Premier League

A home encounter with Ipswich Town makes Alexander Isak (£9.6m) the standout captain alternative to Mohamed Salah (£13.8m) in Blank Gameweek 34 (BGW34) of Fantasy Premier League.

Salah looks very likely to be the No 1 captain pick as Liverpool seek to clinch the title at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon. The Egyptian delivered his best single-match score in the reverse fixture, earning 21 points thanks to two goals and two assists in Gameweek 17.

Salah is the top-scoring player in home matches this season, averaging 8.3 points per match (ppm) over 16 Anfield encounters.

Isak’s own form in home contests, nonetheless, is nearly as convincing.

The Newcastle United star has averaged 7.3ppm at St James’ Park this season. In home matches, he has mirrored the 11 goals of Salah, producing five assists to his rival's seven.

Salah v Isak, 24/25 home matches

Player G A PPM Salah 11 7 8.3 Isak 11 5 7.3

Which other players are facing the worst defences?

An assessment of the team defensive data over the last six matches shows why this season's promoted clubs have struggled.

Leicester City, Ipswich and Southampton all rank among the worst five sides for conceding big chances, which are situations where the player is expected to score.

As well as Isak, Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) and Jacob Murphy (£5.2m) could also deliver big hauls against Ipswich.

Fulham's Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) and Raul Jimenez (£5.3m) look the likeliest to profit from a visit to Southampton, while Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Cunha (£6.9m) has a very favourable home meeting with Leicester.

Spurs' spot as the fifth-worst for conceding big chances also gives lifts the appeal of doubling up on the Liverpool attack, with Salah and Luis Diaz (£7.5m).

Opposition defences, last six matches

Club Goals conc. Clean sheets Big chances conc. Crystal Palace 14 1 24 Leicester 12 0 24 Ipswich 14 0 21 Southampton 13 0 20 Spurs 12 0 17

So, who is the best captain?

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson says he is desperate to be back in the UEFA Champions League after playing in the competition for Newcastle United last season.

Anderson scored Forest's opening goal in their 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night that saw them reclaim third place.

"I'm desperate to be there again," said Anderson. "It was a really proud moment playing in the Champions League and to be honest I never thought I'd be playing in my first season away from Newcastle, but I think if we keep going the way we're going and do what we've done all season then I think we've got a good chance."

Forest entered Monday's match on the back of two straight league defeats, but their destiny is now back in their own hands after earning their ninth away win of the campaign, second only to the 11 of leaders Liverpool.

“It was really important to get back on track and do what we've been doing all season. Everyone in there is buzzing to get the three points,” added Anderson.

“It was really important to come out fast, to try and get that first goal. It set us in good stead for the game and obviously [Chris] Wood's second one was brilliant. It was just about holding on to the lead, really.”

Up next for Forest is Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, before returning to Premier League action next Thursday, when they host Brentford.

Former Forest striker Teddy Sheringham believes Nuno Espirito Santo's side can remain in the top five and secure a spot in next season's Champions League.

"Their confidence will be very high," said Sheringham. "The teams they're playing haven't got much to play for, so you'd like to think they would be able to overpower them with their determination to get results."

Sheringham's view was shared by former Liverpool and Manchester United forward Michael Owen.

"I do look at those fixtures and favour Nottingham Forest's," said Owen.

Nottingham Forest returned to third place in the Premier League following a hard-earned 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur.

First-half goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood were enough to get Nuno Espirito Santo’s side back to winning ways, following two consecutive defeats, despite the hosts dominating for large periods at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Anderson’s deflected strike opened the scoring, while Wood’s 19th league goal of the season doubled Forest’s lead in the 16th minute.

Spurs made their second-half dominance count, with Richarlison halving the deficit three minutes from time, but it proved too late as they suffered a fourth defeat in five league games.

Forest leapfrog Newcastle United, Manchester City and Chelsea to boost their own UEFA Champions League qualification hopes, while Ange Postecoglou’s side remain 16th.

