Chelsea vs Tottenham LIVE: Result and reaction as Fernandez inspires crucial derby win for Blues in Premier League | OneFootball

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Enzo Maresca on Jadon Sancho's future with Chelsea

Enzo Fernandez’s second-half header proved the difference as Chelsea edged out Tottenham in a crucial win for their Champions League hopes.

The first half was bookended by two major Chelsea chances, with Nicolas Jackson hitting the post in the first minute before Guglielmo Vicario produced a sublime save to deny Jadon Sancho on the brink of the interval.

An unmarked Fernandez met a delicious Cole Palmer cross to put the Blues in front after the restart, before Moises Caicedo appeared to double Chelsea’s lead with a super volley, only for the strike to be ruled out for offside.

Tottenham were later denied by VAR themselves as Pape Matar Sarr fired in from range, only to be adjudged to have fouled Caicedo in the build-up.

That reprieve was enough for Chelsea to hold on, securing the points and propelling them back into the top four.

Chelsea vs Tottenham LIVE

How the race for Champions League stands

Chelsea leapt back into the top four with victory over Spurs tonight.

It leaves them a point above Manchester City in fifth - a position which is expected to also secure Champions League qualification this season.

Then sit Newcastle in sixth, two points behind the Blues but with a game in hand. Aston Villa and Brighton are within five points in seventh and eighth.

A couple results go awry and Chelsea’s hopes of competing in Europe’s premier competition next term could go up in smoke. They need to be all but flawless for the remaining eight games.

(Getty Images)

Will Castle4 April 2025 00:00

Ange Postecoglou blasts VAR: 'It's killing the game'

"It's killing the game mate, it's not the same game it used to be,” Postecoglou told Sky Sports. “We all sat on our couches last night and watched TV [when Everton's James Tarkowski was not sent off for a high challenge on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister] and I guarantee you if Jarred Gillett was VAR last night it would've been a different outcome so you just don't know what we're going to get.

"You are standing around for 12 minutes. It's just killing the game, but no-one cares about that, they just love the drama and controversy and I'm sure there will be 24 hours discussion about it and that's what everyone wants - they're not really interested that it's killing the spectacle of the game.

"If a referee sees that and he needs to see it for six minutes, what's clear and obvious about it?”