Chelsea beat lacklustre Spurs with magic free kicks

As the saying goes, fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Ange Postecoglou insisted Tottenham had “far more important issues” than defending set pieces before a second London derby in five days, but a potential problem for the Spurs manager is now growing into a crisis after this defeat to Chelsea.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

A third defeat in a row for Postecoglou’s side was a further blow to their hopes of catching Aston Villa in the race for the final Champions League place and ensured the visitors remained seven points adrift of the top four with four games to go.

A tetchy Postecoglou went from exasperated to downright livid when Trevoh Chalobah scored the opening goal with an unmarked header at the back post, created by Conor Gallagher’s delivery and a clever block on the edge of the box. Nicolas Jackson’s second-half header, which came after Cole Palmer rattled the crossbar with a wonderful free kick, means that five goals from the last six Tottenham have conceded have been from set pieces, following the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday and the 4-0 thrashing at Newcastle two weeks before.

Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, secured a Premier League double over his former side while ensuring he remains the only Tottenham manager to have won at Stamford Bridge in the last 34 years. Pochettino’s injury-hit and depleted side were vibrant in the first half and defended their lead doggedly in the second. Without 14 senior players and a substitutes bench mostly comprised of untested teenagers, Pochettino summoned a committed performance from those who remained to keep Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for Europe next season alive.