Premier League

Chelsea go FOURTH after frantic derby win over Spurs

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Chelsea returned to the top four of the Premier League table as Enzo Fernandez's header sealed a 1-0 London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Fernandez powered home following an outstanding cross from the returning Cole Palmer in the 50th minute, as the Blues earned a deserved three points at Stamford Bridge.

Moises Caicedo and Pape Sarr had second-half strikes disallowed, but Spurs could have few complaints about the result, having earlier relied on Guglielmo Vicario to keep Chelsea out.

After several of their rivals for UEFA Champions League qualification won in midweek, the victory moves Chelsea to fourth place on 52 points, back above Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Now winless in four league matches, Ange Postecoglou's Spurs stay 14th with 34 points.

More to follow...

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Only Liverpool (38) and Arsenal (34) have won more Premier League points at home this season than Chelsea (31 – level with Nottingham Forest), with the Blues winning five in a row at Stamford Bridge for only the second time across the last five seasons (also last five matches of 2023/24).

Only the Premier League’s current bottom four teams have lost more games this season than Spurs, with Spurs losing 16 league games in a campaign for the first time since 2003/04 under Glenn Hoddle & David Pleat (19).

Chelsea have completed a league double over Spurs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since doing so in three consecutive Premier League campaigns between 1999/00 and 2001/02.

Spurs have failed to win any of their last nine Premier League games against teams starting the day in the top half of the table (D1 L8), since beating Manchester City 4-0 in November.

TEN memorable moments from Chelsea v Spurs

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Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday in the next instalment of a fixture that has produced countless memorable moments. Football writer Adrian Kajumba looks back at some of the standout matches, goals, incidents and individual performances from their meetings during the Premier League era.

Seven-goal thriller - December 2024

Expectations were high when Spurs and Chelsea met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season and the London derby did not disappoint.

The two rivals shared seven goals in a see-saw classic, one in which Chelsea recovered from going 2-0 down, after two costly Marc Cucurella slips, to win 4-3.

The most memorable moment of all was the one that proved to be the winning goal - Cole Palmer’s Panenka penalty.

After scoring one spot-kick to make it 2-2 and brilliantly setting up Enzo Fernandez to make it 3-2, Chelsea’s talisman Palmer earned the chance to make it 4-2 when he was fouled to win an 84th-minute penalty.

It was a high-stakes moment, though you would not have known it when Palmer nonchalantly strode up and chipped Fraser Forster to all but seal victory for Chelsea.

Chelsea capitalise on chaos - November 2023

The rivals' first meeting of 2023/24 featured one of the managers returning to his former club.

But Mauricio Pochettino’s first reunion with Spurs, after he was appointed Chelsea head coach ahead of the 2023/24 season, was eventually overshadowed by the crazy game that unfolded, one of the most eventful in Premier League history.

Spurs had won eight of their first 10 league matches under new head coach Ange Postecoglou.

They looked set to continue their form when Dejan Kulusevski gave them an early lead but their night and brilliant start to the season soon began to unravel.

Palmer equalised with a penalty which was awarded after Cristian Romero’s red-card foul on Fernandez. Spurs then lost three more key players - Micky Van de Ven and James Maddison to injury, plus Destiny Udogie who joined Romero in being dismissed.

Despite being reduced to nine men, Postecoglou refused to alter his high-line approach and was almost rewarded for his bravery and defiance which was acknowledged by Spurs fans.

But Chelsea finally worked out how to exploit all the space behind their opponents' defence and Nicolas Jackson scored a late hat-trick to clinch a 4-1 win.

The game also featured five disallowed goals, 11 VAR checks and 21 minutes of added time.

Tuchel and Conte clash - August 2022

An already dramatic match was made unforgettable by the clash between rival managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte at the final whistle.

Tempers had been rising on the touchline as the contest unfolded.

The first sign of the storm to come was when Tuchel and Conte were booked after a confrontation in the wake of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s equaliser to make it 1-1.

That goal was allowed to stand despite Chelsea appealing for a foul on Kai Havertz in the build-up.

Tuchel then sprinted past ex-Chelsea manager Conte and the Spurs bench to celebrate Reece James's goal that put the hosts 2-1 up.

But Spurs had the final say when Harry Kane levelled six minutes into stoppage time to deny Chelsea a deserved win. Again Chelsea were aggrieved, that a foul on Cucurella was overlooked shortly before Spurs scored.

The most controversial moment of the afternoon was, however, still to come. The managers’ full-time handshake, when Tuchel refused to let go of his counterpart after appearing to take exception to Conte not looking him in the eye, sparked more unsavoury scenes. Both men were sent off and charged by the FA.

Alli’s double inspires Spurs to historic away win - April 2018

As well as the title, that 2016 comeback also denied Spurs one of their best chances of ending their long wait for a league win at Chelsea.

Finally, though, their hoodoo finally came to an end two years later.

An impressive comeback earned Spurs a historic 3-1 triumph, their first victory at Stamford Bridge since February 1990 - 28 years earlier.

After falling behind to Alvaro Morata’s header, Christian Eriksen drew Spurs level with a stunning, dipping strike from long range.

But Dele Alli stole the headlines with a quick-fire second-half double just after the hour.

Spurs’ triumph was crucial that season, as well as historic. They were competing with Chelsea for a top-four spot in 2017/18 and their trip to the Bridge was decisive at the time with Spurs kicking off five points ahead of their rivals.

The gap was up to eight points at full-time and was ultimately too big for Chelsea to close. They finished the season in fifth and Spurs clinched third spot.

Battle of the Bridge - May 2016

Few matches sum up the animosity in this rivalry better than the one that became known as the 'Battle of the Bridge'. Spurs travelled to Chelsea nine years ago needing a win to keep their title hopes alive.

But, despite having nothing to play for themselves after their poor title defence, Chelsea were hell-bent on preventing their opponents succeeding them as Premier League champions.

Some of Chelsea’s players, including midfielder Cesc Fabregas, even publicly declared their preference for Leicester City to win the title over Spurs, adding spice to the late-season derby.

Initially at Stamford Bridge, all was going well for Spurs when they established a 2-0 half-time lead through goals from Kane and Son Heung-min.

