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Palmer scores twice to put pressure on Postecoglou

Rachel07 mins


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 hosts, and their Australian manager, would get a morale-boosting win when they raced into a commanding early lead with 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 a win 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 shrewd leadership.

Son Heung-min pulled one back late on but it was another afternoon to forget for Postecoglou with centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven returning – the latter a surprise – both failing to see out the 90 minutes.

A turnaround was not on the cards at the start as two slips from Marc Cucurella gave Spurs the initiative.

His first slip led directly to Spurs’ opener. The Spanish full-back lost his footing on the greasy surface, allowing Brennan Johnson to collect the ball, carry it down the right flank before crossing low for Solanke, whose clever dart past Levi Colwill gave him a yard of space. home.

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

Cucurella immediately ran to the touchline to change his boots, but the damage was done.

Spurs were in complete control but the first sign that it was not going to be an easy game came after 13 minutes when Romero, making his first appearance since mid-November, was forced off with a stretch after making a clever move inside the box. own penalty. area.

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

Palmer should have made it 2-2 inside 20 minutes but lost the ball completely when he tried to set up Fernandez’s goal.

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

Moises Caicedo was lucky not to see red after a challenge on Pape Sarr which VAR ruled did not have “excessive force”, as did Kulusevski for a pointless elbow on Romeo Lavia before half-time.

Between those moments, Sarr got on the post and Solanke fired a shot straight at Sanchez from a yard out.

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

It looked like an equalizer was coming and it duly arrived after 58 minutes when Yves Bissouma recklessly fell into a challenge with former Brighton team-mate Moises Caicedo inside the area. Palmer made no mistake from the spot, coolly slotting into the left corner of the net.

Son somehow missed the target midway through the half when clear and it proved a costly mistake as five minutes later Chelsea completed the comeback. Some neat footwork from Palmer down the right was followed by a shot deflected into the path of Fernandes and the Argentine World Cup winner slotted past Forster with his left foot.

Sancho was denied a fourth by a brilliant tackle from Pedro Porro, but that didn’t deter Chelsea, who scored again eight minutes from time after Sarr foolishly tripped Palmer in the area.

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

They were cheered deep into injury time when substitute James Maddison cut the ball back for Sean to score, but it was not enough as Chelsea held on.



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