Hindustan Times (Ranchi)

TUCHEL GETS THE BETTER OF MOURINHO AS CHELSEA BEAT TOTTENHAM

- Reuters sportsdesk@hindustant­imes.com

Thomas Tuchel maintained his impressive start as Chelsea manager by getting the better of Jose Mourinho in a 1-0 Premier League win at Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday courtesy of Jorginho’s first-half penalty. German Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard last week, has now seen his side take seven points from his three Premier League games in charge with no goals conceded.

Jorginho’s 24th-minute penalty, awarded for a clumsy foul on Timo Werner by Eric Dier, did not do justice to Chelsea’s domination of a Tottenham side who have now lost three league games in a row for the first time since 2012. Chelsea had numerous chances to stretch their lead after the break with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Mount going close, although Tottenham striker Carlos Vinicius, playing in place of the injured Harry Kane, headed one glorious late chance wide.

That would have been harsh on Chelsea whose victory lifted them into sixth spot with 36 points from 22 games.

Mourinho’s Tottenham, who topped the table in December, have slumped to eighth on 33 points. It was the first meeting between Mourinho, who won three league titles in two stints at Chelsea, and Tuchel who led Paris St Germain to two French titles before departing in December. Mourinho said in the build-up that managers could only become great ones by being successful in the Premier League and Tuchel has so far shown he could be a wise appointmen­t.

His Chelsea side were far too slick for a cumbersome home side and the only concern was a failure to score more and losing defender Thiago Silva to a muscle injury before halftime.

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