LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his teams second goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 08, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Chelsea moved to within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Premier League
Result: Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Chelsea
Date: 08 December 2024
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Chelsea brought back their regulars, as Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho joined Cole Palmer in attack alongside the return of lone striker Nicolas Jackson.
Spurs, on the other hand, recalled Son Heung-Min, who partnered Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke in a three-pronged attack.
The Lilywhites had a perfect start after Solanke fired them ahead in the first five minutes with a poked shot after he was spotted by Johnson on a transition after a slip by Marc Cucurella.
Another slip up by Cucurella proved costly for The Blues six minutes later after Dejan Kulusevski raced through on goal, cut in the box and fired a low shot into the bottom corner.
Enzo Maresca’s charges did not take much time to bring back their hopes of a comeback, after Sancho pulled a goal back on 17 minutes with a diagonal shot from the edge of the box.
Chelsea continued to pressurize Spurs as around the half-hour mark Neto almost equalised with a close-range strike at the near post that was smothered by goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
The Blues kept the Lilywhites occupied for much of the latter phase of the first stanza and they had to wait for the early stages of the second stanza to make it 2-2 after Palmer dispatched a penalty following a tackle by Yves Bissouma on Moises Caicedo in the box.
With the game on the edge, Son had a big chance for Ange Postecoglou’s men midway through the first stanza after he beat the offside trap to go clear on goal but his low curling shot missed the bottom corner by a whisker.
At the other end, Chelsea were more clinical with their golden chance 16 minutes before time after Enzo Fernandez gave them a 3-2 lead with a low powerful shot from a rebound in the box.
Maresca needed fresh legs up top for the remaining 15 minutes as Christopher Nkunku replaced Jackson.
Chasing the game, moments later Spurs threw in Maddison in place of Kulusevski in a tactical switch.
The Blues were out of sight with seven minutes to go after Palmer made it 4-2 with a cheeky penalty and got his brace after he was brought down in the box.
Son pulled a goal back for the hosts deep in added time with a side-footed shot after a cut-back by Maddison but it was too little too late, as the Blues moved up to second and four points behind Liverpool, who have played a game less.
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