PREMIER LEAGUE
TUESDAY 19TH MAY, 2026
(8.15 PM)
CHELSEA 2(1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0)

Chelsea scorers:-
Fernandez, 18
Andrey Santos, 67

Spurs scorer(s):-
Richarlison, 74

Attendance:- 39,463

Referee:- Stuart Attwell
Assistants:- Constantine Hatzidakis, Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth official:- Andy Madley
VAR:- John Brooks
Assistant VAR:- Dan Robathan

Teams:-
Chelsea (4-2-3-1):- 1. Sanchez; 34. Acheampong (sub 23. Chalobah, 74), 29. Fofana (sub 19. M. Sarr, 81), 21. Hato, 3. Cucurella; 17. Andrey Santos, 25. Caicedo; 7. Pedro Neto (sub 49. Garnacho, 89), 10. Palmer (sub 14. Essugo, 89), 8. Fernandez (Capt.); 9. Delap (sub 62. Mheuka, 89)

Subs not used:- 12. Jorgensen; 24. James; 55. Derry, 76. Kavuma-McQueen

Booked:- Hato (delaying restart), Cucurella (unsporting behaviour before corner kick), Delap (foul on Spence), Essugo (foul on Van de Ven)

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- 31. Kinsky; 23. Pedro Porro, 4. Danso, 37. Van de Ven (Capt.), 13. Udogie (sub 24. Spence, 69); 30. Bentancur, 6. Palhinha (sub 29. P. Sarr, 69); 39. Kolo-Muani (sub 10. Maddison, 69), 22. Gallagher, 11. Tel; 9. Richarlison

Subs not used:- 1. Vicario; 3. Dragusin, 38. Souza; 8. Bissouma, 14. Gray, 15. Bergvall

Booked:- Pedro Porro (foul on Cucurella), Van de Ven (foul on Delap), Udogie (foul on Fofana)

Spurs have to face final day showdown

Thanks to Cassim Patel for capturing this image

Spurs went into this game effectively needing just one point to ensure their Premier League survival. Unfortunately, they suffered "the usual result" at Stamford Bridge and will have to go through the tensions of a final day battle for survival.

We will be at home to Everton (statistically one of our favourite opponents) while West Ham host Leeds, who they need to beat to stand a chance of climbing above Spurs. We still need at least a point.

We hoped for a point against Chelsea, but now face unbearable final day tension. We've never faced such a scenario in the Premier League years.

Roberto de Zerbi fielded an unchanged eleven for the third consecutive game. He kept faith with Kinsky in goal, despite Vicario's presence in the squad. Dominic Solanke did not make the bench.

Chelsea's interim coach Calum McFarlane made four changes to Chelsea's Cup Final eleven. Club captain Reece James was on the bench, while Colwill, Gusto and Joao Pedro didn't make the eighteen. Joao Pedro might be nursing mental scars, having been left out of Brazil's World Cup squad. Acheampong, Andrey Santos, Pedro Neto and Liam Delap started.

Spurs kicked off and played away from their travelling army of fans. The team started brightly with early crosses from both left and right by Tel and Kolo-Muani. These were easy meat for Sanchez in goal.

Spurs actually failed to hit a shot on target until the second half, although a Tel header did hit the post. A Pedro Porro cross for Richarlison was put out for a corner. Between them Pedro Porro and Conor Gallagher made a mess of their short corner efforts. Gallagher, who had been Chelsea's captain a couple of years ago was booed at every touch in the early stages by his former fans. I don't recall him asking to leave, but of course he now plays for "the enemy."

That Tel header followed a proper corner by Pedro Porro. Sanchez dived towards his right post but it was the frame, rather than the keeper that kept Chelsea's goal intact. Danso hit a weak effort towards goal from another Spurs corner.

Chelsea settled down and started to press Spurs, who became ponderous in possession in their own half. The Chelsea front four, plus Cucurella began to find too much space. Kinsky made a good save, diving to his right to push out Palmer's shot after a touch from Hato.

Van de Ven made a great tackle to deprive Caicedo of the ball. Sadly, it wasn't long before Chelsea had the lead. An errant header down the line by Udogie gifted the ball and Chelsea quickly took advantage with Pedro Neto making the final pass to Fernandez, given too much space to score with his 25-yard shot. Kinsky may have been two or three feet too far to the left of his goal and dived too late.

Cucurella advanced down the left before cutting the ball back. Palmer teed up Delap, but he fired wide.

Pedro Porro got the first booking of the night for a desperate challenge on Cucurella, who once played for De Zerbi at Brighton. Fernandez took the resulting free kick, which hit the top of the bar.

Muani disappointed (not the first time) after receiving a good ball from Pedro Porro but hit his cross far too high and wide. Tel fired over on the other side of goal after a good pass by Gallagher.

Van de Ven was booked for a foul on Delap out on the left. Kinsky just managed to hold the resulting free kick on his goal-line.

Referee Stuart Attwell had words with both captains as tension and friction mounted between the two sides. Chelsea players tended to hit the floor too easily, almost at the approach of an opponent such as Gallagher!

There were no changes for the second half, and not too much meaningful action early on. Danso came up for a throw and took it short to Udogie who dismally overhit his cross. After a Pedro Porro free kick, Richarlison (who might have been offside) headed wide after Tel's cross.

Pedro Neto had a shot blocked at the other end. Muani won a corner which was taken by Pedro Porro and headed on target by Richarlison (our first effort on target after 57 minutes). Sanchez (another former Brighton player) saved comfortably.

Chelsea went two up ten minutes later. After an errant midfield pass by Spurs the home side seemed to have an extra man in attack. Pedro Neto crossed from the right; Fernandez fed the ball to Andrey Santos who had an easy finish for his first Premier League goal.

De Zerbi made a triple substitution with Spence, Sarr and Maddison replacing Udogie, Palhinha and Muani, respectively. Tel switched to the right wing.

Kinsky saved a cross/shot by Pedro Neto. At the other end, a shot by Gallagher was held by Sanchez. Spurs reduced the deficit to one goal after Sarr back-heeled Pedro Porro's cross to the feet of Richarlison who scored at the back post.

Much as they tried, Spurs couldn't get that precious equaliser. Frictions mounted and tempers frayed. It was becoming another "Battle at the Bridge." Cucurella was booked for bringing down Van de Ven at a corner, but VAR decreed the ball was not yet in play as Spurs pleaded for a penalty.

Maddison combined with Richarlison inside the box on the left and won that corner. Sanchez just managed to hold another corner taken by Tel. Chelsea started to run down the time (7 minutes were added).

Gallagher was fouled by Caicedo just outside the box, but Maddison's free kick was over the target. Tel had two efforts in the dying minutes. One was woefully off target. The other was easy for Sanchez.

Our mood was not helped by the news that Manchester City had failed to beat Bournemouth, thus handing the title to Arsenal. We must hope we don't give them something else to crow about on Sunday.

. Declan Mulcahy's series "A dozen definitive days" - Part Eleven

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