Blues edge it in N17

We suffered our third home Premier League defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon as Chelsea took the derby soils with a 1-0 win.

On what was another disappointing day at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Blues capitalised on a defensive error to score the only goal of the game in the first half as Joao Pedro fired home in the 34th minute.

We struggled to respond throughout the contest, managing just the one effort on target while Guglielmo Vicario made a string of good saves to prevent a heavier defeat, although we maintain our third position in the table ahead of the remainder of the weekend’s matches.

We were dealt an early blow when Lucas Bergvall was struck on the side of the head by the ball and was clearly in some discomfort, leading to his substitution after just seven minutes, with Xavi Simons coming on in his place. As the game settled down it was the visitors who started the brighter, Reece James high and wide with a shot from distance before Alejandro Garnacho had the first genuine effort of the game, but his shot was saved low down by Vicario.

We forced a couple of corners as we started to grow into the contest although both were dealt with by the Blues before two chances in quick succession. First, Pedro Porro tried to play a ball forward which cannoned off Garnacho straight to Joao Pedro in on goal down the left but Vicario was quickly off his line to block the shot. We then went straight up the other end, Mohammed Kudus cutting inside before rifling a shot which flew just over the bar.

Moments later though, the visitors were ahead. It wasn’t a great goal to concede as first Djed Spence and then Micky van de Ven were caught in possession, the second occasion proving crucial as Moses Caicedo stole the ball from our skipper on the edge of the box and touched it square for Joao Pedro to slot home. It was almost 2-0 in the 43rd minute after Chelsea worked it down their right, Malo Gusto delivering a cut-back from the byline which Joao Pedro met with a half-volley, only to see Vicario push it up and over with a smart save. Our best chance of the half came right at the end of six minutes of stoppage time, as Randal Kolo Muani laid off to Pape Matar Sarr and his pass to Kudus was hit first-time by the winger, forcing Robert Sanchez into a save diving to his right.

The second period opened up with a flurry of chances at either end. Enzo Fernandez drilled a low effort which Vicario saved comfortably before a Kevin Danso long throw into the Chelsea box fell to Rodrigo Bentancur but he couldn’t get a telling touch. Fernandez then headed over from six yards out from a James cross and Vicario saved a Pedro Neto curler.

While it remained 1-0, we were always in the game and started to enjoy more possession, particularly in attacking areas, even if we weren’t really troubling Sanchez in the Chelsea goal. But we always had to be mindful at the back and Vicario had to make a good save from Neto before James hit another long-ranger just over the bar. Going into the closing stages, we were working hard to make something happen in front of goal but it was mostly corners that were providing the opportunities and, even then, Sanchez was able to come and gather most of them to prevent any danger.

Instead, it was the visitors with two glorious chances to double their lead in stoppage time, Jamie Gittens somehow blasting over the bar when it was easier to score before they were in on goal again, Joao Pedro with only Vicario to beat but our Italy international goalkeeper pulled off an excellent save to deny him. Ultimately though, it didn’t matter as the one goal was enough for Chelsea to pick up their sixth win in seven Premier League games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Match data

Goal: Chelsea – Joao Pedro 34.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Bentancur, Danso, Simons, Kudus; Chelsea – Chalobah, Fernandez.

Referee: Jarred Gillett.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Light rain showers, gentle breeze, 12 degrees.

Attendance: 61,202.