Chelsea dent lacklustre Spurs' top-four hopes

Tottenham's Champions League hopes were dealt a damaging blow as they fell to a 2-0 Premier League defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Ange Postecoglou's side were left trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by seven points and now have just a single game in hand, as goals from Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson saw Mauricio Pochettino emerge victorious against his former club to enhance his team's own chances of qualifying for Europe.

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This was far from Spurs at their fluid, swashbuckling best, and rarely did they put serious pressure on a Chelsea back line that had already posted the club's worst league defensive record in more than 30 years.

Instead, it was Spurs' rearguard that looked uncertain and frail. First, Chalobah was afforded a clear run at Conor Gallagher's cross in the first half as Chelsea stole into a deserved lead, then with 18 minutes to go Son Heung-min and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg did little but stand and watch as Jackson pounced when Cole Palmer's 30-yard free-kick thudded off the underside of the crossbar.

Chelsea climbed to eighth, their highest position since Pochettino was appointed in July and with realistic hope of reaching the Europa League, but Tottenham's top-four ambition now looks increasingly unlikely.

The hosts had made by far the livelier start. After four minutes, Mykhailo Mudryk placed the ball into the left channel for Jackson darting inside Cristian Romero to chase. Guglielmo Vicario stood up and took the sting off Jackson's shot, allowing the covering Micky van de Ven to scoop the ball to safety as it inched towards the line.

Noni Madueke, fresh from his goal against Villa on Saturday, went close midway through the half. After skipping infield from the right touchline he