How the match unfolded

The visitors scored first after just five minutes when Spurs failed to deal with a corner, and Anderson drilled through a crowded penalty area and beyond Guglielmo Vicario, via a slight Rodrigo Bentancur deflection.

Anderson thought he had turned provider for Wood in the 10th minute, but his close-range finished was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. However, Wood was not to be denied seven minutes later, as he beat Vicario in the air to nod home Anthony Elanga's cross.

Spurs responded well and should have reduced their arrears when Mathys Tel sliced a shot wide, while Richarlison also failed to hit the target with a close-range header from Wilson Odobert's delivery.

Despite Morgan Gibbs-White drilling a shot narrowly wide, the hosts continued to demonstrate the stronger attacking threat in the second half.

Dejan Kulusevski saw a header acrobatically cleared off the line by Harry Toffolo, while Matz Sels brilliantly thwarted Richarlison's header.

Richarlison did offer Spurs hope when he nodded in Pedro Porro's deep cross, but it was not enough to avert an 18th league defeat of the season.

Dominant Spurs come up short

Fresh from securing their UEFA Europa League semi-final place with a battling victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, Spurs looked to get their Premier League form back on track.

However, they were ultimately caught out by two set-pieces. First, the hosts failed to deal with the corner that led to Anderson’s goal, while they switched off for the free-kick that allowed Elanga space to cross for Wood’s header.

The omens did not look good thereon for Spurs, who have now failed to win any of their last 12 Premier League matches when conceding first.

Not since against Arsenal in November 2010 have they won a match in the division when trailing by two or more goals at half-time, but it was not for a lack of trying on Monday.

It was mainly strong goalkeeping and defending that largely kept them at bay, until Richarlison’s moment of quality came just a little too late.

Spurs must quickly dust themselves down. Postecoglou’s team turn their attention towards spoiling Liverpool’s potential title-winning party at Anfield on Sunday, before their crucial Europa League semi-final first leg against Bodo/Glimt grasps their full focus.

Forest back to winning ways

Having endured a minor reality check in recent weeks, Forest were aiming to avoid suffering three successive Premier League defeats for the first time in over a year while, more importantly, vying to get their Champions League quest back on track.

The visitors made a purposeful start on Nuno’s latest return to the club where he spent just four months in charge during the 2021/22 season.

Forest had scored first in a league-high 24 games this season, and Gibbs-White sounded a warning with a fierce attempt from distance after four minutes.

They were ahead within a minute thanks to Anderson’s strike, with Wood’s authoritative header giving them breathing space.

Their credentials at the other end of the pitch were then frequently tested over the remainder of the contest, and Nuno sacrificed Elanga for defender Morato at half-time in a bid to weather the storm.

It largely worked until Richarlison’s well-placed header late on, but the visitors continued to dig deep for what could be a crucial three points towards their European ambitions.

Interestingly, Chelsea on the final day provide their only top-half opposition for the remainder of the season. Attention briefly switches this weekend to their eagerly anticipated FA Cup semi-final showdown with Man City at Wembley Stadium.

Club reports

Spurs report | Forest report

What the managers said

Ange Postecoglou: "It's disappointing. Another disappointing loss. A loss that for large parts was self-inflicted. We conceded two poor goals and gave ourselves a mountain to climb. I still think we didn't deserve to lose on the balance of play."

Nuno Espirito Santo: "I think it was a big improvement. I think we reacted well from the previous game. There was a clear intention to bounce back and the boys did well.

"We have a clear way to play and find ourselves in our identity. We controlled the game really well in the first half. We had goals, but also Tottenham created chances in the second half and we had to hold on to what we had."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Nottingham Forest completed a league double over Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since 1996/97. Indeed, this was their eighth Premier League victory against Spurs - they’ve only won more games in the competition against Southampton (nine).

Spurs have lost 18 Premier League games in 2024/25 under Ange Postecoglou, only Osvaldo Ardiles in 1993/94 (19) has lost more games as Spurs manager across a single season in the competition.

Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga has been directly involved in 15 goals in the Premier League this season (six goals and nine assists), his best tally across a single campaign in the competition.

