Chelsea returned to the Premier League’s top four with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge. Enzo Fernandez’s well-placed header five minutes into the second half proved decisive in a match where both teams had goals disallowed by VAR.
The win came at a crucial time for Enzo Maresca’s side, who had entered the international break amid growing fan discontent following several uninspiring performances. Against their London rivals, Chelsea displayed renewed energy and purpose from the opening whistle.
Nicolas Jackson, returning to the starting lineup, nearly gave Chelsea an immediate lead but was denied by Guglielmo Vicario in a one-on-one situation. Moments later, Jackson was unfortunate not to score when Micky van de Ven’s clearance ricocheted off him and struck the post.
Moises Caicedo delivered an outstanding performance in midfield despite early injury concerns. His combination of power and poise effectively neutralized Tottenham’s attacking threats throughout the first half. This was particularly important given Romeo Lavia’s recent injury setback, which had left Chelsea’s midfield options limited.
The breakthrough came in the 50th minute when Cole Palmer delivered a precise cross that Fernandez headed home after drifting away from Destiny Udogie. The goal highlighted Tottenham’s defensive frailties, with Udogie failing to track Fernandez’s movement.
VAR played a significant role in the match, disallowing goals from both sides. Caicedo saw his powerful strike ruled out after Levi Colwill was judged marginally offside, while Pape Sarr’s potential equalizer was chalked off following a pitchside review that determined he had fouled Caicedo in the build-up.
Despite 12 minutes of added time, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham failed to mount significant pressure on Chelsea’s defense. Their best chance came in the final minute of regular time when Son Heung-min was denied by Robert Sanchez.
The victory reinvigorates Chelsea’s Champions League qualification hopes while dealing a blow to Tottenham’s own top-four ambitions.
