Chelsea dealt a hammer blow to Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League with a 2-0 win against their sputtering London rivals on Thursday.
Trevoh Chalobah’s first goal since March 2022 put Chelsea ahead at Stamford Bridge in the first half.
The much-maligned Nicolas Jackson rounded off the points in the closing stages with his fourteenth goal in a difficult first season with the Blues.
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After losses to Arsenal and Newcastle, fifth-placed Tottenham’s third defeat in a row leaves them seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Tottenham have four games remaining, while Villa have three to go, making the North Londoners outsiders and finishing in the top four of the Premier League.
It was another painful setback for Tottenham, who squandered the goodwill Postecoglou had built up during much of the Australian’s first season in charge.
He was left fuming that night, dropping his often calm sideline persona to rip some of his players to shreds.
“He’s right with Sarr and he’s right with Romero,” Gary Neville told Sky Sports. “Ange Postecoglou has succumbed.”
While Postecoglou is licking his wounds, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino recorded a second win over his old club this season after the 4-1 success in November.
Pochettino had irritated Chelsea fans by admitting he “couldn’t hide his emotions” for the club he managed for five years and led to the 2019 Champions League final.
But he put those feelings aside to get the result he wanted, keeping alive Chelsea’s eighth-place hopes of qualifying for Europe and making it just one defeat in 34 home games against Tottenham.
Postecoglou had criticized Tottenham’s sloppy performance in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal and responded by making five changes, bringing on Richarlison and dropping James Maddison.
But in Pochettino’s 400th game in English football, the Chelsea manager should have celebrated a goal within five minutes.
– Reel tracks –
Jackson sprinted into Tottenham’s area for a shot that went under Guglielmo Vicario but lacked the power to beat Mickey van de Ven’s distance off the line, with Cole Palmer somehow coaxing the loose ball over from close range.
Moments later, Chelsea winger Noni Madueke embarked on a dynamic run before firing just over the edge of the area.
Four of the five goals Tottenham conceded in the previous two matches came from set-pieces and they were punished for even more woeful dead-ball marking in the 24th minute.
Conor Gallagher’s free-kick ended up in the area and Chalobah went unnoticed, firing a brilliant header over Vicario from twelve yards.
That brought the counter to 22 goals conceded from set plays in league matches by Postecoglou’s cracking defense this season.
Tottenham claimed Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella had stopped Brennan Johnson from marking Chalobah, but VAR ignored their protests.
Mykhailo Mudryk’s deflected strike was stopped by Vicario before the Ukrainian winger fired narrowly wide as Chelsea pushed for a second goal.
Undone by their weakness in the set-piece, Tottenham almost took advantage of Chelsea’s defensive shortcomings with Cristian Romero’s header deflecting the post from Pedro Porro’s free-kick.
Postecoglou looked increasingly angry at the half-time whistle and his chastened players responded to their manager’s frustration with a livelier performance in the second half.
Porro’s move from a tight angle forced Djordje Petrovic into a save in Tottenham’s most threatening moment.
But Chelsea scored the knockout in the 72nd minute.
Palmer’s fierce free kick went over the crossbar towards Jackson, who reacted quickest and headed home from six yards.