Even as a young boy, it was clear Pedro Porro was cut from a different cloth. While others of his age were just learning the basics, he was already playing with a maturity and fire that made him stand out.

“Pedro had that winning gene. He was incredibly competitive," Carlos Moreno Garrido, one of his first youth coaches at C.A. Gimnastico, recalls.

"He had a kind of character that very few kids have at that age. I just knew he’d make it. He made the difficult look effortless.”

But Porro’s talent isn’t the only thing that has helped him on his journey. Behind the Tottenham Hotspur defender is a close-knit family whose love, sacrifices and support laid the foundation for his dreams which he shares in an emotional video (below).

“Back then, my parents had to work. It was my grandparents who raised me. I always tell my grandfather that he’s the reason I’ve made it this far” Porro says.

Leaving home

When Porro was just 14, he made the life-changing decision to leave his hometown of Don Benito and go 205 miles away to join Rayo Vallecano’s academy in Madrid, a three-hour drive from everything and everyone he knew in order to pursue his dream.

“I left when I was very young, and honestly, it was one of the toughest moments of my life,” he admits.

His mother, Eva Porro, still remembers the heart-wrenching goodbye.

“When we came back to Don Benito and reached the roundabout known as the ‘World’s Ball’, my husband stopped the car and we just broke down in tears.”

That separation, while painful, was the beginning of a long road towards Porro achieving his goal.

“If you want something, you have to be willing to sacrifice for it,” Porro says.

Years later, those sacrifices have paid off. Porro has played 80 times in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur and also represents Spain at international level.

At the heart of his story is his grandfather, Antonio (above, right), who still feel so much pride every time they embrace.

“My greatest pride is when he hugs me. He’s always been my idol,” Antonio says, while revealing ”I cried so much that day," when recalling Porro make his Spurs debut in February 2023.

While Porro has achieved his dream of becoming a footballer, his love for the sport remains just as strong as it did when he was a child.

“Football is my life. Anyone who knows me knows that. My family knew it before anyone else. It’s always been everything to me.”

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

European competitions reach the quarter-final stage this week and five of the seven Premier League teams that began continental campaigns are still standing.

Arsenal and Aston Villa face daunting tests against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, while Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s hopes of salvaging something from a disappointing season lie in the UEFA Europa League.

Chelsea, meanwhile, hope to lift UEFA Conference League silverware.

The quintet are also battling in aid of other Premier League teams. If Premier League clubs secure one quarter-final first-leg victory this week or two draws (across all three UEFA competitions) England will secure a top-two finish in the UEFA coefficient table and receive an additional fifth Champions League spot next season.

Here is everything you need to know…

Champions League quarter-final ties

Arsenal v Real Madrid

First leg: Arsenal v Real Madrid, Tuesday 8 April, 20:00 BST

Second leg: Real Madrid v Arsenal, Wednesday 16 April, 20:00 BST

Just a fortnight after Arsenal's women's team brilliantly turned around a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Real Madrid in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, the Gunners' men look to complete a club double over the Spanish giants.

The two sides have met at this stage once before – the only matches between them – in 2006, when a sensational solo Thierry Henry goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win at the Bernabeu before a goalless draw in the return leg sent Arsenal through.

Mikel Arteta made a raft of changes to his side for their 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday, suggesting he is prioritising Europe over an unlikely Premier League title success.

That should mean plenty of fresh legs, including a potential start for Bukayo Saka, who has been working his way back to fitness after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

With Gabriel ruled out for the season, Jakub Kiwior could be given the formidable task of shackling Kylian Mbappe, as well as the might of Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.

The Frenchman has scored 33 times in all competitions this season, although Real are not in the best form, losing to relegation-threatened Valencia on Saturday to fall four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.

While Arsenal have breezed through to this stage, Real have struggled in this season’s Champions League, requiring a knockout round play-off win over Manchester City before squeezing past Atletico Madrid on penalties in the last 16.

They also conceded four and required an extra-time equaliser to draw and advance on aggregate against Real Socieded to the Copa del Rey final last week.

