmly shot it into the left corner of the net.
Son somehow missed the target midway through the first half when he went clean ahead and it proved to be a costly miss and five minutes later Chelsea completed the comeback. A brilliant shot from Palmer from the right was followed by a shot that was deflected into Fernandes' path and the Argentine World Cup winner curled the ball past Forster with his left foot.
Sancho was prevented from scoring the fourth goal after a wonderful intervention by Pedro Boro, but that did not deter Chelsea, who scored again eight minutes before the end after a stupid intervention on Palmer inside the penalty area.
The England international showed all his amazing talent with a brilliant Panenka to beat Forster and draw the first boos from the home fans.
They were encouraged in stoppage time when substitute James Maddison cut the ball back for Son to score but it was not enough as Chelsea held on.