However, as Chelsea staged a fight-back, capped by Eden Hazard’s iconic equaliser, to earn a 2-2 draw that ended Spurs’ title hopes, the match also descended into disciplinary chaos.

Flashpoints broke out all over the pitch, during the match and after the full-time whistle, as tensions rose and eventually boiled over. Twelve players were booked, including a record nine from Spurs, and both managers were caught up in the drama.

Spurs head coach Pochettino entered the pitch to split up Danny Rose and Willian while Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink was knocked over during a post-match melee.

FA charges inevitably followed for both clubs with Spurs midfielder Mousa Dembele also receiving a six-match ban for violent conduct. The final outcome was one they would rather forget but events on the night ensured this game will live long in the memory.

Kane announces himself to the world - January 2015

The goals had already started to flow regularly for Kane in a Spurs shirt but his New Year's Day display against Chelsea was the one that made everyone really stand up and take note.

The Blues were Premier League leaders en route to regaining the title, had the division’s best defensive record and a backline with seasoned duo John Terry and Gary Cahill at the heart of it.

But Kane gave them a torrid time with a masterclass performance to inspire Spurs to a 5-3 victory, their first win over Chelsea in almost five years.

Kane scored two brilliantly-taken goals, won the penalty that Andros Townsend converted, and also set up Spurs’ fifth goal, scored by Nacer Chadli.

Kane’s manager Mauricio Pochettino said: "We need to be careful with him, but we cannot hide him away." That became impossible after the young striker’s breakout Premier League performance against Chelsea.

Eight-goal thriller at White Hart Lane - March 2008

The two teams produced another rollercoaster Premier League classic just two weeks after they had met in the Carling Cup final.

Two of the scorers in the cup final got the goal fest underway when Didier Drogba and Jonathan Woodgate traded early strikes. Michael Essien and Joe Cole then scored to put Chelsea 3-1 up and in command.

But Dimitar Berbatov, another Wembley scorer, reduced the deficit before a fine finish from Tom Huddlestone drew Spurs level. Cole appeared to have won this breathless derby when he netted his second goal but there were still twists to come.

Firstly, Robbie Keane curled in a stunning 88th-minute equaliser to make it 4-4 after a clearance rebounded off Ricardo Carvalho’s back and fortunately into his path.

Spurs then had a huge chance to win the game but Carlo Cudicini denied Berbatov with a stunning save in stoppage time to leave Chelsea relieved not to lose a match they were minutes away from winning.

Spurs’ last trophy - February 2008

The passing of time has made what was an already major occasion between the two clubs 17 years ago even more significant.

The 2008 Carling Cup final between the two London clubs was the first League Cup showpiece played at the new Wembley Stadium.

It also has a special place in the history of this fixture as it remains the last time Spurs lifted silverware.

Chelsea were aiming to retain the trophy they won against Arsenal the previous season and were on course to do so after Drogba’s first-half free-kick.

But Berbatov's penalty took the game to extra time when Woodgate's header secured a famous victory for Spurs that would continue to be talked about for years.

Spurs end wait for a win over Chelsea - November 2006

A brilliant derby, featuring some outstanding individual contributions, finished with Spurs ending their 16-year wait for a league win against Chelsea.

Ledley King’s incredible recovery tackle to prevent Arjen Robben scoring was one of the first memorable moments of the match.

Unfortunately for Spurs, that led to a corner from which defensive midfielder Claude Makelele opened the scoring for the defending champions with a stunning volley.

Michael Dawson levelled with a perfectly-placed header to kick-start Spurs’ fightback, which was completed impressively by match-winner Aaron Lennon after Keane had bamboozled Chelsea defender Khalid Boulahrouz before crossing from the left.

Chelsea’s hopes of staging their own recovery were hit when Terry was sent off with 18 minutes left and Spurs held on to claim a famous win over their fierce rivals after 32 failed attempts.

Hasselbaink’s perfect hat-trick - March 2002

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink loved facing Spurs, scoring 13 career goals against them - his joint-highest tally at the expense of a single club.

Twelve of those goals came in 11 matches for Chelsea, where he spent four seasons.

In the last of the five meetings between the clubs in 2001/02, the Dutchman was the undoubted star of the show.

Three days after Chelsea beat Spurs 4-0 in an FA Cup quarter-final, they repeated the scoreline in the Premier League, largely thanks to a perfect Hasselbaink hat-trick.

Either side of curling, long-range efforts with his right foot and left, striker Hasselbaink scored with a header on one of the most memorable nights of his career.

"When I was told after the match that I’d scored a "perfect hat-trick", I didn’t know what that was. I just thought a hat-trick was a hat-trick. But when they explained it, that made it very special too," Hasselbaink told FourFourTwo magazine.

"I think all the Spurs fans remember it. My lawyer is a big Spurs fan and he doesn’t like it when I speak about my record against them!"

Chelsea handed triple injury boost ahead of Spurs test

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Chelsea have been handed a significant injury boost ahead of their match against Tottenham Hotspur, with manager Enzo Maresca confirming that Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson - the club's three leading scorers - are all in contention to feature on Thursday.

Palmer, Chelsea's top scorer with 14 league goals, missed the defeat to Arsenal before the international break after sustaining a muscular issue which also forced him to withdraw from the England squad.

Jackson, who has netted nine times in the league, has been out since early February after suffering a hamstring injury against West Ham United, while Madueke, on seven goals, has also been unavailable since that month.

But all three players have returned to training and could play a role against Spurs.

"Cole is back, he is OK. He is better. Noni is better and Nico is better. They are all good," Maresca confirmed to the media at Cobham on Wednesday.

"It is very good [to have them back]. We have said many times, this is a game for the players and when they are not there for different reasons, you struggle. It’s exactly what happened to us this season, we had six unbelievable months and then six or seven injuries in a row. Then we lost something. But it will be good to finish [the season] with all of them."

While Chelsea welcome back key attacking options, they will be without midfielder Romeo Lavia, who made his return from injury with a substitute appearance against Arsenal but has since suffered a setback.

"He was doing better in terms of progress but unfortunately, two days ago he had a small problem again," Maresca revealed. "We’re going to see [how he is] in the next hours."

Chelsea's next five PL fixtures

Analysis: Will Chelsea v Spurs be another high-scoring classic?

