Chelsea put on a dominant display against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, securing a crucial 2-0 victory that sees them leapfrog into eighth place in the Premier League standings. The Blues' win tightens the European qualification race, leaving Spurs with ground to make up in the season's final stretch.
The match was a tale of two halves, with Chelsea utterly dominating the opening period. Trevoh Chalobah broke the deadlock with a powerful header midway through the first half, rewarding Chelsea's early pressure. Spurs looked out of sorts and struggled to create any clear-cut chances in response.
Chelsea continued their dominance into the second half, and new signing Nicolas Jackson put the result beyond doubt with a clinical finish after a smart passing sequence tore apart the Tottenham defense.
Chelsea's win propels them into 8th position, pushing several teams further down in the race. Bournemouth, who are also showing great form this season, now sit in 9th place. Tottenham, in contrast, will be looking nervously over their shoulders as teams behind them start to mount their own challenges.
Chelsea will need to maintain this positive momentum to solidify their European ambitions, while Tottenham will need to quickly rediscover their winning formula if they hope to remain in Champions League contention.
Below is what the premier league table looks like after Chelsea's 2-0 victory