Jackson hits heights to head Chelsea into European picture

Ange Postecoglou says he does not care about the questions being asked about Tottenham's inability to defend securely from set pieces.

- David Hytner

Chelsea 2

Tottenham 0

The manager believes he will get it right. But he could not avoid another hail of them as his team slumped to a third defeat on the spin, their season in increasing danger of fizzling out.

It was Chelsea's night, this a victory to fire their hopes of a Europa League finish to a remorselessly testing season. They were excellent in the first half, Spurs so poor that Postecoglou howled in frustration on a number of occasions. It was difficult to remember seeing him so unhappy.

After what had happened in Sunday's derby defeat at home to Arsenal, there was a certain inevitability about how Spurs were unhinged. Arsenal had profited by using Ben White as a blocker on the goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario. Here, it was Marc Cucurella setting a screen that took out Brennan Johnson and enabled Trevoh Chalobah to head Chelsea into a 24thminute lead.

It was the 15th set-piece goal Spurs have conceded in the Premier League this season and number 16 would condemn them to defeat on 72 minutes. Cole Palmer's free-kick beat Vicario and crashed down off the underside of the crossbar, Nicolas Jackson reacting sharply to loop the rebound home with his head. Only three teams in the league have conceded more goals from set pieces.

And so Mauricio Pochettino could celebrate on the occasion of his 400th game as the manager of an English club. Spurs were simply left to conduct more soul-searching.