Chelsea’s win streak over Spurs stays alive

Chelsea has not lost at home to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur for 24 years and that amazing record never looked in any danger on Saturday as a woeful defensive performance by the visitors saw them thrashed, 4-0.

Chelsea jumped a provisional seven points clear at the top of the Premier League after the Spurs imploded by conceding all four goals in the last 34 minutes at Stamford Bridge with defensive mistakes playing a part in every one.

Samuel Eto’o put Chelsea ahead after a slip by defender Jan Vertonghen in the 56th, an Eden Hazard penalty four minutes later doubled their lead and two late strikes by substitute Demba Ba helped preserve the hosts’ long unbeaten run against Spurs, who have not won at Stamford Bridge since February 1990.

Fifth-placed Tottenham played the last half-hour with 10 men after their French defender, Younes Kaboul, was sent off for bundling Eto’o over in the penalty area with the score at 1-0 and after that there was only one winner.

Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho, who has presided over 75 unbeaten home league matches in his two spells in charge of the club, said they stayed calm as Spurs dominated the first half.

“The reality in the first half was that they had control but they didn’t scare us and when the opposition has control and don’t scare you, you are calm and you wait for your best moment of the game because for us the best moment always comes.

“We changed our structure in the second half and our game was more connected,” he added. “You can say the first goal was a mistake by Vertonghen, but the way Eto’o read the mistake was fantastic and the way he put it through the goalkeeper’s legs was amazing and after that we had complete control and it was easy.”

Although Chelsea is now seven points clear at the top, and nine points ahead of fourth-place Manchester City, which has three games in hand, Mourinho said the title was not guaranteed.

“I would rather be in Manchester City’s place. We could win all our last nine games and not win the title if they win their last 12,” he said.

Eto’o, who will be 33 on Monday, was a late addition to the starting lineup after Fernando Torres limped off in the warm-up. He celebrated his 300th career goal by bending over the corner flag like an old man, a nod to controversy about his age after Mourinho made some private comments that were published.

Reuters