Chelsea Triumphs Over Tottenham in a Hard-Fought London Derby: Player Ratings and Match Analysis

Chelsea Defeats Tottenham 1-0: Enzo Fernandez Shines in a Tense Derby

In a thrilling London derby at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. The match was filled with drama, with disallowed goals, yellow cards, and a standout performance from Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez. Here’s a closer look at the match, including player ratings and key moments.

The Match Summary: Chelsea’s Hard-Earned Victory

Chelsea took the lead early in the second half thanks to a well-timed header from Enzo Fernandez, who converted a perfect cross from Cole Palmer. However, the drama didn’t end there. Both teams saw goals ruled out after VAR reviews.

Moises Caicedo thought he had doubled Chelsea’s lead with a rare goal, but a tight offside call saw it disallowed after a lengthy review. Tottenham’s hopes of a comeback were also dashed when substitute Pape Sarr had what would have been the equalizing goal ruled out for a foul on Caicedo.

The game was also marked by intense physicality, with both teams picking up a total of nine yellow cards throughout the match. Despite these contentious moments, Chelsea held firm to maintain their slim lead and claim the three points.

Key Moments of the Match

• Enzo Fernandez’s Header: The Chelsea captain found the back of the net in the 49th minute, securing the only goal of the match. His header from Cole Palmer’s cross proved to be the difference-maker.
• VAR Drama: Both teams had goals disallowed. Moises Caicedo’s potential second goal for Chelsea was ruled out for offside, while Pape Sarr’s equalizer for Tottenham was annulled due to a foul on Caicedo.
• Physical Play: The match was full of rough tackles and confrontations, as evidenced by the nine yellow cards handed out. This added an extra layer of intensity to the already heated London derby.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs Tottenham (4-2-3-1)

Ratings provided by Fotmob

• Robert Sanchez (GK): 8.2/10 – Made crucial saves to keep Chelsea in the lead.
• Malo Gusto (RB): 8.1/10 – Delivered solid defensive performance and supported the attack well.
• Trevoh Chalobah (CB): 7.5/10 – Composed in defense, keeping Tottenham’s attackers at bay.
• Levi Colwill (CB): 6.8/10 – Had a decent game but struggled at times against Tottenham’s pace.
• Marc Cucurella (LB): 7.4/10 – Contributed defensively and joined the attack when necessary.
• Moises Caicedo (CM): 8.0/10 – A rock in midfield, his presence was key in breaking up Tottenham’s play.
• Enzo Fernandez (CM, C): 8.1/10 – Scored the match-winning goal and controlled the tempo of the game.
• Pedro Neto (RM): 6.8/10 – Showed flashes of quality but was largely quiet.
• Cole Palmer (AM): 8.2/10 – Provided the assist for the winning goal and was a constant threat.
• Jadon Sancho (LM): 6.5/10 – Struggled to make an impact and was substituted.
• Nicolas Jackson (ST): 6.4/10 – Had a quiet game, unable to influence the attack significantly.
• Subs:
  • Noni Madueke (68′ for Sancho): 6.7/10 – Added energy and creativity to the attack.
  • Reece James (82′ for Jackson): N/A – Limited involvement after coming on.
  • Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (90+1′ for Fernandez): N/A – Short cameo.
  • Tosin Adarabioyo (90+1′ for Palmer): N/A – Came on to help secure the defense.

Subs Not Used: Filip Jorgensen (GK), Benoit Badiashile, Josh Acheampong, Christopher Nkunku, Tyrique George.

Tottenham Player Ratings vs Chelsea (4-3-3)

Ratings provided by Fotmob

• Guglielmo Vicario (GK): 7.7/10 – Made several key saves to keep Tottenham in the game.
• Djed Spence (RB): 7.1/10 – Solid at the back, but didn’t offer much going forward.
• Cristian Romero (CB): 6.8/10 – Made some important interventions, but also struggled at times.
• Micky van de Ven (CB): 6.9/10 – Reliable in defense but was under pressure from Chelsea’s attack.
• Destiny Udogie (LB): 7.0/10 – Worked hard defensively and supported attacks down the flank.
• Lucas Bergvall (CM): 7.0/10 – Solid in midfield but lacked creativity in the final third.
• Rodrigo Bentancur (CM): 6.8/10 – Fought hard in midfield but couldn’t unlock Chelsea’s defense.
• James Maddison (CM): 5.9/10 – Disappointing performance, unable to make an impact on the match.
• Wilson Odobert (RW): 6.1/10 – A quiet performance, didn’t get involved much in the attacking play.
• Dominic Solanke (ST): 6.3/10 – Struggled to make an impact against Chelsea’s defense.
• Son Heung-min (LW, C): 6.2/10 – Worked hard but had little impact on the match.
• Subs:
  • Brennan Johnson (64′ for Odobert): 6.2/10 – Provided fresh legs but couldn’t find a breakthrough.
  • Pape Sarr (64′ for Bergvall): 6.0/10 – Had a goal ruled out and struggled to make an impact.
  • Pedro Porro (88′ for Van de Ven): N/A – Came on late, unable to affect the game.
  • Mathys Tel (88′ for Maddison): N/A – Barely had time to make an impact.

Subs Not Used: Antonin Kinsky (GK), Archie Gray, Ben Davies, Yves Bissouma, Mikey Moore.

Player of the Match: Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer was undoubtedly the standout player of the match. His perfectly weighted cross for Enzo Fernandez’s header was the highlight of Chelsea’s attacking play. Palmer’s creativity and vision were key to unlocking Tottenham’s defense throughout the game.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Both Teams?

This win is an important one for Chelsea as they continue to build momentum in the Premier League. For Tottenham, however, the result will feel like a missed opportunity, especially after having two goals disallowed. Both teams will look to bounce back in their next fixtures, with Chelsea aiming to continue their climb up the table and Tottenham needing to improve their form.

What do you think? Can Chelsea maintain this form, or will Tottenham bounce back stronger in their next match?