Chelsea salvaged a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur overnight, ending the title hopes of their bitter rivals and in turn handing over the Premier League crown.
In a London derby with a touch of fire to it from the opening whistle, Mauricio Pochettino’s men looked as though they would keep some pressure on Leicester City, with goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min giving the Spurs a 2-0 lead by the break.
Yet the Blues would have one last say in this season’s title picture and when Gary Cahill thundered the ball past Hugo Lloris in the 58th minute, the visitors began to show cracks and lost confidence. Eden Hazard completed the comeback for the now outgoing champions late in the game, with the point shared ultimately meaning more to the Foxes than either one of these sides.
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Chelsea
Asmir Begovic – 5.5: Beaten easily by Kane for the opening goal, but made four saves in the second-half which kept the hosts in the match.
Branislav Ivanovic – 4: Was always going to struggle with the pace of the opposition setup, failing the majority of his attempted tackles and allowing easy access into the 18-yard area. A poor attempted pass from the back led to Son doubling the visitors’ advantage.
Gary Cahill – 6.5: Sparked the Chelsea comeback with his rocketing close-range finish just before the hour, but was lacking in his defensive duties prior and passed at just 64% accuracy.
John Terry – 6: The blue centre-back pairing may have been fortunate Dele Alli was unavailable for this match, yet the captain did just enough to lead his line and see out the draw. Let Kane in-behind too easily for Tottenham’s first goal.
Cesar Azpilicueta – 5.5: Had to constantly be alert to try and quell the threat of Christian Eriksen. Recorded four interceptions and five clearances, but could not find space to venture forward on the wing.
Nemanja Matic – 5: Nothing of note came out of the Serbian’s performance and he hardly touched the ball, yet his towering presence was an asset in such a physical contest. Substituted with 10 minutes left.
John Obi Mikel – 4.5: Similarly invisible to his holding-midfield partner.
Pedro – 4: Was completely shutdown by the speedy Tottenham defensive lines and after creating nothing, was replaced by Oscar for the second-half.
Cesc Fabregas – 6: Had two attempted strikes at Lloris and passed with that trademark precision playing out of the centre.
Willian – 6.5: A deadly corner landed at Cahill’s feet for Chelsea to pull their first goal back early in the second-half, yet there were few other highlights from the tireless Brazilian.
Diego Costa – 6: Provided the assist for Hazard’s equaliser and would have loved the physicality with which this match was played. Had little space to shoot on goal himself though.
Substitutes
Eden Hazard – 8: Saving his 2015-16 best for last, the Belgian’s curling first time finish put the sword to Tottenham’s title dreams with less than 10 minutes left in the match. Had two other attempts at goal and recorded five successful take-ons.
Oscar – 6.5: Saw some vital touches of the ball and recorded three tackles in his short cameo.
Tottenham Hotspur
Hugo Lloris – 5: Left somewhat high and dry by a backline which lost confidence, yet his distribution from the back was also poor at 63% accuracy.
Kyle Walker – 6: Also misplaced a large number of passes, but was strong in the tackle and added a body when moving forward.
Toby Alderweireld – 5: Was turned inside out by Costa as Hazard prepared to score the all-important equaliser and found it hard to get near the ball throughout. Replaced for the final minutes when the Spurs needed to search for a third goal.
Jan Vertonghen – 6.5: A constant source of reliability even as his teammates’ confidence froze up. Was pinpoint when passing, also making four interceptions and six blocks.
Danny Rose – 5.5: Threw himself behind a number of tackles and was commanding in the air. Added to the attack with a shot and cross.
Eric Dier – 5: Seemed to let his temper and the occasion get the better of him, frequently left chasing the ball. Was lucky the referee was preoccupied in the final minutes, or a harsh sliding tackle on Fabregas would have ended his night with a red.
Mousa Dembele – 5: Another visiting player who was fortunate to still be on the field, but should receive a retrospective ban after gouging Diego Costa in the eye at halftime. The Belgian’s passing was sublime, however.
Son Heung-min – 8.5: Had a total of five shots at Begovic’s net, including Tottenham’s second of the match on the stroke of halftime.
Christian Eriksen – 7: Wrecked havoc for Chelsea’s defence, although that was something to be expected, and was involved in the build-up for Kane’s strike. Lost confidence quickly after Cahill pulled one back.
Erik Lamela – 7.5: Created for chances for teammates and sent six crosses into the box. Could not get enough space or possession in the second-half though. Initially gave Tottenham the lead after rounding Begovic and tapping into an open net.
Harry Kane – 7: Maybe should have done more with his five shots on goal, yet was starved for service as the match wore on.
Substitutes
Ryan Mason – 4.5: Did not revitalise the team enough after his introduction for Son.
Ben Davies – N/A: Touched the ball just a few times late on.
Nacer Chadli – N/A: Only played the final minutes.
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