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Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 30.

Match analysis: Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

Entertaining sides make exciting matches, and it feels like Chelsea and Spurs are set up perfectly to produce open, high-scoring encounters.

Fourteen goals have been shared across their last three meetings, which have averaged 30 shots per match.

That is 15 per cent higher than the norm in this season’s Premier League.

So, why do these two London rivals serve up such end-to-end encounters? Let’s take a closer look…

Boldness off the ball

Enzo Maresca and Ange Postecoglou demand aggressive pressing when their teams are out of possession, with both head coaches favouring a man-to-man approach.

Regularly forcing mistakes inside the opposition half, it’s a style of play which can bring plenty of rewards.

Spurs rank fourth for high turnovers in 2024/25, while Chelsea have produced the third-most shots from those situations.

Most turnovers per 90 minutes by PL teams 24/25

High turnovers per 90 Shot-ending high turnovers per 90 Arsenal 9.2 Bournemouth 1.97 Man City 9.1 Liverpool 1.72 Bournemouth 9.1 Chelsea 1.48 Spurs 8.9 Wolves 1.41

In a 4-3 win for Chelsea back in December, it was Spurs who scored first, pouncing on a slip by left-back Marc Cucurella.

The image below shows how Spurs engaged with a hostile man-to-man press shortly before the Spaniard fell over.

High-risk strategies

Going man-to-man is also a gamble, especially against the best, most press-resistant sides.

We saw this for Chelsea’s equaliser in December’s meeting when Postecoglou’s high press was skilfully bypassed by the Blues.

In a move that involved keeper Robert Sanchez, Maresca's men cleverly manoeuvred the ball through the thirds, playing around the home side to isolate Jadon Sancho in a 1v1 with Pedro Porro.

Good decoy runs from Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson then distracted the centre-backs, allowing the winger to cut inside and score.

Highlights from Spurs 3-4 Chelsea

Chelsea also like to mark man-to-man all over the pitch.

It can have a suffocating effect when performed properly, but when one player escapes their marker's attention it will cause issues.

This example (below) shows Son Heung-min drifting inside right-back Moises Caicedo, before playing a one-two with Dominic Solanke.

Having slipped away from his designated marker, Son was put through on goal, almost scoring from the 1v1 situation.

Adding to the risky nature of this style, Maresca and Postecoglou also want their sides to play out from the back.

They can both do this with confidence, but Chelsea and Spurs do also give up plenty of chances from high turnovers.

An issue Postecoglou’s men in particular, this approach brings plenty of risk.

Turnovers against per 90 minutes compared 24/25

High turnovers against per 90 (PL rank) Shot-ending high turnovers against per 90 (PL rank) Spurs 8.8 (2nd) Spurs 1.45 (5th) Chelsea 6.7 (13th) Chelsea 1.28 (7th)

Is this approach working against the top teams?

Based on this season’s performances, trying to play in this bold, high-risk manner – with and without the ball - has not worked well for either side against the Premier League's stronger teams.

Too many goals have been leaked.

Chelsea have not kept any clean sheets in their 10 matches against the current top eight teams this season, while Spurs have only kept one in their 12.

In their combined 22 matches against the top eight teams, Chelsea and Spurs have claimed only three victories between them.

Chelsea and Spurs' records v top eight clubs in PL 24/25*

Statistic Chelsea Spurs Matches played 10 12 Wins 2 1 Draws 2 1 Losses 6 10 Goals scored 11 16 Goals conceded 18 25 Clean sheets 0 1 Goal difference -7 -9

*Stats correct after Matchweek 29

Pace that punishes gaps on the break

While both head coaches want to exert control through possession, especially Maresca, these two teams are probably at their most threatening on the breakaway.

Each forward line is blessed with searing pace, and in the last three meetings between the clubs, we have seen them cause one another headaches with a stream of counter-attacks.

Spurs and Chelsea have scored 17 goals between them from fast breaks this season, so it’s likely we will see chances created at both ends from these situations at Stamford Bridge.

Most fast-break goals by PL teams 24/25

Team Total Liverpool 13 Spurs 10 Wolves 8 Chelsea 7

As both Maresca and Postecoglou place such a heavy emphasis on pushing their full-backs into central and advanced areas as a matter of course, there are obvious holes for each team to target on those counters.

Chelsea left-back Cucurella spends a lot of time in attacking midfield areas, and both Spurs full-backs are also encouraged to get involved deep inside opposition territory.

This season's touch maps for Cucurella and Destiny Udogie (below) show how often each player is away from their traditional full-back role.

When play breaks down, both teams will look to raid quickly down the wide channels, drawing central defenders towards the wing.

In terms of fashioning direct attacks, Chelsea are the most prolific side in the Premier League this season.

Most direct attacks per 90 minutes in PL 24/25

Team Total Chelsea 2.55 Bournemouth 2.52 Liverpool 2.41 Newcastle 2.11 Spurs 2.07

Expect excitement

While neither side is in top form right now, Chelsea versus Spurs rarely disappoints in terms of goal action.

The Blues have won the last three meetings in a row, but in all of them, Spurs also created plenty of opportunities.

The stats below show the attacking averages for all clubs' Premier League matches this season.

Attacking averages in all Premier League matches 24/25

Statistics Average per 90 minutes Shots 26 Shots in box 17.9 Big chances 5.1 Expected Goals 2.92

Below, you can see how the last three Spurs v Chelsea meetings compare with those 2024/25 Premier League averages.

Last three Spurs v Chelsea matches - attacking stats compared

Total TOT 1-4 CHE (Nov 2023) CHE 2-0 TOT (May 2024) TOT 3-4 CHE (Dec 2024) Shots 25 35 30 Shots in box 18 23 23 Big chances 7 6 9 Expected goals 5.01 3.82 5.73

This fixture certainly has a pattern of being open and end-to-end, reflected in the big chance and expected goals counts being way in excess of what we usually see.

From a tactical perspective, Maresca versus Postecoglou is a match-up that promises more of the same on Thursday.

Even if we don’t get a seven-goal thriller this time, history shows it should be an enjoyable match to watch.

