toptop
Maurico
Pochettino marked his return to Tottenham as Chelsea manager with a 4-1 victory
against nine players which doesn't begin to tell half the story on a
breathtaking Monday Night Football.
Ange Postecoglou's side took the lead after only six minutes as Dejan Kulusevski
cut inside from the right and his shot deflected off Levi Colwill and spun
beyond the wrongfooted Robert Sanchez.
But VAR then took centre stage before Chelsea levelled through a Cole Palmer
penalty (35). First Heung-min Son had a disallowed goal confirmed as offside
before Raheem Sterling had a goal ruled out for handball after a review and
Moises Caicedo had an effort disallowed for offside.
But in the build-up to the final incident, Cristian Romero was adjudged to have
fouled Enzo Fernandez in the box and was shown a red card by referee Michael
Oliver.
Spurs were reduced to nine men when Destiny Udogie was shown a second yellow
card for a late challenge on Sterling (55). Pochettino's men eventually took the
lead with 15 minutes remaining as Nicholas Jackson slotted home after being set
up by Sterling's square ball.
There was still time for Son to be denied by Sanchez in stoppage time before
Conor Gallagher squared for Jackson to tap home his second on the counter-attack
(90+4). Spurs were beaten but Jackson wasn't finished as he raced onto Palmer's
through ball to round Vicario and complete his hat-trick.
It means Manchester City remain top of the Premier League with Spurs staying in
second place - a point adrift - while Chelsea move into the top half of the
table.
Player ratings
Tottenham: Vicario (8), Porro (7), Romero (4), Van de Ven (6),
Udogie (5); Bissouma (7), Sarr (7); Kulusevski (7), Maddison (6), Johnson (7);
Son (7).
Subs: Skipp (6), Hojbjerg (7), Royal (6), Dier (7), Bentancur
(6).
Chelsea: Sanchez (6); James (7), Silva (6), Colwill (5), Disasi
(6); Caicedo (6), Gallagher (7), Fernandez (6); Palmer (7), Jackson (8),
Sterling (8).
Subs: Cucurella (6), Mudryk (6), Gusto (6).
Man of the match: Nicolas Jackson.
How chaos unfolded on Pochettino's return
A lightshow and Bittersweet Symphony played out overhead before the most chaotic
Premier League match in recent memory unfolded. Kulusevski lit the blue touch
paper when he was found in space by Pape Sarr before cutting inside and seeing
his opportune shot deflect beyond Sanchez via the back of Colwill.
Son then rightly had a goal disallowed from Brennan Johnson's cross, as the
offside flag marginally came to Chelsea's rescue.
"Tottenham's players are in fast forward," said Gary Neville. "Chelsea's players
are still working this game out."
It had the look of a routine home win for the early-season pacesetters until
Udogie's rash lunge on Sterling escaped a red-card review. But Chelsea had been
angered, and Spurs never regained their heads.
Sterling had the ball in the net following a sweeping move, but this time VAR
John Brooks came to Spurs' rescue. Sterling had handled, but Romero had been
fortunate not to see red after a petulant swipe on Colwill in the build-up.
Seven minutes later, the ball was again in the Tottenham net as Caicedo rifled
beyond Vicario from range. Jackson was adjudged to have been in an offside
position in the line of vision for the Spurs goalkeeper, but Chelsea would not
be denied as VAR deemed Romero had fouled Fernandez inside the box.
Following a lengthy delay, referee Oliver was advised to consult his pitchside
monitor and Romero was sent off for excessive force. Palmer would exact the
ultimate double punishment with a third converted spot-kick of the season,
albeit only just as Vicario tipped his effort onto the post.
It continued to unravel for Tottenham before half-time as James Maddison was
forced off with an ankle injury before Micky van de Ven felt the back on his
hamstring. Postecoglou looked to the skies, his side needed to regroup.
Pochettino smelt blood, but Reece James was then fortunate not to join Romero in
being dismissed after raising his arm into Udogie's face.
First-half VAR controversy
13 mins: Johnson feeds the ball across from the left and Son sidefoots home, but
the flag goes up.
18 mins: Udogie goes into the book for a rash challenge on Sterling. It was
two-footed but he avoids a red.
21 mins: Sterling drives into the box and shoots at goal, the ball hits Porro
and then the hand of the Chelsea winger before he converts. In the build-up
Romero swipes at Colwill but avoids punishment. Goal is disallowed for handball.
