Defeat at Stamford Bridge
Our battle against relegation will go right down to the final day after a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday evening meant we failed to pick up the point we needed to all but guarantee Premier League safety.
Going into the game at Stamford Bridge two points ahead of West Ham United and with a much better goal difference, we knew one draw from our final two matches against Chelsea and Everton would pretty much do the job.
But in west London against a Chelsea side without a home win in six games, a goal in each half from Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos put the Blues in control and, although Richarlison scored from close range to reduce the deficit, we couldn’t find the goal we craved to level it up and slipped to defeat. One moment of note from the game was Richarlison’s goal – the 2,000th we have scored in our Premier League history.
With so much at stake, we needed a strong start and for the opening stages we were the better team. A defensive error almost gave us the lead when Jorrel Hato’s interception from Pedro Porro’s forward pass flew just past his own post on four minutes before a great chance followed. It was a lovely move as we switched play from left to right, Pedro Porro had time to deliver a deep cross and Mathys Tel sent his header against the post before Chelsea cleared the danger.
The home side’s first real moment of danger came on 14 minutes, Cole Palmer curling towards the far post but Antonin Kinsky made a smart diving save to his right. Just four minutes later though, they were ahead when Fernandez picked up the ball 25 yards from goal, took a touch and hit a right-footed shot which drifted away from Kinsky and hit the back of the net.
The goal lifted Chelsea and their fans as they enjoyed a good spell in the game, with Fernandez almost adding a second on the half-hour mark when his rasping free-kick from down the left side of the area hit the crossbar. We were getting the ball into the final third enough times but couldn’t really make anything count. Tel – who was looking lively down the left – did well on one occasion to work a yard of space on the left corner of the box only to blaze over with his shot. The half ended with Palmer being gifted possession 20 yards out in the centre of the pitch with time and space, but he dragged his effort wide of Kinsky’s post and we went in with work to do.
There wasn’t a great deal of goalmouth action to open the second period and it wasn’t until the 59th minute that a chance was created, Richarlison meeting Pedro Porro’s corner with a clean header but Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gathered comfortably. That was our first effort on target in the game.
Just when we started to step up the tempo, we conceded again on 67 minutes. Randal Kolo Muani played a square pass on half-way which went straight to Palmer, he played wide to Pedro Neto whose deep cross was touched back into the middle by Fernandez and Andrey Santos was on hand to tap home.
A triple change was made straight after the goal – James Maddison, Pape Matar Sarr and Djed Spence on for Kolo Muani, Joao Palhinha and Destiny Udogie – and we pulled one back almost immediately. Marc Cucurella’s poor clearance was picked up by Pedro Porro, he eventually slid in a low cross which Sarr back-heeled to Richarlison and he tucked home our milestone goal from close range with 16 minutes left.
It was so nearly 2-2 in the 83rd minute, Richarlison and Maddison playing a lovely one-two into the area with the England midfielder in on goal, only for Hato to come across and make a goal-saving block. The final stages were tense as we threw men forward looking for the leveller, Maddison firing well over with a free-kick while Tel had two good opportunities to put dangerous balls into the box but failed to deliver. The final whistle signalled the end of another disappointing night at Stamford Bridge and now all eyes are on Sunday. We still just need a draw against Everton in N17, while the Hammers must beat Leeds United at home to stand any chance of climbing above us in the table.
Line-ups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez, Acheampong (Chalobah 74), Fofana (Sarr 81), Hato, Cucurella, Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Palmer (Essugo 89), Enzo Fernandez (c), Neto (Garnacho 89), Delap (Mheuka 89). Substitutes (not used): Jorgensen, James, Derry, Kavuma-McQueen.
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Danso, van de Ven (c), Udogie (Spence 69), Palhinha (Sarr 69), Bentancur, Kolo Muani (Maddison 69), Gallagher, Tel, Richarlison. Substitutes (not used): Vicario, Dragusin, Souza, Gray, Bissouma, Bergvall.
Match data
Goals: Chelsea – Fernandez 18, Andrey Santos 67; Spurs – Richarlison 74.
Yellow cards: Chelsea – Hato, Cucurella, Delap, Essugo; Spurs – Pedro Porro, van de Ven, Udogie.
Referee: Stuart Attwell.
Venue: Stamford Bridge.
Weather: Light rain, moderate breeze, 14 degrees.
Attendance: 39,463.