Enzo's header sees Chelsea win 1-0 against underwhelming Spurs

Chelsea v Spurs Picture by Paul Lagan

By Paul Lagan at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea 1 v Spurs 0

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Not quite the Battle of the Bridge of past encounters but any decent result against Spurs will do, and Enzo's second half header was more that sufficient to see off a hard-working but strangely underwhelming north London side.

Chelsea reverted to their passionate attack-first philosophy of the early season, which brought them victories that saw them become title contenders.

But inconsistency and injuries have hampered them but with these three points return to fourth in the Premier League.

Spurs can only hope their Europa League exploits will continue – because this is all they have to play for.

Languishing 14th in the league is not where the club should be, but it's where they deserve to be.

Chelsea almost scored within a minute, a long punt saw Nicolas Jackson beat the offside trap, he was about to pull the trigger but Micky van de Ven got beside the striker. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario got a knee to the ball, it rebounded off Van de Ven and then Jackson, back towards goal, but bounced off the post and was cleared.

Malo Gusto had an edge-of-area shot that was inches wide of the Spur goal, as the west Londoners kept up the pressure.

How Chelsea failed to score on 18 minutes is anyone's guess. Great left win play by Jaydon Sancho and Cole Palmer who cut the ball along the six-yard box. Enzo was running in to tap home but a combination of Vicario and Destiny Udogie Romero thwarted the Argentine on the goal line.

Son had a good shot well saved by Robert Sanchez on 36 minutes.

Vicario produced the save of three game with a minute on the clock, tipping over an almost certain goal from Sancho.

There were no changes by either side at half-time.

Chelsea continued to push from the off.

Vicario made a great save from palmer, and the wonder kid produced the perfect left wing cross to set Enzo up, and the midfielder made no mistake and thumped home a header from the six-yard box virtually unchallenged.

A needless challenge by James Maddison on Enzo on 55 minutes, simply allowed Chelsea a free hit on the Spurs goal. A lovely clipped ball was cleared to the edge of the box and Caicedo smashed home a perfect volley. Celebrations were short-lived as VAR intervened for a possible offside.

A seeming age of waiting was greeted by boos off the pitch and frustration from Chelsea players on it.

But finally VAR gave it as offside.

Spurs made the first changes when on came Pape Sarr and Brennan Johnson – off went Bergvali and Odobert.

Spurs fans booed the decision and shouted to the head coach: 'You don't know what you're doing.'

Spurs were denied a penalty within minutes by Craig Pawson when Trevoh Chalobah's left hand it the ball.

Chelsea then brought on Noni for Sancho.

Clearly Postecoglou knew what he was doing because Spurs equalised on 70 minutes when Sarr hit a daisy-cutter past Sanchez. But again VAR checked for a possible Sarr foul and sent Pawson to the monitor to double-check.

Rightly the goal was disallowed and Pawson also gave a yellow card to Sarr.

The match started to resemble matches of old when fouls were made, players converged on the referee and it seemed the game was getting out of control.

Reece James then entered the fray on 82 minutes – off went Jackson.

Spurs then made a double substitution – on came Mathys Tel and Pedro Porro, off went Van de Ven and Maddison – both on 87 minutes.

A quick break by Spurs should have seen then level when Johnson sliced the ball goal bound, but Sanchez smothered the effort.

This was replicated when Chelsea brought on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin, off went Palmer and Enzo.

They would be needed as they came on on 90 minutes, but 12 minutes were added.

But Spurs could not find a surprise leveller and the Blues competently saw out the game.

Teams: Chelsea: Sanchez, Cucurella, Colwill, Neto, Enzo, Jackson, Sancho, Palmer, Chalobah, Caicedo, Gusto

Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin, Badiashile, Noni, Nkunku, Dewsbury-Hall, James, George, Acheampong

Spurs: Vicario, Son, Maddison, Udogie, Bergvali, Romero, Solanke, Spence, Odobert, Bentancur, Van de Ven

Subs: Kinsky, Bissouma, Tel, Gray, Johnson, Porro, Sarr, Davies, Moore

Referee: Craig Pawson