Enzo Fernandez found the net as Chelsea secured a victory over Tottenham, propelling them into the Premier League’s top four and enhancing their chances of qualifying for Champions League football next season.
The defeat increased the pressure on Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou, whose team remains in 14th place and is at risk of finishing outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008.
With the returns of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson from injury, Chelsea dominated the match at Stamford Bridge but faced frustration in a scoreless first half, missing several chances.
They maintained their attacking threat after halftime and were finally rewarded in the 50th minute when Fernandez headed in Palmer’s precise cross.
Moments later, Moises Caicedo scored with a clean volley past Guglielmo Vicario, but the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside following a four-minute VAR review.
Tottenham thought they had equalized when substitute Pape Matar Sarr scored from 20 yards out, but the referee Craig Pawson overturned the goal after VAR review showed Sarr had caught Caicedo with his studs before shooting.
The victory lifts Chelsea to fourth place in the Premier League, pushing reigning champions Manchester City down to fifth and Newcastle to sixth.
Chelsea demonstrated impressive form as they returned from the recent international break. They were close to scoring in the first minute when Jackson hit the post after an attempted clearance rebounded into his path.
The home crowd was excited when they thought Malo Gusto had scored with a powerful shot, only for it to hit the side-netting. Vicario made a fantastic fingertip save to deny Jadon Sancho, while Jackson consistently troubled Tottenham’s defenders with his dynamic runs.
Fernandez capitalized on a lapse in defense, easily navigating between the two Spurs center-backs to head Palmer’s cross into the net.
As they aim for a strong finish to the season, Chelsea’s squad, bolstered by returning key players, has its sights set on a Champions League spot and the possibility of silverware in the Europa Conference League.
For Tottenham, who appeared lackluster for much of the match, any hopes of a comeback came too late. Son Heung-min came agonizingly close to equalizing in the 89th minute but was thwarted by a brilliant save from Robert Sanchez.
While Chelsea consistently applied pressure, Tottenham seemed frantic in defense, careless in possession, and failed to create significant scoring opportunities. Vicario offered little assurance with errant passes and struggled to command his area.
Frustrations boiled over just before halftime when Cristian Romero shoved Levi Colwill, leading to a scuffle among players, but Tottenham could not channel their anger into productive play.
In the aftermath of this defeat, Postecoglou’s future with the club is increasingly in doubt, as away fans chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at the Australian manager, who is the first Spurs boss to lose his first four matches against Chelsea.
Nonetheless, there remains hope for success in the Europa League, with a quarter-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt scheduled for next week, as they pursue their first trophy since 2008.