The loss deepened Spurs’ struggles, leaving them with just one win in their last seven games across all competitions and piling pressure on Ange Postecoglou’s position.
The match started as a dream for Spurs. Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski fired Tottenham into a 2-0 lead within 11 minutes, sparking hope among the home crowd.
But that joy quickly turned to despair as Chelsea mounted an extraordinary comeback, fueled by Cole Palmer’s two ice-cold penalties and goals from Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandez.
“It is a sore one, a painful one,” Postecoglou admitted with visible anguish. “We started really well, but as has been the story of our season, we lose Romero after 20 minutes, and that disrupts us. Then they score immediately after, and the momentum shifts.”
Tottenham had opportunities to seal the game in the first half. Pape Sarr struck the crossbar, and both Solanke and Son Heung-min squandered golden chances to extend their lead.
But costly mistakes unraveled their efforts. Reckless fouls by Yves Bissouma and Sarr gifted Chelsea two penalties, which Palmer converted with unshakable composure.
“I thought both penalties were poor decisions by us,” Ange Postecoglou confessed. “We have to show more discipline. At halftime, we were still in a decent position, but in the second half, it became a battle of moments. They took theirs, and we didn’t take ours.”
Spurs captain Son Heung-min, who scored in stoppage time to add a glimmer of hope, bore the weight of responsibility for the loss. His missed one-on-one chance with Robert Sanchez at 2-2 proved pivotal.
“It feels like we lost because of these small details,” Son said, his voice heavy with regret. “On such a big stage, you need to step up and score in these moments. I feel like I let the team down, and I feel very sorry for the team. I’d rather take all the blame.”
Ange Postecoglou’s job is presently being threatening judging by the results lately, especially against the Big 6.
Chelsea, meanwhile, celebrated a fourth consecutive Premier League win that propelled them to second place, just four points behind leaders Liverpool. However, manager Enzo Maresca tempered expectations, insisting his young team is not yet ready for a sustained title challenge.
Reflecting on Chelsea’s resilience, Maresca humorously acknowledged Marc Cucurella’s costly early slips, which led to Spurs’ opening goals. “Arsenal, City, and Liverpool probably don’t slide – like Cucurella did,” he joked before turning serious. “We are not ready; we are far from these teams. But we focus on improving day by day.”
For Chelsea, the night was a testament to their grit and potential. For Tottenham, it was another painful chapter in a season of missed opportunities and mounting questions.
What happens to Ange Postecoglou’s job?
