- Harry Kane fired Tottenham into the lead with composed finish in the 35th minute
- Son Heung-min doubled the visitors' advantage just before half-time following scything Christian Eriksen pass
- Gary Cahill pulled a goal back for the home side early the second-half with powerful strike from close-range
- Eden Hazard levels ill-tempered derby with sublime curling effort with seven minutes remaining
- Leicester City's failure to win at Manchester United meant title race carried on for at least another day
- Chelsea defenders John Terry and Gary Cahill both returned for crunch clash at Stamford Bridge
- Dele Alli missing for Spurs as influential midfielder served three-match ban for violent conduct
- See more on Leicester City's meteroic rise to their historic Premier League win
At least the locals acknowledged the real heroes of the night. ‘Leicester,’ they chanted. ‘There’s only one Ranieri.’
A
few of the more misguided ones will see this as Chelsea’s triumph, too.
It wasn’t. All things considered it was something of a disgrace. The
level of unchecked aggression and violence was unacceptable, and as for
Chelsea’s performance, well, where has that been all season?
The
fight? The intensity? If Chelsea had played like this they wouldn’t be
mid-table, wouldn’t be the poorest champions in Premier League history,
wouldn’t be out of Europe next season. And Jose Mourinho would still be
manager.
Eden Hazard (left) unleashes a
powerful effort on the edge of the goal to level the derby with minutes
remaining at Stamford Bridge
Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris can only watch on as Hazard's wondrous curling effort heads into the corner of the net to make it 2-2
After a tense half an hour of action at Stamford Bridge, Spurs striker Harry Kane opens the scoring with a deft finish
The Tottenham star collected Erik Lamela's pass before stepping around Blues keeper Asmir Begovic to put the visitors 1-0 ahead
Kane races away to celebrate after his 35th-minute strike blows the Premier League title race open once more
Kane celebrates in front of the
jubilant Spurs supporters as his first-half opener turns the contest and
the title race on its head
Kane celebrates his 25th top-flight
goal of the season; the first Spurs player to do so since Gary Lineker
during the 1991/92 season
Blues centre back Gary Cahill is powerless to prevent Son Heung-min doubling Tottenham's advantage just before the break
The South Korean forward rifles the
ball past Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic after picking up a superb pass
from Christian Eriksen
Begovic and Cahill are left sprawled on the Stamford Bridge turf as Son fires the ball into the back of the Blues net
Son looks to the skies as his strike secures a precious two-goal cushion for the Premier League title chasers
Trailing 2-0, Cahill hands Chelsea a lifeline with a sublime piece of skill inside the Tottenham penalty area
Cahill brilliantly controls Willian's corner before launching a left-footed shot to make it 2-1
Cahill jumps for joy as the England and Blues centre back breathes life into Chelsea's second-half performance
MATCH STATS AND RATINGS FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
CHELSEA:
Begovic 6, Ivanovic 5, Cahill 6.5, Terry 6.5, Azpilicueta 6, Mikel 6,
Matic 6 (Oscar 78,), Willian 7, Fabregas 6, Pedro 5 (Hazard, 46, 7),
Costa 6.
Subs not used: Baba, Traore, Kenedy, Amelia, Loftus-Cheek.
Booked: Ivanovic, Mikel, Willian
Goals: Cahill 58, Hazard 83
Manager: Guus Hiddink
TOTTENHAM: Lloris
6.5, Walker 6.5, Alderweireld 7, (Chadli 90), Vertonghen 7, Rose 7.5
(Davies 82), Dier 6.5, Dembele 6.5, Lamela 7.5, Eriksen 7.5, Son 7.5
(Mason 65, 6), Kane 8.
Subs not used: Vorm, N'Jie, Wimmer, Carroll
Booked: Walker, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Dembele, Mason, Eriksen, Lamela, Kane
Goals: Kane 35, Son 44
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Attendance: 41,545
Leicester City sit proudly at the summit of the Premier League standings
Harry Kane finished off a flowing attacking move to put Spurs ahead. CLICK HERE for more maps and statistics from our Match Zone service.
When
the joy of denying Tottenham one last tilt at this season’s title has
subsided, when the elation of handing the prize to Claudio Ranieri in
absentia has faded, maybe the locals will come to see this for what it
is. The worst good result of the season. A game that does not reflect
well on any of the participants.
Chelsea
arrived ready for battle, Tottenham foolishly engaged. They had the
game won at half-time and then lost it — the result was a draw but,
considering what was at stake it will have felt like defeat — because
indiscipline muddled their heads. The FA will be looking at this game
and if the clubs, plus several players from both sides, do not receive
additional punishments it will be a big surprise. The question is, where
to start? There is a list of miscreants that could stretch the length
of Wembley Way.
It
was a dire night for Tottenham. They were always an outside bet for the
title, but two goals up at half-time, they must have thought they would
at least test Leicester’s resolve without one or two key players
against Everton. See if they blink. Instead, Tottenham blinked.
The
problem that cursed them against West Bromwich Albion, defending from
set-pieces, resurfaced and allowed Chelsea back into the game. From
there, the home team had all the momentum, roared on by a crowd that was
unashamed in treating this like the season’s cup final.
The
equaliser was gorgeous, but also left an aftertaste, players who have
been mired in inertia for Chelsea this season rallying to revisit the
form of a year ago. For one night only — as the billboards say.
Chelsea’s
second-half comeback was as inexplicable as their dismal, mid-table
title defence. From the 58th minute, when Gary Cahill pulled one back,
the game began shifting away from Tottenham. Mauricio Pochettino’s
defenders must learn from this next season. Willian whipped in the
corner and it was allowed to pitch in the area and fall at the feet of
Cahill, who had time to control and fire home.
That doesn’t happen at Leicester: and that’s why they’re champions.
