Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino praised Dele Alli for coming through a « tricky period » to rating two dreams as Spurs won at Chelsea for the first time in 28 years.
After Alvaro Morata headed in Victor Moses’ atrocious to give the hosts the lead, Christian Eriksen hit an even searching equaliser on the stroke of half of-time as his dipping effort from 25 yards dropped accurate below the bar and over a stranded Willy Caballero.
Alli then took centre stage within the 2d half of, inserting Tottenham forward accurate after the hour mark when he produced a sublime first touch to bring Eric Dier’s ball below management earlier than slotting beyond Caballero.
The England midfielder became smartly-placed four minutes later to stab in following a goalmouth scoot and wrap up a bewitch that moves fourth-placed Tottenham eight parts particular of Chelsea, who are fifth.
It became moreover the smartly-behaved response by Alli after a disappointing couple of weeks with England on worldwide duty.
He did no longer originate an influence in a 22-minute change appearance within the 1-0 bewitch in opposition to the Netherlands and became then left on the bench for the 1-1 diagram with Italy.
« I’m very, very gratified, » mentioned Pochettino. « It be been a tough period for him, however for absolute self belief about his skill, his character.
« I’m so gratified for him attributable to he deserved it and he labored onerous. In the discontinue, he’s a massive skill, handiest 21 years peculiar, and in most cases we lose the purpose of hobby on that.
« Once in a while the expectation is simply too great. There is simply too great stress. »
High four taking shape as Chelsea’s disquieted 2018 continues
Chelsea tubby-aid Marcos Alonso described this London derby as a ‘have to-bewitch game’ beforehand and it became onerous to disagree, given the implications for Champions League qualification.
Antonio Conte’s aspect had won accurate three of their 9 league games in 2018 sooner than Tottenham’s seek the advice of with however they did enjoy historic previous of their favour.
Spurs had a torrid file at Stamford Bridge within the league, dropping 18 of their 27 games since a leisurely Gary Lineker header secured a 2-1 bewitch in February 1990.
It regarded as if their depressing bustle would proceed as, in spite of dominating possession, they fell at the aid of after an enticing ball by Antonio Rudiger found Moses huge appropriate form and the cruise-aid delivered a smartly-behaved atrocious for Morata to rating his seventh headed goal of the season.
The steadiness of play then swung in Chelsea’s favour as they went on the hunt for a 2d and Hugo Lloris did smartly to push away a solid Alonso strike.
Nonetheless Tottenham are a crew with momentum. They’d no longer misplaced within the Premier League since 16 December, winning all four of their outdated fixtures, and Eriksen, so most frequently superior of increasing one thing from nothing, delivered a sucker punch alongside with his enticing dipping strike.
From then on, the guests had been in management and Alli’s like a flash-fire no longer handiest place paid to Chelsea’s possibilities of getting a consequence however perchance their top-four hopes as smartly.
They’ll now enjoy to preserve no longer no longer as much as 9 parts from the 21 readily obtainable accurate to overtake Tottenham’s most up-to-date whole. Provided that they’ve taken accurate six parts from their outdated seven games, it could perhaps seem a immense job.
« Now we enjoy to preserve a query at unless the discontinue to bewitch the groups within the Champions League areas and in this case it is Tottenham and Liverpool, » Chelsea boss Conte mentioned.
« Now we enjoy to preserve a query at. »
Kane return a enhance for Spurs and England
The check of Harry Kane grimacing in pain whereas clutching his ankle at Bournemouth on eleven March can were a devastating one for both Tottenham and England fans.
The striker has been in scintillating fabricate this season with a enticing 39 dreams in precisely 43 games in all competitions, so the prospect of him being out for a prolonged spell had threatened to upset Tottenham’s top-four hopes and England’s World Cup preparations.
Nonetheless, having avoided any indispensable damage to his ankle, he has made a recovery sooner than anticipated and became fit ample to be on the Tottenham bench at Chelsea. He became launched with 16 minutes final, as Alli’s two dreams allowed him to be eased aid into action.
With Tottenham accurate four parts at the aid of 2d-placed Manchester United and an FA Cup semi-final in opposition to Jose Mourinho’s males on the horizon, Spurs would appear to enjoy their fabricate – and their key players aid – at accurate the acceptable form time.
Man of the match – Dele Alli
Tottenham boss Pochettino mentioned: « It be an fabulous weekend for us, an enormous three parts, and we are within the handiest attain to invent the tip four at discontinue of the season. That is our topic.
« We are so gratified for our fans after 28 years to bewitch again at Stamford Bridge. »
More derby pride for Tottenham – the stats
- Tottenham ended a bustle of 27 league visits to Chelsea with out a victory (D9 L18), winning there for the first time since February 1990.
- Chelsea scored the first goal in a Premier League home game and went on to lose for the first time since 1 April 2017 in opposition to Crystal Palace (1-2).
- Tottenham enjoy won extra parts in Premier League London derbies this season than any diversified aspect (16 – W5 D1 L2).
- Seven of Alvaro Morata’s eleven Premier League dreams this season were headers, extra than any diversified participant has managed.
- Morata’s seven headed goal haul is moreover basically the most ever by a Chelsea participant in a Premier League season.
- Chelsea enjoy scored a league-high 14 headed dreams this season.
- Christian Eriksen has scored 16 dreams from outdoor the box since his Premier League debut in September 2013; basically the most of any most up-to-date participant in that point within the competition.
- Eriksen has been straight fascinated with 5 dreams in his last 5 Premier League appearances in opposition to Chelsea, scoring two and aiding three.
- Dele Alli marked his one hundredth Premier League game by scoring two in a top-flight game for the first time since January 2017 (moreover in opposition to Chelsea).
What subsequent?
Chelsea host West Ham on Sunday, Eight April (16:30 BST), the day after Tottenham lumber to Stoke (15:00 BST)
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