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Enzo Fernandez's goal propels Chelsea into top four following victory against Tottenham

Enzo Fernandez's goal propels Chelsea into top four following victory against Tottenham

Chelsea moved up to the top four in the Premier League with Enzo Fernandez scoring a header early in the second half to secure a 1-0 victory against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca's team was facing pressure after a series of uninspiring performances before the international break, but they outperformed a lackluster Spurs team that couldn't capitalize on Chelsea's recent struggles.

Just like in their previous encounter in North London last season, VAR played a significant role, disallowing goals from Moises Caicedo and Pape Sarr in the second half. Chelsea, however, deserved the win as they got their Champions League aspirations back on track.

Chelsea started the game with more energy than they had shown in their previous matches. In the opening minutes, Nicolas Jackson was denied a one-on-one opportunity by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Moments later, Malo Gusto's shot from Marc Cucurella's cross hit the side-netting after a deflection off Micky van de Ven.

Destiny Udogie almost scored an own goal under pressure from Fernandez before Spurs managed to find some defensive stability.

Caicedo's injury scare raised concerns for Maresca, especially with Romeo Lavia facing fitness issues. However, Caicedo put in a solid first-half performance, neutralizing Spurs' attacks effectively.

Spurs showed signs of life towards the end of the first half, with Son Heung-min testing Robert Sanchez with a close-range shot. Despite a few chances, Spurs failed to capitalize, and Chelsea remained solid defensively.

Chelsea took the lead five minutes into the second half when Fernandez headed in a cross from Cole Palmer after lax defending from Udogie.

Although Caicedo thought he had scored a second goal, VAR ruled it out for a marginal offside. Spurs had their own goal disallowed after Sarr's long-range strike due to a foul in the build-up.

Sanchez made crucial saves to deny Son and secure the victory for Chelsea, who held on for the win despite late pressure from Tottenham.