toptop
Oliver
Skipp's second-half stunner set Tottenham on their way to a 2-0 win over Chelsea
- the first time they have beaten their rivals at their new stadium - and heaped
yet more pressure on Blues boss Graham Potter.
Chelsea had beaten their rivals in all three previous Premier League meetings at
the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without conceding a goal but rarely threatened -
producing an XG of just 0.41 - to continue that record as they produced another
hugely underwhelming display.
The west Londoners have now won just once in their last 11 matches in all
competitions - scoring just four goals in that time - while they have failed to
record a victory in any away match since October 16.
Chelsea's hopes of ending that run looked to have been severely damaged when
Hakim Ziyech was sent off in first-half stoppage time for a push into Emerson
Royal's face, but the winger then had the red card rescinded by referee Stuart
Attwell after he reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor.
But the visitors could not capitalise on that reprieve and they were behind
moments into the second half when Skipp thumped the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga
to score his first Tottenham goal, before the hosts sealed a crucial victory for
their top-four hopes when Harry Kane turned home a corner at the far post eight
minutes before full-time.
Incredibly, Chelsea are closer to the bottom three than the top four with
Potter's side 10 points above the relegation zone, while they are now 14 points
behind fourth-placed Spurs.
Player ratings
Tottenham: Forster (7), Romero (7), Dier (7), Lenglet (7),
Royal (8), Skipp (8), Hojbjerg (7), Davies (7), Kulusevski (6), Kane (7),
Richarlison (7).
Subs: Son (6), Porro (n/a).
Chelsea: Kepa (5), James (6), Koulibaly (6), Silva (6),
Chilwell (6), Loftus-Cheek (6), Fernandez (6), Ziyech (5), Felix (6), Sterling
(5), Havertz (6).
Subs: Fofana (6), Zakaria (6), Mount (5), Mudryk (n/a),
Aubameyang (n/a).
Player of the match: Emerson Royal
How Spurs saw off limp Chelsea challenge
The message coming from Chelsea after last weekend’s embarrassing home defeat to
bottom-club Southampton was that Todd Boehly and his fellow owners retained
faith in Potter.
But after yet another turgid display - this time against a club many Blues
supporters consider to be their primary rival - it is hard to see how that
support cannot be severely tested in the coming days.
Potter has now won just nine of his 26 matches as Chelsea boss since being
recruited from Brighton in September, and their defeat in north London means his
side are on their longest run without an away win in the Premier League in 22
years.
The Blues were handed an early blow when Raheem Sterling’s appeal for a penalty
after a challenge from Skipp fell on deaf ears, and Spurs nearly took the lead
when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s shot from the edge of the area was deflected onto
the post by Wesley Fofana.
Ziyech was then at the centre of a lengthy and confusing sequence of events,
with the Morocco winger dismissed by Attwell following several minutes of
deliberating among the officials before the referee then changed his mind after
rewatching the incident.
That had been the most dramatic event during a forgettable first half but Skipp
ensured the second period would not follow that pattern when he took advantage
of Enzo Fernandez’s weak clearance to drill a shot past Kepa - his first goal in
67 games for Spurs.
Chelsea barely even threatened a reply as Spurs comfortably kept their rivals at
arm’s length and Kane’s simple finish after being left unmarked in the area
capped off an impressive afternoon’s work that leaves the north Londoners in
fourth - four points clear of fifth-placed Newcastle.
Potter: I can't rely on board support forever
Chelsea head coach Graham Potter speaking to Sky Sports:
"The results are not good enough for Chelsea. I take full responsibility for
those results.
"I thought the players gave everything, it's just that the goal changes the
complexion of the game and that made it difficult for us.
"If results aren't good enough, which they aren't at the moment, you can't rely
on support forever."
What's next?
Tottenham now turn their attentions to the FA Cup, with a trip to Sheffield
United on Wednesday; kick-off 7.55pm. Antonio Conte's side then travel to Wolves
on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
Chelsea's next game is at home to Leeds on Saturday; kick-off 3pm. The Blues
will then try to overturn their 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions
League last 16 when the Germans visit Stamford Bridge for the second leg on
Tuesday March 7; kick-off 8pm.
Teams
Tottenham Hotspur Forster, Romero, Dier, Lenglet, Emerson
Royal, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Davies, Kulusevski (son 79), Richarlison (Porro 89),
Kane (c)
Subs Not Used Austin, Sanchez, Tanganga, Perisic, Sarr,
Danjuma, Moura
Booked Royal, Davies
Goals Skipp 46, Kane 82
Chelsea Kepa; James, Thiago Silva (c) (W. Fofana 19),
Koulibaly, Chilwell, Loftus-Cheek (Zakaria 62), Joao Felix (Mudryk 83), Enzo,
Ziyech (Mount 62), Havertz, Sterling (Aubameyang 83)
Subs Not Used Bettinelli, Badiashile, Gallagher, Madueke
Booked Havertz, Ziyech, Mount
Goals
Attendance 61,613
Referee Stuart Attwell
VAR Simon Long