28 mins: Caicedo finds the net from range but the goal is disallowed with
Jackson standing in an offside position and interfering with Vicario's line of
vision.
31 mins: After a lengthy VAR check, Chelsea are awarded a penalty for a foul by
Romero on Fernandez in the build-up to Caicedo's shot. Romero is sent off for
using excessive force.
45+11 mins: James avoids a red card on VAR review after raising his arm into the
face of Udogie.
Spurs began the second half well, but they were reduced to nine men at home for
the first time in the Premier League when Udogie was shown a second yellow card
for hauling down Sterling.
Postecoglou looked to his bench and summoned Rodrigo Bentancur and Oliver Skipp.
But now, only four players in white to have started the game were still on the
pitch as Jackson inexplicably missed from close range as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
headed his effort over the bar. James fizzed a shot wide before Vicario leapt
forward to save superbly from Marc Cucurella.
But Spurs persisted with playing a high defensive line and eventually paid for
it when Sterling broke and crossed for Jackson to make it 2-1. Tottenham now had
to attack and thought they levelled when Eric Dier sidefooted home a volley,
only to be flagged offside.
Rodrigo Bentancur then stooped to head wide from close range following a Porro
free-kick.
"It's in between a header and a shot with his foot. What a chance," said
Neville.
In stoppage time, Jackson converted Gallagher's cross from 10 yards to make the
game safe just seconds after Son missed a chance to equalise. There was still
time for Jackson to complete an unlikely hat-trick from another break past a
high defensive line to ignite his Chelsea career.
Postecoglou: It's hard to process
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou speaking to Sky Sports:
"It is pretty hard to process. It is almost impossible to analyse the game
because it just seemed to get out of control for large parts of it. Disappointed
by the result but really proud of the players, they gave everything and that is
the positive we will take.
"We were very close to getting an equaliser a couple of times and it shows their
spirit. It was just a bridge too far today.
"I thought we started really well, scored a great goal and inches away from
another. The red card affected the game, I felt like I was standing around
waiting for things to happen, with VAR intervention. It felt like a lot of
standing around."
On penalty and sending off: "They had a good look at it and gave it so I have to
accept it."
Spurs and Chelsea serve up PL classic
Sky Sports' Ben Grounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:
It was an evening which in truth pushed back the boundaries of incredulity. It
was the first time a home side were beaten 4-1 at home and received a standing
ovation.
The words of Peter Drury and Gary Neville. It all turned the return of
Pochettino into an after-thought. Postecoglou applauded the South Stand. Spurs
could have levelled in stoppage time, but ended up losing by three - and Nicolas
Jackson could still have added to his hat-trick.
For so long in that second half, you wondered if this was Chelsea pushing the
boundaries of just how bad their finishing could get. But they would prevail.
Five goals scored. Five goals disallowed. Two red cards, a penalty. But in the
end, three points on his return to Tottenham for Pochettino. This was an instant
Premier League classic.
What's next?
Tottenham next travel to Wolves on Saturday in the lunchtime game, kick-off
12.30pm. They then are back in action live on Sky Sports after the international
break when Aston Villa visit north London on November 26, kick-off 2pm.
Chelsea face a tricky test in champions Manchester City at Stamford Bridge next
Sunday live on Sky Sports, kick-off 4.30pm. They then visit Newcastle after the
international break on November 25, kick-off 3pm.
Teams
Tottenham Hotspur Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven (Royal
45+1), Udogie, Bissouma, Sarr (Bentancur 61), Kulusevski (Skipp 61), Maddison
(Hojbjerg 45+1), Johnson (Dier 34), Son
Subs Not Used Forster, Gil, Lo Celso, Richarlison
Booked Udogie, Postecoglou, Sarr
Sent Off Romero 33, Udogie 55
Goals Kulusevski 6
Chelsea Sanchez; James (c) (Gusto 77), Disasi, Silva, Colwill
(Cucurella 46); Gallagher, Caicedo, Enzo (Mudryk 58); Palmer, Jackson, Sterling
(Ugochukwu 90+1)
Subs Not Used Petrovic, Maatsen, Badiashile, Madueke,
Washington
Booked Jackson, Colwill, Gusto, Mudryk, Ugochukwu
Goals Palmer 35 (pen), Jackson 75, 90+4, 90+7
Attendance 61,726
Referee Michael Oliver
VAR John Brooks