Also in this series

ePL 2024/25 Grand Finals: Quarter-final line-up confirmed

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Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers will join Manchester City, Ipswich Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool on the last day of the 2024/25 ePremierLeague Grand Finals, after an enthralling close to Saturday’s knockout stage.

Twelve clubs were involved, with four teams progressing to Sunday’s quarter-finals.

Knockout phase

First up, there was an all-London affair, as Spurs faced Chelsea and enjoyed a convincing 9-3 win thanks to Tom Leese and NiKSNEB.

Crystal Palace recorded an impressive 10-5 victory against Manchester United, to set up a tantalising Round-of-16 tie against Spurs.

Southampton, Brentford and Leicester City also progressed to the last 16, beating AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest respectively. All three games were tight, decided by a single-goal margin.

Meanwhile, Fulham defeated their London rivals Arsenal 7-4, and Wolverhampton Wanderers beat West Ham United to seal their spot in the Round of 16.

Undoubtedly, the best tie of the knockout phase was the contest between Everton and Aston Villa. An enthralling game with end-to-end action, goals galore and jeopardy saw the match head to extra-time; it was the only game to do so.

In a tightly-contested affair, the stakes grew higher, up until the 120th minute, when Everton went through on goal. A tactical foul and red card later left the Toffees with a free-kick in a threatening position on the edge of the box. With the last kick of the game, 1mpactZ expertly buried his free-kick into the top corner to send Everton through to the Round of 16 in emphatic fashion; a bitter pill to swallow for cameronrock and Aston Villa.

Round of 16

The stage was set for the Round of 16 to commence, with one game remaining for each team to secure a coveted spot in Sunday’s Finals Day.

Two of the standout performers in the Round of 32 went head-to-head, with Crystal Palace taking on Spurs. A dominant first-leg performance from NiKSNEB over ETHXNH gave Spurs a comfortable 4-1 lead going into the second leg. The north London side came out on top overall, with a 7-2 aggregate victory.

Elsewhere, we saw the highest number of goals scored by a single team in Southampton’s jaw-dropping 11-5 victory over south-coast neighbours AFC Bournemouth. An emphatic victory capped off with Michael Fisher’s bowling-ball celebration, a striking image of a perfect result.

Everton were unable to carry the momentum from their dramatic last-minute winner in the previous round, as Wolves calmly asserted themselves as strong and worthy opponents.

Leicester's surprising underdog story in this season’s ePremierLeague came to an end, as Fulham bagged an 8-6 aggregate victory. Logriffey and Salman striking up a dangerous partnership with the championship rounds approaching.

An exhilarating day of ePremierLeague drew to a close with the four winners from the Round of 16 - Fulham, Southampton, Spurs and Wolves - progressing through to Finals Day. The four already-qualified teams wait in the wings for what is set to be an iconic finale on Sunday.

How to follow the ePL matches live

You can watch Sunday's action LIVE from 16:00 GMT on the Premier League’s YouTube channel using the link below, and there will also be coverage across Premier League social media channels such as X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Spurs recover from two-goal deficit to draw with AFC Bournemouth

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Son Heung-min scored a late penalty as Tottenham Hotspur recovered from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with high-flying AFC Bournemouth.

Marcus Tavernier put Andoni Iraola’s side ahead three minutes before half-time, with his finish made simple by Milos Kerkez’s sensational pinpoint delivery.

The Cherries doubled their advantage in the second half through Evanilson’s dinked effort, only for Pape Sarr to reduce the deficit soon after with a fortuitous cross that sailed into the net.

But in the 82nd minute, Kepa brought down Son inside the area, and the Spurs captain stepped up to convert straight down the middle and seal a share of the spoils.

Bournemouth miss the chance to go sixth in the Premier League and instead only climb one place to eighth, above Newcastle United on goal difference. Spurs, meanwhile, stay 13th ahead of Manchester United's later match against Arsenal.

How the match unfolded

Spurs almost endured a nightmare start when Cristian Romero’s slack pass was picked off by Evanilson, but the returning defender’s blushes were spared by a strong Guglielmo Vicario save.

However, Bournemouth did take advantage of their opponents’ sloppy play in the 42nd minute, catching Spurs on the break as Kerkez’s excellent run and cross from the left was finished by the sliding Tavernier.

After seeing a Justin Kluivert strike ruled out for offside following a VAR check, the Cherries doubled their lead in the 65th minute, the Dutch creator slipping in Evanilson, who dinked the ball over Vicario.

Spurs, though, gave themselves a lifeline two minutes later when Sarr’s attempted cross looped over Kepa, and that would not be the Bournemouth goalkeeper's last involvement.

Kepa rushed out to try and claim a throughball but instead clipped the feet of Son, with the Spurs captain dusting himself down to equalise from 12 yards.

Spurs' super subs salvage a point

Spurs have endured a difficult time with injuries lately, but with many players returning, Ange Postecoglou now has the ability to affect the game from the bench.

His team were buoyed by the returns of Dominic Solanke and Romero to their starting line-up, but the latter endured a difficult start and showed signs of rust, with the Argentinian making his first Premier League start since a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea back in December.

Postecoglou’s side also looked unassured in possession, with several loose passes picked off by Bournemouth. The Cherries’ ferocious press caused Spurs plenty of early problems, and they were indebted to Vicario for making a couple of big saves.

Indeed, it was Pedro Porro’s giveaway that led to Bournemouth flying forward for the opener, with the Spurs players leaving the field to boos from their supporters at half-time.

But the introductions of Lucas Bergvall and Son injected some dynamism into the team, and both players clipped the upright before Sarr’s fortuitous strike gave Spurs hope.

Son would ultimately have the final say, with the result perhaps the confidence boost Spurs needed ahead of Thursday's huge UEFA Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar.

Cherries' European hopes falter

Talk of Bournemouth gatecrashing the European picture gathered pace as they made a strong start to 2025, but their momentum has faltered somewhat, having now gone three Premier League matches without a win.

Having seen three chances come and go in the opening five minutes, Bournemouth stamped their authority on this contest and looked fitter and sharper than their under-pressure hosts.

After Solanke’s tame header into Kepa's gloves gave them a warning, Bournemouth hit the front following a real moment of quality from Kerkez, who put the ball on a plate for Tavernier to tuck home.