However, Real have not lost a UEFA Champions League quarter-final since 2003/04, winning their last 12 two-legged matches at this stage.

Asked this week if it will be the biggest match of his managerial career, Arteta said: “100 per cent. That’s why I came into football.”

Paris Saint-Germain v Aston Villa

First leg: PSG v Aston Villa, Wednesday 9 April, 20:00 BST

Second leg: Aston Villa v PSG, Tuesday 15 April, 20:00 BST

The last time Unai Emery met Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique, the now Villa boss was in charge of the French club and Enrique was at the Barcelona helm.

In a 2016/17 Champions League last-16 tie, Emery’s PSG won the first leg 4-0 before capitulating in the closing minutes of a 6-1 defeat in the reverse fixture to crash out.

Four-time Europa League winner Emery has this season guided Villa through their first appearance in Europe’s top competition since 1982/83, while Enrique this week wrapped up one of the earliest ever Ligue 1 title wins.

Now four-time reigning French champions, PSG have not lost in the league this season and are bidding to become only the seventh side from Europe’s top five leagues to go an entire season unbeaten.

Marco Asensio played 12 times in the league for PSG earlier this season but – unlike in the Premier League – the loanee is eligible to face his parent club under UEFA rules, having joined Villa in February.

In fact, Villa experienced the reverse earlier this Champions League campaign, when Samuel Iling-Junior played against them while on loan at Bologna.

Villa won that match, but there is precedent for players punishing their parent clubs, with Philippe Coutinho scoring twice and assisting once in Bayern Munich’s 8-2 win over Barcelona while on loan from the Spanish side in the 2019/20 quarter-final.

Thibaut Courtois also helped Atletico Madrid beat Chelsea while on loan in the 2013/14 Champions League semi-finals.

Villa will come into this fixture bouncing having shown excellent form winning their last seven matches in all competitions.

Europa League quarter-final ties

Lyon v Manchester United

First leg: Lyon v Man Utd, Thursday 10 April, 20:00 BST

Second leg: Man Utd v Lyon, Thursday 17 April, 20:00 BST

Man Utd’s situation is largely similar to that of Spurs, already guaranteed to record their second-lowest or potentially lowest-ever Premier League points total and hoping the Europa League can provide another European campaign next year.

United have struggled for goals this season, offering little threat in their goalless draw against Man City on Sunday. Bruno Fernandes remains their only player to reach double figures for goals in all competitions this campaign.

The winner of seven successive Ligue 1 titles in the early 2000s, it has been six years since Lyon last finished in the top three domestically.

Currently fifth in the French table, having won four of their last five league matches, the French side are having to make do without manager Paulo Fonseca during domestic games, while the Portuguese boss serves a nine-month ban from matchday duties for angrily confronting a referee.

However, the rules do not apply to UEFA competitions, so he will be on the touchline on Thursday.

The last time Lyon played European football, in 2021/22, they fell at this exact stage of the Europa League against West Ham United.

Two years earlier they had matched their best-ever European achievement of reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt

First leg: Spurs v Eintracht Frankfurt, Thursday 10 April, 20:00 BST

Second leg: Eintracht Frankfurt v Spurs, Thursday 17 April, 20:00 BST

After four domestic matches without a win, Spurs defeated (and relegated) Southampton in their latest Premier League outing on Sunday.

In danger of their lowest league finish since placing 14th in 2003/04, the Europa League is deemed crucial to Ange Postecoglou’s season, offering the only remaining route to European football next season.

With a near-identical record to Spurs' in the league phase, Eintracht Frankfurt present a formidable challenge.

The 2021/22 Europa League winners sit third in the Bundesliga table, with an entertaining young side that break rapidly and have the ability to prey on any Spurs slip-ups.

The Germans saw off Ajax in the last 16, but lost to mid-table Werder Bremen on Saturday, continuing their inconsistent recent form.

Spurs last met Frankfurt in the 2022/23 Champions League group stage when they shared a goalless draw in Germany before Antonio Conte’s side won 3-2 at home.