It's tough viewing for Leicester City
fans watching the match in a pub in the town centre as Spurs establish a
two-goal lead in London
Tottenham defender Danny Rose collides with Chelsea midfielder Willian as a fiery first-half threatens to boil over
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino steps onto the pitch as a peacekeeper as the pair square-up following their altercation
Both sides get involved in the fracas with Mousa Dembele appearing to make contact with the eye of Costa
The
equaliser, seven minutes from time, was delightful but troubling, the
sort of fine forward play that has been missing here all season. Eden
Hazard laid the ball to Cesc Fabregas and ran — actually made a hard,
lung-bursting run — for the return, which arrived with precision. He
curled it past Hugo Lloris and the title was won. By Leicester.
The
celebrating Chelsea fans should perhaps stop to think about that. It
may have felt like a triumph, but was really nothing like it. Where has
Hazard been all season? Where has Fabregas been? And Chelsea?
They
even started stronger, Tottenham’s goals coming against the run of
play. Harry Kane’s opener, though, 35 minutes in, was beautifully taken.
Christian Eriksen found Erik Lamela in midfield and his neat, short,
pass allowed Kane to get in behind Chelsea’s defence, his finish belying
the magnitude of the occasion, skipping around Asmir Begovic before
slotting the ball coolly into the now empty net.
In
the 44th minute, the kind of lazy play that led directly to Mourinho’s
dismissal infected Chelsea yet again. Branislav Ivanovic played a sloppy
pass to Kane in midfield, he moved it on to Eriksen, and the Dane
picked out Son Heung-min on the right of the area. His low shot was
smart and firm and left Begovic with no chance. That should have been
it. That should have been the game and the title moved to match 37.
Instead, Tottenham chose to fight fire with fire and ended up
incinerated.
Chelsea centre back John Terry, who missed 10 of the past 12 matches with hamstring problems, grapples with Kane
Tottenham defender Kyle Walker gets ready to take a throw-in during a feisty opening 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge
Spurs midfielder Dembele (left) battles for possession with Blues playmaker Cesc Fabregas at Chelsea HQ
Chelsea striker Diego Costa appeals for a decision during a nervy opening quarter at Stamford Bridge
It
is hard to describe quite how ill-tempered this game became to someone
who did not see it. This was a throwback, prehistoric, like watching a
rerun of the 1970 FA Cup final — Chelsea versus Leeds — through
trembling fingers. There were more brawls than on the undercard at York
Hall. It didn’t need a referee but a squad of rangers with tranquiliser
guns. There was even an episode of eye-gouging, scarcely heard of in
football.
Matches
like this are described as battles, wars — but metaphors from combat
dignify it. This was a disgrace, really. Chelsea up for a fight in a way
they haven’t been all season, Tottenham responding when there was
really no need.
Mark
Clattenburg, the referee, is also culpable, having opted to play a
version of the rules as officials sometimes do in this country. He may
have been regretting that by the end, the game concluding with a giant
scuffle between players, managers, coaches, substitutes and staff at the
mouth of the tunnel. It was the third melee in a matter of minutes
after Fabregas claimed a Tottenham man had stamped on his hand, and Eric
Dier took Hazard out at the knee.
Tottenham boss Pochettino (left) had a word with Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink during the early exchanges
Spurs midfielder Eric Dier, who recovered from concussion to take his place in the starling line-up, tracks the run of Fabregas
It
had been bubbling up from the moment Mousa Dembele and John Mikel Obi
got involved minutes into the game. There was a little bit of pushing
and a slap aimed by Dembele that missed. Clattenburg spoke to both
players but no cards were issued. Pity. That might have put a stop to
it, early.
Instead,
the aggravation built, as did the tension, and the tackles grew nastier
and more reckless. In the 16th minute, Ivanovic hit Danny Rose high and
heavy. It was a booking all day long. Clattenburg gave him one of those
lectures that referees deliver when their prime concern is keeping
numbers on the field. Start handing out cards now, Clattenburg may have
been thinking, and it will end up seven a side.
So
Ivanovic escaped. As did Kyle Walker when he kicked Pedro off the ball.
And so it continued until finally Walker transgressed a second time,
tripping Pedro and was deservedly booked. By then it was too late. The
pot was now boiling. In the 37th minute, Jan Vertonghen and Diego Costa
tussled, the Tottenham defender manhandling Costa to such an extent his
shirt ripped. He ran, screaming, after Clattenburg and players on both
sides surrounded the official, who calmed them down and issued a second
yellow card of the night.
Costa tries a shot from distance as both sides look to break the deadlock at a heaving Stamford Bridge
And
then the pot boiled over. Willian on Rose. Maybe Rose on Willian. It
really doesn’t matter, both teams were by then so far over the line it
was hard to tell the sinned against from the sinner. As they went at it,
in front of the dug-outs, Mauricio Pochettino — an Argentina
centre-half in his playing days, and therefore never mistaken for a ray
of sunshine — got involved, ostensibly as peacemaker. The problem was,
he made peace by grabbing hold of the Chelsea player, not his own, so
what may have been good intentions provoked only further fury. Every
player within sprinting distance became involved in a carousel of
pushing, shoving, holding.
On
the fringes, Dembele used the opportunity to gouge the face of Costa.
If Clattenburg had seen it, even with his Zen approach to disciplinary
matters, he would surely have had to send him off.
So that’s another one for the FA to review.
The
bookings mounted. Lamela, Dembele, Ryan Mason, Mikel. The final score:
Tottenham nine cautions, Chelsea three, meaning Spurs will be charged
with failing to control their players. In truth, Chelsea haven’t
controlled theirs all season - that was why this performance was so out
of character with the rest of it.
Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta loses his feet as Dier looks to close the Spaniard down
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