Iraola’s side had another sensational counter-attacking strike chalked off early in the second half due to an offside decision against Antoine Semenyo in the build-up, though they shook off that setback to go 2-0 up through Evanilson.

Sarr’s goal swung the balance of the contest, though Bournemouth had their chances at 2-1. Kerkez smashed the woodwork with a cross before Kluivert struck the base of the post, and they were punished for their wastefulness after Kepa's rash challenge on Son.

Though this will feel like two points dropped, Bournemouth will continue their quest for European football when they face Brentford next week.

Club reports

Spurs report | Bournemouth report

What the managers said

Ange Postecoglou: "It was a different kind of struggle for us today. Bournemouth pressed really well and we were really sloppy with the ball at times which allowed them to pin us back. At 2-0 we had a bit of a mountain to climb. It was a chaotic game today and the boys showed a real mentality. It would have been really easy at 2-0, with the atmosphere in the stadium, to let it slip away from us but they fought hard and got themselves back in the game."

Andoni Iraola: "Today we feel we lost two very important points. We tested the keeper two times in the first five minutes but we need to capitalise. We had chances to score the third one and the fourth one but we couldn't take our chances. We are playing well, creating chances and controlling games but we have to find a way to win them. I hope we don't play as well next time and find a way to win against Brentford."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

This afternoon's comeback was the 26th different time that Spurs have come back to salvage at least a point after being 2+ goals down in a Premier League match (W9 D17), with only Man Utd doing so on more occasions in the history of the competition (30).

No team has scored more open-play goals from crosses in the Premier League this season than Bournemouth’s eight, with three of those being assisted by Kerkez.

Only Liverpool (35) and Arsenal (26, prior to playing Man Utd later today) have picked up more points away from home than Bournemouth in the Premier League this season (23), whilst only Liverpool (38) have scored more goals on the road than the Cherries (30). Bournemouth have now netted 30+ goals away from home in a single Premier League campaign for the first time ever.

Analysis: Improved defending gives Spurs platform to climb the table

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Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics, and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 28.

Team analysis: Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs may have had an off night in midweek, losing 1-0 at AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League, but domestically they are one of the form sides, having won three of their last four Premier League matches.

Sitting in 13th place they are still nine points adrift of the top half, but there are signs that Ange Postecoglou’s side are capable of finishing the campaign strongly.

Clean-sheet victories over Brentford and Manchester United have lifted morale, as did a handsome 4-1 success at Ipswich Town.

The return of several regular first-team players from injury has also provided a timely boost, with centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero both in contention to start against AFC Bournemouth this weekend.

Shutout against Brentford set the tone

On the back of four consecutive Premier League defeats, the pressure was on for Postecoglou and his players at the start of February, but they discovered newfound defensive resolve in a 2-0 win at Brentford.

Spurs were often pushed back that day, and they rode their luck, but their collective resilience was exceptional.

Making 49 clearances, including 34 with their heads, their unified spirit played a big part in that victory, especially with three full-backs and a central midfielder making up the back four.

Those 49 clearances were the most by Spurs since May 2022 against Liverpool (51), while their 34 headed clearances was their highest tally in a league match since December 2016 against Burnley (43).

Spurs' clearances v Brentford

That hard-fought victory against Brentford set them up well for back-to-back successes against Man Utd and Ipswich.

Spurs made an impressive 26 clearances at home to Man Utd - their third-most of the season.

Postecoglou’s men have also made more blocks in their last four matches than their average of 3.65 across their first 23 matches.

While the stats below reflect a side that have had to absorb pressure, the numbers also signify an upturn in desire to protect their own goal.

Spurs' blocks last four matches

Opponent Blocks Brentford (A) 7 Man Utd (H) 4 Ipswich (A) 6 Man City (H) 5

Returning goalkeeper has made a difference

First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has been outstanding across the last three matches.

The Italian missed 12 Premier League fixtures with an ankle injury, and Spurs had to use three different goalkeepers during his absence.

That uncertainty affected the team, who have been given a lift by Vicario’s comeback.

Vicario produced a sensational double save early on against Ipswich and caught the eye making a series of spectacular stops against both Man Utd and Manchester City.

In a sign that Spurs have not been exactly watertight in recent matches, Vicario has been forced into making 14 saves, the second-most in the division during the last three Matchweeks.

But his success rate when dealing with those efforts has been superb, helping to prevent an additional 1.4 goals according to Opta.

Spurs now face a Bournemouth team who rank third in the league for Expected Goals (xG) this season, so they may well be reliant on their fit-again 'keeper making more telling contributions.

PL goalkeepers' stats since 14 Feb

Saves Save success % Goals prevented Ramsdale 19 Flekken 90.0% Flekken 2.0 Vicario 14 Areola 88.9% Ederson 1.5 Onana 13 Vicario 87.5% Vicario 1.4

A super spell for Spence

One of the biggest positives for Spurs has been the resurgence of full-back Djed Spence.

He has filled in at left-back with great distinction, showing excellent defensive attributes in 1v1s.

The 24-year-old has been out of favour for most of his two-and-a-half-year spell with the club, but he is now offering plenty to the side defensively and with his progressive ball carrying too.

Spence tops the rankings for duels won, tackles won and completed dribbles compared with all Premier League defenders who have also made at least nine starts (his total).

Best PL defenders' averages per 90 24/25

Duels won Tackles won Dribbles completed Spence 7.85 Spence 2.45 Spence 2.45 Mazraoui 6.91 Munoz 2.43 Ait-Nouri 1.74 Munoz 6.70 Udogie 2.12 Wan-Bissaka 1.72 Williams 6.58 Romero 2.12 Semedo 1.14 Udogie 6.54 Senesi 2.05 Aina 1.07

He faces stiff competition now that Destiny Udogie is fit, but this weekend it would be no surprise if Spence starts ahead of him or Pedro Porro on the other flank.

Spence has become the type of dogged full-back that opponents do not want to face.

And as he showed against Ipswich, he is also capable of bursting into the final third to score goals.

Competition fuelling better performances

Postecoglou is no longer down to the bare bones in terms of attacking options and that should drive up standards between now and the end of the campaign.

We saw evidence of this at Portman Road when Spurs’ finishing was top-class.

