Thomas Tuchel picks up the biggest win of his Chelsea reign so far as Jorginho’s first-half penalty is enough to see off Tottenham after Jose Mourinho’s side serve up after another miserable display
Tottenham are in their worst run of league form since 2012; Jose Mourinho in his worst run of home league form, ever. Suddenly, Chelsea are no longer the capital’s crisis club.
This was a second win for Thomas Tuchel, but the biggest so far, coming away from home against a fellow member of the elite. Not that such a word could currently applied to Tottenham.
A third straight league defeat is their poorest run since a similar stretch under Andre Villas-Boas between November 3 and 17, 2012. As for Mourinho, incredibly, this is the first time he has lost back to back home league games in his career.
It was deserved, too. The records show a Jorginho penalty separated these teams, but it was much, much more.
Chelsea had an enormous share of the possession and had greater intent from the start. Tuchel has injected urgency into the place. Even Timo Werner has benefitted.
He looks livelier, more dangerous. Not like scoring, exactly, but if there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Hugo Lloris stopped the scoreline having a more realistic set of numbers. He beat Christian Pulisic to the ball from a Mason Mount cross after 66 minutes, and tipped round a Mount shot from a pass by Werner ten minutes later.
Had Carlos Vinicius equalised for Tottenham with a header in the 88th minute, it would have been a travesty.
And, no, Chelsea are not back in the title race. It would take more than a new manager to inspire that little miracle.
But a place in the top four, Champions League football next season, that is very much on.
What is happening now will be making a lot of teams very nervous. Tottenham, obviously; but Liverpool and maybe even Manchester United, too.
Sportsmail’s BEN MILLER had full live EPL coverage of Tottenham vs Chelsea, including score, lineups and build-up.