Tottenham 3-4 Chelsea – PLAYER RATINGS: Which Spurs duo rated just 4/10 as they threw away 2-0 lead? And who created chances galore for the Blues?

Chelsea entered the Premier League title picture with a bang after coming from two goals down to beat rivals Tottenham on Sunday night. 

Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski fired Spurs into a comfortable lead after just 11 minutes before Jadon Sancho crashed home to halve the deficit.

A rash challenge from Yves Bissouma then awarded the Blues a spot kick and Cole Palmer kept his cool to slot home the equaliser from 12 yards. 

The turnaround was complete when Enzo Fernandez thrashed inside the near post before Palmer converted his second penalty of the game with a cheeky Panenka.

There was still time for Son Heung-min to slot home in stoppage time to set up a grandstand finish but it proved too little, too late for Ange Postecoglou‘s side. 

Mail Sport‘s KIERAN GILL rates the players at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

Palmer clipped home a cheeky Panenka in stoppage time to wrap up the three points

Dejan Kulusevski had rifled home to give Spurs a two-goal lead inside the first 11 minutes

TOTTENHAM (4-3-3)

Fraser Forster – 5

Tried his darnedest to stop Chelsea from getting back into this after he could not reach Sancho’s strike, but ultimately, there was no preventing Palmer’s two penalties or Fernandez’s blast.

Pedro Porro – 5

Never looked comfortable trying to tie down the slippery Sancho, who got away from him for his goal and had his number with a cute pass in the build-up to Chelsea’s first penalty.

Cristian Romero – 5

We weren’t sure if Romero was going to be fit enough to start and his afternoon lasted less than 15 minutes as he was replaced by Dragusin, injured again.

Micky van de Ven – 5.5

Massive cheer for him on his first start since October, matched only when he produced a proper old-school defender’s clearance. But like Romero, he too went off injured.

Destiny Udogie – 5.5

We rarely saw Neto without Udogie, who was auditioning to be his shadow here. It was a healthy battle from start to finish, but in the end, Chelsea were not to be denied their win.

Cristian Romero’s afternoon lasted less than 15 minutes as he was taken off due to injury

Yves Bissouma wiped out Moises Caicedo to concede the first penalty scored by Palmer

Dejan Kulusevski – 6

Kulusevski’s finish as he slid the ball into the bottom-right corner from 20 yards was practically in slow motion, having created the chance by bursting across the box.

Yves Bissouma – 4

If you are going to go sliding in the box, you need to be sure you’re getting there first. But Bissouma wiped out Caicedo to concede the penalty scored by Palmer.

Pape Matar Sarr – 4

Recklessness saw him barrel into the back of Palmer in the box to gift Chelsea their second penalty as the 4-3 defeat was confirmed. Postecoglou’s players let him down here.

Brennan Johnson – 5

Capitalised on Cucurella’s slip to charge forward and cross for Tottenham’s opener. But other than that, we never saw the best of Johnson, who was hooked after 53 minutes.

Dominic Solanke – 5.5

Proper striker’s play to get across Colwill to make it 1-0, producing a finish that not many would have pulled off. Not enough chances were created for Solanke otherwise.

Heung-min Son – 4.5

Only had Sanchez to beat when it was 2-2 and Chelsea had stopped playing amid some offside confusion, but the captain totally screwed up the chance. Consolation goal in stoppage time.

Brennan Johnson flickered in and out of the game and was hooked off after 53 minutes

Not enough chances were created for Dominic Solanke, who scored the opening goal

Son Heung-min wasted a golden chance in the second half with the scores locked at 2-2

SUBS

Radu Dragusin (for Romero 15) – 6

Crucial block to stop Jackson from making it 2-2 before the break.

Timo Werner (for Johnson 53) – 5

Had the opportunity to come back to haunt his old club but never did anything with it.

Archie Gray (for Van de Ven 79) – N/A

James Maddison (for Kulusevski 79) – N/A

Lucas Bergvall (for Bissouma 79) – N/A

MANAGER

Ange Postecoglou – 4.5

Tottenham led 2-0, and yet lost 4-3. Postecoglou’s tactics will continue to be questioned because his team really should have shown greater control with their two-goal lead.

Ange Postecoglou’s tactics will be questioned because his side needed greater control

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1)

Robert Sanchez – 5.5

No stopping Solanke’s finish as it flew by him before he could even react, though could have done better with Kulusevski’s strike and leaked a Son consolation late on.

Moises Caicedo – 7

Started at right back, but Chelsea’s half-time switch saw him move into midfield proper. That saw him advanced enough to win the most obvious penalty you will ever see.

Benoit Badiashile – 6

The odd naive moment from the man tasked with filling in for the injured Wesley Fofana, but overall, Chelsea got away with whatever defensive mishaps they made.

Levi Colwill – 6

He grew up at Chelsea. He knows what this rivalry means to the fans. Could not get to Johnson’s cross before Solanke as Tottenham struck first, but victory was his eventually.

Marc Cucurella – 5.5

Both of Tottenham’s first-half goals came as a consequence of Cucurella slipping. Remarkable how the Spaniard accidentally helped Spurs until he rage-changed his boots in the 11th minute.

Caicedo started at right back but a half-time switch saw him move into midfield proper

Both of Tottenham’s early first-half goals came as a consequence of Cucurella slipping

Romeo Lavia received a drive-by elbow from Kulusevski and was a concussion substitute

Romeo Lavia – 6.5

Cautioned for hacking down Kulusevski to kill a counter-attack, and then received a drive-by elbow from the Swede, who escaped punishment. Lavia was replaced at half-time in a Maresca reshuffle. 

Enzo Fernandez – 8

Partnered Lavia in the first half, then Caicedo in the second half. And then, boom, he pummelled the ball into the bottom corner for 3-2, a lead Chelsea would never lose.

Pedro Neto – 6.5

Tried to sneak the ball into the bottom corner for 2-2 but Forster saw it coming, stretching out a long leg to stop it. Forever an outlet on the right-hand side.

Cole Palmer – 8.5

Cold. Ice cold. He scored one penalty when the pressure was on. Then he won another. What did he do this time? Panenka, of course.

Jadon Sancho – 8

Pinged a strike in off the post from 22 yards after charging inside and gave Porro nightmares as he created chances galore, including before Chelsea’s first penalty.

Nicolas Jackson – 6

Gave Dragusin enough time to get back to block his blast when he was played through with only Forster to beat. On this occasion, the headlines belonged to his fellow forwards.

Enzo Fernandez pummelled the visitors into the lead with a superb half-volley

Jadon Sancho created chances galore and bent home a sweet strike to halve the deficit

Enzo Maresca celebrated with the away end at full-time and his side may be title contenders

SUBS

Malo Gusto (for Lavia 45) – 6.5

On for Lavia after he had taken a whack to the head, a reshuffle which worked out well for Chelsea.

Christopher Nkunku (for Jackson 76) – N/A

Noni Madueke (for Neto 86) – N/A

Renato Veiga (for Cucurella 90) – N/A

Joao Felix (for Palmer 90) – N/A

MANAGER

Enzo Maresca – 7

Chelsea fans love him, as shown by how they were singing his name at full-time. They trailed 2-0 after Cucurella’s slips, but came back. Title contenders? Why not?

REFEREE

Anthony Taylor – 6

Chelsea fans are not fond of Taylor but he gave them two penalties here – helped that they were two obvious ones to give!