Son Heung-min produced a mesmeric individual display, while Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski both scored, and James Maddison and Dane Scarlett also provided assists from the bench.

Kulusevski is now injured and Dominic Solanke limped off in midweek, but Spurs can still call on Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert, Mikey Moore and Timo Werner this Sunday in addition to the names mentioned.

In midfield you can see something similar happening too.

Fit-again Rodrigo Bentancur has made a difference in recent weeks.

Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are vying for a spot alongside him, and both men have been getting forward to make things happen inside the final third.

Sarr burst into space to score a terrific goal at Brentford, as shown below, while it was Bergvall’s shot on target that was spilled out to Maddison for the winner at home to Man Utd.

Spurs remain a work in progress, as shown in Europe on Thursday, but they are in better shape than they were at the turn of the year.

For this reason, they can give a Bournemouth team who are chasing the top four a tough examination this weekend.

Also in this series

Preview: All you need to know ahead of European last-16 ties

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Football writer Ben Bloom looks at the remaining Premier League sides in Europe and what to expect in the knockout stages.

As the days lengthen and temperatures start to rise, European competitions reach their business end with the arrival of the round of 16.

Of the seven Premier League clubs that entered the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, only Manchester City, who fell to Real Madrid in the Champions League playoff stage, have not progressed.

But Aston Villa, Arsenal and Liverpool remain in Europe’s leading competition, while Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea all have their eyes on other continental silverware.

The English contingent are not only fighting for quarter-final places, but also bidding to help the Premier League earn an additional fifth spot in next season’s Champions League.

Who stands in their way and what chance do they have of keeping their European dreams alive? Here is everything you need to know.

Champions League round-of-16 ties

Club Brugge v Aston Villa

First leg: Club Brugge v Aston Villa, Tuesday 4 March, 17:45 GMT

Second leg: Aston Villa v Club Brugge, Wednesday 12 March, 20:00 GMT

Guided by Unai Emery – a manager who led Spanish sides Sevilla to three Europa League titles and Villareal one – Villa have already confounded expectations in their first appearance in Europe’s top competition since 1982/83. Five wins in eight league-phase games saw them advance directly to the round of 16 with an eighth-place finish.

Their opponents, Club Brugge, are the lowest ranked side to make it this far, finishing 24th in the table and only progressing to the knockout phase playoffs on goal difference.

However, the Belgian side were one of only two to inflict defeat on Villa during the league phase, when a freak Tyrone Mings handball gifted Brugge a penalty, which they scored to claim a 1-0 win.

Brugge then lost 3-1 at Man City in their final league-phase game, but put up a far improved showing to beat Atalanta 5-2 over the two-legged playoff and advance to the last 16.

Managed by Nicky Hayen – who spent six months in charge of Welsh club Haverfordwest County in 2022 – Brugge are currently second in the Belgian Pro League, although their chances of claiming a seventh title in 10 years appear slim due to a nine-point deficit over league leaders Genk. They head into this Villa encounter having won just one of their last six league games.

Villa are on a similarly poor domestic run, winning only one of their last seven Premier League matches, although they did beat Championship side Cardiff City in the FA Cup fifth round last time out when loanees Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio starred.

They face Brentford between the two Brugge ties, and could set up an all-English quarter-final after they were drawn to play the winner of Liverpool’s match against Paris Saint-Germain.

PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal

First leg: PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal, Tuesday 4 March, 20:00 GMT

Second leg: Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven, Wednesday 12 March, 20:00 GMT

This is the third straight year that Arsenal have met PSV Eindhoven in a European competition.

Arsenal progressed serenely through to the Champions League last 16, losing just once (against Inter Milan) to finish third in the league phase.

Results over recent weeks have made Europe’s top competition the best chance of Mikel Arteta’s side lifting silverware this campaign.

In addition to FA Cup and EFL Cup exits, Arsenal have failed to beat West Ham United and Nottingham Forest in their last two Premier League outings, putting them 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have played a match more.

Arteta has few options at his disposal even if he did want to rotate players in the continued absence of injured attacking quartet Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

After a slow start to their Champions League campaign, PSV required a 3-2 win over Liverpool in their final league-phase fixture to finish 14th. They lost 2-1 to Juventus in the knockout playoff first leg, before coming through 3-1 in extra-time of the second leg.

Ten successive wins at the start of the season provided the perfect start to their Eredivisie title defence, but one victory in their last seven domestic league games has left them eight points behind leaders Ajax. They have kept just one clean sheet in 10 Champions League matches.

They brought in Man Utd defender Tyrell Malacia on loan last month, who joins former Spurs attacker Ivan Perisic in the ranks.

It is a big month for Arsenal, who face a trip to United between Champions League ties, which are immediately followed by the Premier League visit of Chelsea.

Progression will bring a trip to Madrid for the quarter-finals, with the winner of the Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid last-16 encounter lying in wait.

Paris Saint-Germain v Liverpool

First leg: PSG v Liverpool, Wednesday 5 March, 20:00 GMT

Second leg: Liverpool v PSG, Tuesday 11 March, 20:00 GMT

Liverpool head into the round of 16 as the team to beat after breezing their way through the league phase, only dropping points against PSV when already assured a top-two finish.

That, perhaps, might have provided easier opponents than a PSG side 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, undefeated in 24 league games, and firmly on track for yet another French title.

Despite their continued domestic dominance, there are signs that PSG are not the team to fear of recent years. Luis Enrique’s side lost three of their opening five Champions League games – including a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal – and required four successive wins at the end of the league phase to avoid early elimination.

One of those saw them fight back from a 2-0 deficit against Man City to win 4-2, and they then thrashed fellow French side Brest 10-0 over two legs in the knockout playoffs.

The era of superstar forward trio Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar failed to yield a European crown, and the club has switched policy from hoovering up global stars to nurturing future talent, headed by the likes of Ousmane Dembele.

Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League is identical to PSG’s 13-point Ligue 1 advantage. That their sole outing between Champions League fixtures is against struggling Southampton should allow Slot to use his full squad and keep players fresh.

The last time Liverpool faced PSG was in the 2018/19 group stage, when Jurgen Klopp’s side went on to beat Spurs in the final. Victory here would see them face the winner of Club Brugge v Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.

