Three things we learned from Chelsea FC win as European hopes snuffed out on derby day
A fixture that always seems to deliver, but only ever from a Chelsea perspective, did so again.
It could have been the night Spurs confirmed Premier League survival. Instead, they head into the final day unsure of where they stand as Chelsea made them wait.
Champions League hopes over
They were the faintest of hopes before kick-off. By full-time, there was crystalline clarity: they were officially over.
Chelsea needed every coin to land right side up to qualify for the Champions League, relying on an unlikely string of permutations involving the teams above them all losing and Aston Villa winning the Europa League and finishing exactly fifth.
Chelsea will not play in the Champions League next season
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In all likelihood, it will be Conference League football or nothing at all for Chelsea in their first season under new manager Xabi Alonso, despite them having done all they could with a first win at Stamford Bridge under interim head coach Calum McFarlane.
Remarkable rivalry record extended
Chelsea and Tottenham’s rivalry is a fierce and tempestuous one, but it is also incredibly one-sided in terms of the way it tends to fall.
Spurs arrived at the Bridge on Tuesday scarcely needing a reminder that they had won only one of their past 40 visits to Chelsea’s home.
In a strange sort of a way, it was not dissimilar to 2016’s famous ‘Battle of the Bridge’ in that the Chelsea fans’ delight at victory was partly in preventing Spurs from achieving something of their own.
Chelsea enjoyed another fine night at Tottenhams’ expense
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In 2016, it was Chelsea ending Tottenham’s hopes of a first Premier League title and ensuring 5000-1 outsiders Leicester were crowned champions instead. This time, it was about delaying Tottenham’s survival and ensuring the threat of relegation to the Championship extends to the final season.
The roar as Stuart Attwell blew the full-time whistle was a deafening cacophony as Chelsea celebrated the latest chapter in this rivalry. Whatever else is going on, they can always bank on victory over Tottenham.
It was an evening that reminded Chelsea of the importance of Fernandez.
Before kick-off, Joao Pedro was presented with his Chelsea player of the season award on the pitch, but because of a knock he played no part in the game.
The player who came second to Joao Pedro in that award was Fernandez, and he took up the mantle of leading the way at Stamford Bridge, captaining the Blues and taking the responsibility upon himself to provide the outstanding quality in the game. He duly delivered.
It was his screamer from around 25 yards out that dipped and swerved away from Antonin Kinsky and gave Chelsea the lead after 17 minutes. And soon after, Fernandez was brimming with confidence, shooting from a direct free-kick with a tight angle when a cross was more expected — and crashing the ball against the crossbar as he hunted a second.
He protected the ball in midfield, pirouetted out of trouble, and put in a stern tackle on former teammate Conor Gallagher, before weighting an intelligent ball across the area for Santos to add Chelsea’s second as he grabbed an assist, too, in a complete performance.
