Palmer scores twice to increase the pressure on Postecoglou

Chelsea piled the pressure on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou after fighting back from 2-0 down to win 4-3 in a pulsating encounter.

It looked like the home side and their Australian coach would get a morale-boosting win when they took an early lead through goals from Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski.

But Chelsea proved why they are very much in the title race with a brilliant comeback to claim victory that moves them within four points of leaders Liverpool.

Cole Palmer scored two second-half penalties to add to goals from Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandez as Chelsea continued their impressive revival under Enzo Maresca’s clever leadership.

“Sweetness LICENSED” 🥶

Cole Palmer with a penalty on Panenka to put the game beyond doubt! pic.twitter.com/JE96MpFUrr

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 8, 2024

Son Heung-min pulled one back late on but it was another afternoon to forget for Postecoglou with the return of centre-backs Christian Romero and Micky van de Ven – the latter a surprise inclusion – and both missed the 90 minutes.

A transformation was not on the cards early on as two slips from Mark Cucurella gave Spurs the initiative.

His first slide led straight to Spurs’ opener. The Spanish full-back lost his footing on the slick surface, allowing Brennan Johnson to collect the ball, carry it down the right flank before crossing low for Solanke, whose clever dart past Levi Colville gave him space. at home.

Then, six minutes later, Cucurella’s boots let him down again with another slip, seeing him lose possession. The ball was recycled to Kuluszewski and he raced across the Chelsea penalty area before sending a low shot past Robert Sanchez’s left post.

Cukurella immediately ran onto the field to change his boots, but the damage was done.

Cukurela slipped AGAIN, and Kulushevski doubled Tottenham’s lead! 🤯

The Chelsea defender immediately runs off the pitch to change his boots 🫣 pic.twitter.com/R1enDM5PGp

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 8, 2024

Romero kick

Spurs were in complete control but the first sign that it was not going to be plain sailing came after 13 minutes when Romero, making his first appearance since mid-November, was forced off after suffering discomfort in the act of an elaborate tackle in his penalty. area.

And four minutes later, Chelsea hit back as Sancho cut in from the left and curled a brilliant shot past Fraser Forster.

Palmer should have made it 2-2 inside 20 minutes but missed the ball completely when trying to push home Fernandez’s shot.

A frantic half continued with Son curling inches wide at one end before Forster pulled off a brilliant double save to deny Palmer and Pedro Neto at the other.

Moises Caicedo was lucky not to see red for a challenge on Pape Sarr which VAR deemed to have “excessive force”, as was Kuluszewski for a needless elbow on Romeo Lavia before half-time.

Were Moises Caicedo and Dejan Kulushevski lucky not to have been sent off in the first half? 👇 pic.twitter.com/7ItrHvtDqh

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 8, 2024

In between, Sarr headed towards the crossbar and Solanke shot straight at Sanchez from the yard.

Chelsea started the second half on the front foot and only a brilliant save from Forster prevented the dangerous Sancho from equalizing after 48 minutes.

Bad decision-making costs the Spurs

An equalizer looked to be coming and duly arrived after 58 minutes when Yves Bissuma carelessly pounced on a challenge with his former Brighton team-mate Moises Caicedo in the area. Palmer made no mistake from the spot, coolly driving into the left corner of the net.

Son somehow missed the target midway through the half when he was cleared and it proved to be a costly miss as five minutes later Chelsea completed the comeback. After some neat footwork from Palmer on the right, a shot deflected into the path of Fernandez and the Argentine World Cup winner left-footed Forster.

Sancho was denied a fourth by Pedro Porro’s brilliant strike, but that didn’t deter Chelsea who scored again with eight minutes remaining after Sarr foolishly tackled Palmer in the area.

The England international showed all his prodigious talent with a cool Panenka to beat Forster and prompt the first chorus of whistles from the home faithful.

They were buoyed deep into injury time when substitute James Maddison cut the ball back for Son to score, but it wasn’t enough as Chelsea held on.