Europa League round-of-16 ties

AZ Alkmaar v Tottenham Hotspur

First leg: AZ Alkmaar v Spurs, Thursday 6 March, 17:45 GMT

Second leg: Spurs v AZ Alkmaar, Thursday 13 March, 20:00 GMT

While Spurs' injury crisis – which has started to abate – has seen them struggle in the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou’s team have lost only once in the Europa League, qualifying for this match in fourth place.

They now face an AZ Alkmaar side who they beat 1-0 during the league phase, when striker Troy Parrott returned to face his former club.

The Dutch team saw off Galatasaray in the knockout playoffs, but lost their first game in eight matches across all competitions at the weekend.

Languishing in 13th in the Premier League, winning the Europa League arguably represents Spurs’ best chance of European football next season.

Real Sociedad v Manchester United

First leg: Real Sociedad v Man Utd, Thursday 6 March, 17:45 GMT

Second leg: Man Utd v Real Sociedad, Thursday 13 March, 20:00 GMT

Like Spurs, this is Man Utd’s sole remaining chance of silverware after Fulham knocked them out of the FA Cup last weekend.

United also cruised through to the Europa League last 16 as the only undefeated team in the competition, advancing in third place.

Their reward is a meeting with Real Sociedad, who have not progressed beyond this stage of any European competition since 1989.

The Spanish side, who feature former Man City man Sergio Gomez and West Ham loanee Nayef Aguerd, finished 13th in the league phase before easing past Midtjylland in the knockout play-offs. Six defeats in their last nine LaLiga games have left them ninth in the table.

Conference League round-of-16 tie

F.C. Copenhagen v Chelsea

First leg: Copenhagen v Chelsea, Thursday 6 March, 17:45 GMT

Second leg: Chelsea v Copenhagen, Thursday 13 March, 20:00 GMT

Despite fielding a largely second-string side throughout the league phase, Chelsea eased to a perfect record of six wins from six to top the Conference League table.

Copenhagen won only two of their league-phase games, before beating Heidenheim in the playoffs to reach the last 16. They are currently top of the Danish Superliga and unbeaten in 10 domestic league matches.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have lost three of their last five Premier League games, but still sit fifth, two points off third place.

Haaland returns with winning goal as Man City beat Spurs

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Erling Haaland scored the only goal as Manchester City boosted their hopes of a top-four finish with a 1-0 away win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Sunday's loss to Liverpool left last season’s Premier League champions 20 points adrift of the leaders and Chelsea's 4-0 win over Southampton on Tuesday saw City drop out of the top four.

But Pep Guardiola's side produced a dominant first-half performance in north London, which was rewarded when Haaland tapped home on his return from injury for his 20th Premier League goal of the season.

That made him just the second player to reach that tally in each of his first three campaigns in the competition, after Ruud van Nistelrooy did so for Manchester United between 2001/02 and 2003/04.

Haaland saw a late second disallowed for handball following a VAR check that confirmed the referee’s on-field decision, while Pape Sarr missed a glaring chance to level when he headed over in the 98th minute.

The hosts stay 13th in the table with 33 points, while City are now just one point behind third-placed Nottingham Forest, who they face in their next league match.

How the match unfolded

Haaland had already forced one save from Guglielmo Vicario by the time he gave City a 12th-minute lead, sweeping Jeremy Doku's low cross home from six yards out.

Doku should have had two further assists by the half-hour mark. First, his searching cross was somehow turned over by the unmarked Savinho, then he found Haaland in another brilliant position only for Vicario to make a vital close-range save.

Spurs struggled to create chances before the break but should have levelled 10 minutes into the second half, as Pedro Porro's whipped cross was prodded wide by Wilson Odobert.

Mathys Tel and Brennan Johnson missed half-chances as Spurs finally put City under sustained pressure, then substitute Son Heung-min saw a scuffed effort repelled by Ederson.

Haaland thought he had made the points safe in stoppage time, but the referee’s on-field decision to disallow the goal for handball was confirmed following a VAR review.

Spurs almost made that reprieve count in the eighth additional minute, but Sarr headed over from the centre of the box as City clung on.

Postecoglou's changes fall flat

Spurs have endured plenty of lows in 2024/25, but November's reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium represented the high point of their campaign, and arguably of the entire Ange Postecoglou era.

Despite being without first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Spurs tore City to shreds in a 4-0 win, with Dejan Kulusevski and Son contributing to a scintillating counter-attacking performance.

But both Kulusevski and Son dropped to the bench here and Spurs failed to show anything as an attacking force in the first half. After Tel sent a tame flick into Ederson's arms in the fifth minute, they went 40 minutes without attempting a shot of any description.

Spurs improved dramatically after half-time but were wasteful in their finishing, with Sarr missing their best chance when left totally unmarked in the final action of the match.

With Spurs having eight days to rest up for their next fixture – the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie against AZ Alkmaar – fans might wonder whether Postecoglou's decision to rotate his attack was misguided.

That competition represents Spurs' final shot at silverware this season, and a nine-point gap separates them from the top half of the Premier League table. Next up on league duty is the visit of AFC Bournemouth on 9 March.

City inch over the line

This week, Guardiola refuted suggestions that re-establishing City's dominance will be the toughest task of his career, pointing out that the Citizens have already been through multiple rebuilds since he arrived in 2016.

Many expect City to refresh their squad when the curtain comes down on their underwhelming campaign and, while this performance demonstrated there is work to be done, it also showed they have players capable of contributing in the future.

Doku produced a lively display on the left-hand side and, with better finishing from his team-mates, he would have had three assists by the half-hour mark.

Then there is Haaland. Returning to the side after a knee issue caused him to miss defeats to Real Madrid and Liverpool, the Norwegian was in the right place at the right time to score.

Guardiola was visibly concerned by City's lack of control after the break, but they rode their luck to get over the line. They host Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup on Saturday, before visiting Nottingham Forest for a battle of UEFA Champions League hopefuls on 8 March

Match reports

Spurs report | Man City report

What the managers said

Ange Postecoglou: "First half we had to hang in there, created a couple chances but we were wasteful with the ball. Second half we dominated in all areas but missed a goal to get something out of the game. We always knew we would finish strong, we always do, but in the first half we turned the ball over too many times, if you do that against city you allow them to get into a rhythm."