Conference League quarter-final ties

Legia Warszawa v Chelsea

First leg: Legia Warszawa v Chelsea, Thursday 10 April, 17:45 BST

Second leg: Chelsea v Legia Warszawa, Thursday 17 April, 20:00 BST

Perhaps with one eye on this fixture, Enzo Maresca paid the price for starting without Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Cucurella and Pedro Neto on Sunday, when Chelsea were unable to find a way past Brentford. It was a questionable decision that appeared to backfire.

Having breezed their way to the Conference League last eight when largely using a second-string side, it remains to be seen how strong a line-up Maresca opts for on Thursday.

With 15 league titles, Legia Warszawa are the most successful club in Polish football history. However, they have not triumphed domestically since 2020/21 and currently sit fifth in the standings.

After beating Norwegian side Molde in their last-16 tie, this is the furthest Legia Warszawa have gone in European competition for almost 30 years.

Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed following a 3-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Brennan Johnson scored twice at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Mathys Tel was also on target from the penalty spot to consign Ivan Juric’s side to an immediate return to the Championship.

Saints are the first side in Premier League history to be relegated with seven matches still to play.

Johnson did the damage with a first-half brace and, despite Mateus Fernandes halving the deficit, Tel's stoppage-time spot-kick ended Spurs' four-match winless league run.

Ange Postecoglou’s side, who had dropped to 16th place following Saturday’s results, climb to 13th, with Southampton remaining rooted to the foot of the table.

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Southampton are the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with as many as seven matches of the season remaining.

Johnson is the first Spurs player to score 15+ goals in all competitions in a season, other than Harry Kane or Son Heung-min, since Gareth Bale in 2020/21 (also 16).

Only Southampton (80 per cent) have won a greater proportion of their total Premier League points this season against teams currently in the bottom half than Spurs (78 per cent - 29/37), who picked up just their second win across their last 11 home league matches (D3 L6).

Having only been relegated two times in their first 45 seasons in the English top flight between 1966/67 and 2021/22 (1973/74 and 2004/05), Southampton have now been relegated in two successive Premier League campaigns (2022/23 and 2024/25).

Southampton have been relegated from the Premier League after a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. They are the first club to have suffered that fate with as many as seven matches still to play.

Sunday's loss at Spurs was Southampton's 25th defeat in 31 Premier League matches this season. They have only earned points from six matches - two wins and four draws.

Bottom-of-the-table Saints have 10 points and are 22 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers in 17th place with only seven matches and 21 points to play for.

Wolves' 2-1 win at Ipswich Town on Saturday had set up the possibility of Southampton being relegated on Sunday afternoon, and that prospect became all the more likely when Ivan Juric's side fell behind to Brennan Johnson's goal after just 13 minutes.

Johnson compounded Saints' woes by grabbing his second goal three minutes before the break, leaving the visitors needing to score twice in the second half, without conceding, to delay their relegation.

They managed to only score once, through Mateus Fernandes in stoppage time, and Spurs almost immediately followed that by making it 3-1 with a penalty from Mathys Tel after Johnson was fouled in the area.

What is relegation?

The teams who finish the season in the bottom three places of the Premier League table - 18th, 19th and 20th - drop down to the Championship, the second tier of English football.

Those teams are replaced in the Premier League for the following season by three promoted clubs - the sides who finish first and second in the Championship, plus the winners of that division's end-of-season playoffs.

Southampton’s relegation will be officially confirmed at this summer’s Premier League AGM. The three relegated clubs will transfer back the share certificates that gave them Premier League status, and the Premier League Board will confirm the cancellation of those shares.

Might Southampton have the lowest points total in Premier League history?

Southampton could still set another Premier League unwanted record.

Ipswich and Derby County both had their relegation confirmed with six fixtures left in 1994/95 and 2007/08 respectively, a record Southampton have now surpassed.

Saints will now try to avoid having the lowest-ever points tally in a Premier League season.

Derby's 2007/08 team finished with 11 points - one point more than Southampton have now.

Who else could be relegated?

