Cole Palmer’s ice-cool ‘Panenka’ penalty sealed Chelsea’s stunning comeback as they came from two goals behind to win at Tottenham.
Strikes from Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandez and two spot-kicks from Palmer sank Spurs, who made a fast start but then fell apart and suffered a defeat that adds to the recent agony for under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou.
Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski had put Tottenham 2-0 up in 11 minutes, but by the time Son Heung-min added their third in stoppage time the game had slipped away from them.
Chelsea’s win moves them to just four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, whose game at Everton on Saturday was postponed because of Storm Darragh.
Spurs dominated the early proceedings in a breathless start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Solanke and Kulusevski briefly lifting the pressure on Postecoglou.
Summer signing Solanke poked home the opening goal inside five minutes after Brennan Johnson capitalised on a slip from Marc Cucurella.
Spain international Cucurella slipped again six minutes later to allow Kulusevski to drive at the Chelsea defence and finish inside Robert Sanchez’s near post.
That was the cue for Cucurella to gesture to the bench that he needed substitute boots, having struggled to stay on his feet, at great cost.
Momentum gradually began to shift, and Chelsea winger Sancho dribbled past Pedro Porro and Radu Dragusin before curling a terrific low shot in off the right post. The comeback was under way as the first doubts crept in for the hosts.
Palmer and Levi Colwill also threatened for Chelsea, who had an escape when Pape Matar Sarr headed against the bar from a corner.
Chelsea’s second-half surge came amid a spate of injuries for Tottenham. They lost key defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – who both returned for this important game but could not last the distance – and winger Johnson.
Palmer profited as the Spurs defence hopelessly lost their focus.
The England forward converted his first penalty after Yves Bissouma brought down Moises Caicedo with a wild lunge, and the second was won by Palmer himself when Sarr needlessly shoved him over in the corner of the 18-yard box.
Palmer’s cheekily chipped finish from that second spot-kick completed Chelsea’s fightback and rubbed salt into Spurs wounds.
Between the two penalties, Fernandez cracked in a thumping shot after Palmer’s initial effort was blocked.
It all meant that Son’s late goal from a short corner routine was merely a consolation.
Inevitably, the question will be asked about whether Postecoglou was right to risk Van de Ven and Romero, and with this defeat following on from the midweek loss at Bournemouth there will be growing focus on Tottenham’s Australian boss.
Spurs sit 11th, while Chelsea march on into a title race, Palmer leading the way by showing an immaculate temperament.
On a day when he was pelted with objects thrown at him from the home end, Palmer made sure he and the visitors had the last laugh.
BBC