Pep Guardiola: “We were better in the first and they were better in the second. 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 that should have happened because of the chances. In the second half we suffer but we should have closed it in the first. But for Champions League qualification, it was an incredibly good result for us."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Manchester City have won three of their last four away games against Spurs (L1), all since the start of last season. This is more victories than they managed in their first eight away games against them under Pep Guardiola (W2 D0 L6), between 2016-17 and 2022-23.

This was just the fourth time Spurs have lost and failed to score in a home match under Ange Postecoglou, with three of those being defeats to Manchester City (0-1 in January 2024, 0-2 in May 2024 and 0-1 tonight).

Erling Haaland scored the winning goal in a Premier League match for the 25th time, more than any other player since his first season in 2022-23. Only Sergio Agüero (48) and Raheem Sterling (28) have netted more winning goals for Manchester City in the competition than the Norwegian.

Spurs were the first side to start three teenagers (Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Mathys Tel) in a Premier League match against the reigning champions since Boxing Day 1997, when Everton did so against Manchester United (Danny Cadamerteri, John Oster, Michael Ball).

Spurs smash FOUR past Ipswich to extend winning run

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Brennan Johnson scored twice as a resurgent Tottenham Hotspur made it three successive Premier League wins with a 4-1 victory at Ipswich Town.

The Wales international, whose father David played for the Tractor Boys between 1997 and 2001, bagged a first-half double, while Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski were each on target late on to seal victory at Portman Road.

Johnson was in the right place at the right time twice in the space of eight minutes to convert a pair of Son Heung-min assists, though Omari Hutchinson halved the deficit before the break with an impressive goal for the hosts.

The result remained in the balance until the closing stages, when a deflected Spence shot and Kulusevski’s fine individual goal ultimately condemned Ipswich to a seventh defeat in eight home league matches.

Kieran McKenna’s side remain 18th, but they are now five points from safety following Wolverhampton Wanderers’ surprise win at AFC Bournemouth. Spurs remain 12th, six points adrift of the top 10.

How the match unfolded

In a relatively even opening half, it was Spurs who struck first in the 18th minute. Son latched on to a long ball over the top of the hosts’ defence down the left and made good ground before laying it on a plate for Johnson to tap in from close range.

The same two players combined as the visitors doubled their lead, with Son again being found in space before he centred the ball for Johnson to apply the finishing touch with a low finish.

Ipswich may have felt hard done by to be two goals behind and they halved the deficit in the 36th minute when Kalvin Phillips stole possession and fed Jack Clarke, who cut the ball back for Hutchinson to sweep a brilliant first-time finish beyond Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs restored their two-goal lead in the 77th minute when Ipswich substitute Luke Woolfenden, who had a header ruled out for offside earlier on, deflected Spence’s shot beyond helpless home goalkeeper Alex Palmer after the Spurs full-back had been cleverly found by James Maddison.

Kulusevski then added further gloss to the scoreline. After being set up by Dane Scarlett six minutes from time, the winger cut inside from the right and curled an excellent effort in off the far post.

Ipswich's lack of home comfort continues

The only side yet to record a Premier League victory in 2025, Ipswich had been buoyed by their hard-earned 1-1 draw at Villa Park last weekend.

They were quick out of the blocks here and it took smart reflex saves from Vicario to thwart Liam Delap and Jaden Philogene inside the opening 30 seconds, while the former also saw a header come back off the woodwork.

But despite their promising start, Ipswich switched off at the other end, affording Son too much space down the left to tee up Johnson for both goals, from which point a costly defeat always looked likely.

To their credit, the hosts recovered well – aided by Hutchinson’s well-taken goal – and finished the first half strongly, while carrying the greater attacking threat for large periods after the break as well.

However, they could not turn their positive play into an equaliser, and any hopes of not leaving the contest empty-handed were ended when the visitors struck twice inside the final quarter of an hour.

Ipswich’s bid to avoid the drop has not been helped by their home form. Since their only league win at Portman Road this season, against Chelsea in December, they have lost four matches in a row in front of their own fans by an aggregate score of 14-2.

Ipswich are away to another under-pressure team in desperate need of momentum, Manchester United, on Wednesday.

Johnson haunts father’s former club

Around this time 25 years ago, David Johnson’s goals were instrumental towards Ipswich sealing their return to the Premier League. But a quarter of a century later, his son Brennan’s goals have dented their hopes of remaining in the top flight.

After breaking the deadlock with a tap-in on the line, Johnson doubled his and Spurs’ tally with a neat first-time finish.

Given their knack of surrendering points from winning positions this season, Spurs will not have been sitting comfortably after Hutchinson halved the deficit and Woolfenden’s headed goal was disallowed.

However, after keeping their rejuvenated hosts at bay to prevent them getting on level terms, Spence’s deflected strike settled their nerves.

Spurs then ensured any faint hopes Ipswich may have had of mounting a dramatic fightback were firmly dashed, as Kulusevski sent a delicious effort beyond the dive of Palmer, giving Spurs a third straight league win for the first time since December 2023.

It's a huge match at home to champions Manchester City up next. While their league position remains unchanged, Spurs go into that contest in much better shape and with greater confidence than they had even just a week ago.

Club reports

Ipswich report | Spurs report

What the managers said

Ange Postecoglou: "They're [Ipswich] one of the hardest-working teams in the league. You know you're going up against a battle and a contest - we had to do that today. First half, we could have done better. We allowed them some moments, but in the second half we dug in."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Spurs have won three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since December 2023, as many victories as in their previous 15 matches in the competition (D2 L10).

Ipswich have picked up just seven points at home in the Premier League this season (W1 D4 L9), indeed only Southampton (four points) have gained fewer in the top four tiers of English Football in 2024/25, while only three sides have lost more than the Tractor Boys' nine defeats (Southampton 11, Morecambe, and Shrewsbury, 10).

Spurs have won four Premier League away games this season by three or more goals. Only in 2016/17 (five) have they ever won more such matches in a season.

Johnson scored his first Premier League brace for Spurs and his first in the competition since March 2023 for Nottingham Forest against Everton. He now has nine Premier League goals this season, his most in a single campaign.