Saturday's damaging home defeat by relegation rivals Wolves has all but ended Ipswich's hopes of staying in the Premier League, according to their manager Kieran McKenna.

Jorgen Strand Larsen's 84th-minute goal completed a crucial comeback win for Vitor Pereira's side after Pablo Sarabia had cancelled out Ipswich's opener from Liam Delap. It was in-form Wolves' third consecutive win, extending their lead on third-bottom Ipswich to 12 points.

"I think it's certainly more than likely on the balance of probabilities," McKenna said, when asked about the prospect of relegation.

"It's not that I think we can't finish the season strongly, but Wolves are a strong side and the chance of them losing all their games is really low.

"The likelihood is we'll fall short of our ultimate dream."

Of Wolves' remaining fixtures this season, four are at home, including the visit of second-bottom Leicester City, who host Newcastle United on Monday night. Ruud van Nistelrooy's Foxes are on a run of 14 defeats in their last 15 matches, and have failed to score in their last seven.

A win against Newcastle on Monday would provide a glimmer of hope, reducing their deficit behind Wolves to 12 points with 21 still to play for. Their last seven fixtures include a Matchweek 34 trip to Molineux, plus home games against fellow bottom-three sides Ipswich and Southampton.

Leicester defender Wout Faes believes that a win against Newcastle could prove a "turning point" as his side look to produce a great escape.

"It’s not finished yet. Obviously, it’s a very difficult task and everyone knows that, but it’s doable," Faes told Leicester's official website.

"I hope that we have a new energy and positive things to work on for the next few games. Let’s hope we are still in the race by then. I don’t think we need to look towards the last games because by then it could be finished if we think like that."

Remaining Premier League fixtures

Spurs v Southampton, 2024/25  Premier League

Ange Postecoglou insisted that his actions were "misinterpreted" after appearing to cup his ear to Tottenham Hotspur fans in a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea.

It was another difficult night for the Australian head coach as Enzo Fernandez's second-half header condemned Spurs to their 16th Premier League defeat of the season.

In a typical full-bloodied London derby - there were 10 yellow cards brandished - Postecoglou’s apparent gesture to his own supporters came when Pape Sarr rifled in what appeared an equaliser, only for it to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up following a VAR review.

“Jeez mate, it’s incredible how things get interpreted,” Postecoglou said afterwards.

“We’d just scored, I just wanted to hear them [the fans] cheer because we’d been through a tough time and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited.

“I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was on our [side].

“It doesn’t bother me, it’s not the first time they [the fans] have booed my substitutions or my decisions, that’s fine. They’re allowed to do that, but we’d just scored a goal, just scored an equaliser, I was just hoping we could get some excitement.

“If people want to read into it that somehow I’m trying to make a point about something, like I said, we’d been through a tough time, but I just felt there was a bit of a momentum shift there. If they get really behind the lads, I thought we had the momentum to finish on top of them [Chelsea].”

For Postecoglou, Thursday night's loss also provided the Australian with an unwanted record - he is the first ever Spurs head coach to lose each of his first four league matches against Chelsea while in charge of the club.

Ever the pragmatist, he was honest in his assessment after watching Spurs fail to score for a third time in four Premier League matches.

"It's a difficult night, a tight game and not an easy place to come," he added. "We had to work hard to stay in the game, we let in a disappointing goal, then fought our way back into the game but weren't able to get anything out of it.

"It is still a work in progress, the first time we had the whole group in together and in the final third we could've been a bit cleaner with our football but for the most part we handled it quite well.

"It's a tough ask coming here, there was still enough there tonight to show the lads are getting back to the level we need."

Football writer Alex Keble analyses Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the latest London derby at Stamford Bridge.

It was fraught and fractious, tense and at times unruly; a match that had everything – apart from quality at either end of the pitch, that is.

Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur had disallowed goals, VAR checks, angry confrontations, and even an unusual incident when Ange Postecoglou cupped his ear to his own supporters, a gesture that appeared confrontational but was dismissed by the Spurs head coach as a desire only “to hear them cheer.”

And thankfully for the hosts, it had one brief glimpse of the real Cole Palmer, whose outstanding cross for Enzo Fernandez’s winner was the only moment of magic in a scrappy affair at Stamford Bridge.

In that sense, order was restored.

Chelsea won a Premier League match against a side sitting outside the relegation zone for the first time since beating West Ham United over two months ago, while Palmer ended a sequence of seven matches in all competitions without a goal or assist.

Meanwhile Spurs struggled throughout, which, in truth, is also ordinary service resumed; only the Premier League’s current bottom four teams have lost more matches this season than the 16 of Postecoglou's side.

Gusto gave Chelsea control in midfield

The tactical battle was one-sided, even if the result ultimately was not.

From the outset Chelsea used Malo Gusto, inverting from right-back, as an extra body in central midfield, giving them a four-on-three against the Spurs midfielders and full control.

In the two images below, showing the two teams’ average positions, note Chelsea’s compact midfield square involving the right-back (RB) Gusto and then contrast it to the wide-open Spurs midfield with defensive midfielder (DM) Rodrigo Bentancur isolated.

Chelsea and Spurs' average positions

Chelsea also attempted lots of long balls over the top of the Spurs defence, which appeared to push them back further.

From here, Chelsea then played switches out to the left wing in particular, where Wilson Odobert struggled to help an over-worked Djed Spence up against Jadon Sancho.

Chelsea's long balls v Spurs

Put together, that overload in midfield allowed Chelsea to weave through the Spurs press or push them back with long balls, in turn creating space for long passes out wide for a winger to attack the full-back.

Enzo Maresca has received some criticism for his tactical setups in 2025, but he got it spot on here, to overwhelm and confuse the away side.

A better final ball, or more conviction to shoot when the chance presented itself, and Chelsea could have been several goals clear at the break.

Spurs fail to learn from first-half issues

Eventually, those tactics would lead to the winning goal.

Such was Chelsea’s dominance in the first half you might have expected Spurs to change their approach at the break.

They did not – and Chelsea dominated from the off before scoring from exactly the tactical mismatch that defined the opening 45.

Gusto’s positioning helped Chelsea dominate the ball (88 per cent between half-time and the goal), then a long switch of play out to the left saw Pedro Neto run at the full-back.

A short phase later, with Spurs unable to clear, Palmer crossed without any pressure on the ball from Odobert.

It was the umpteenth time that had happened and, at long last, Chelsea punished Postecoglou’s side for failing to learn – and failing to adapt their strategy.

Playing such an open style was always going to play into Chelsea’s hands, as Maresca said after the match.

After playing four matches against teams who “sit back and wait for us,” Spurs' style was “in some ways better” for Chelsea, Maresca said.

It wasn’t the first time Postecoglou’s lack of tactical flexibility has affected the outcome, and indeed it contrasted starkly with Maresca’s words after the match.

“Our game plan depends on the opposition,” he said, in response to a question about Chelsea’s long-ball tactics today. “We cannot do the same game-plan against Tottenham and Leicester.”

Palmer and Jackson returns boost Champions League chances

It is no coincidence Palmer’s goal involvement was on the day Nicolas Jackson returned to the starting line-up after a two-month absence.

Jackson was a threat throughout, his runs on the shoulder causing havoc when Chelsea pumped long balls over the top in the first half in particular, while his link-up play between the lines also marked a clear upgrade on his stand-in Christopher Nkunku.

Jackson's touch map v Spurs

Palmer will have been relieved to see that kind of movement ahead of him – and will be looking forward to the run-in now after providing a first Premier League assist since 1 December.

He has created 39 chances between those two assists, the fourth most of any Premier League player in that time, according to Squawka.

Clearly, Palmer has missed having a proper No 9 in front of him and now that he is reunited with Jackson, Chelsea – back up in fourth place – are in the driving seat for UEFA Champions League football.

They could be joined there by Spurs, of course, if Postecoglou can mastermind victory in the UEFA Europa League.

But after this performance, and a fourth defeat in four against rivals Chelsea, the Spurs manager faces an uphill battle to end the 2024/25 campaign on a high.