POTTER HIGH
Boss hails his Blues’ mettle as
GRAHAM POTTER hailed his players for showing spirit and togetherness as Chelsea signalled their crisis might be over. Three wins in a week and suddenly the sun is shining over Stamford Bridge as goals from Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic produced a first away victory in 11 games in all competitions.
Boss Potter said: “It’s been a team performance over the week. It takes a bit of time to develop that but the spirit and togetherness is growing.
“Everyone is supporting each other, wanting to play and ready to play. It’s been a tough period but now we can look forward to a week ahead against Everton and try to finish off with another three points.
“It’s been a really good week, three wins – a determined performance against Leeds, backed up against Dortmund and then today. I’m delighted for them and the fans.”
This was a match billed as a duel between two under-pressure managers. Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was staying bullish as the fans made their feelings known following a fifth successive defeat.
He said: “It’s been the backdrop all season and not a distraction for me or the squad.we are very much together.you want the crowd to be behind them but that’s how it has been since the summer, we have to get through that.
“The supporters are disappointed we didn’t get the result but it doesn’t affect me. My focus is on the team and I will give my very best.”
Rodgers could point to a goal from Ricardo Pereira and some glaring chances as a positive and a late red card forwout Faes as a negative.
He added: “I think it was harsh on the team when it gets to 3-1 and you’re down to 10 men.the last few minutes a team with that quality can keep the ball from you.
“For large parts we were right in the game.we conceded a poor goal from the corner, fought our way back, scored a really good one and were finishing the first half really well.you can lose to a top team like Chelsea but we have more than matched them today, just not taken our chances.”
A cautious start from both sides lasted all of 10 minutes as Chilwell’s finish from Kalidou Koulibaly’s lob proved too much for Danny Ward and Chelsea were flying.
To give the Foxes credit, they never stopped trying and could easily have equalised with Daniel Amartey missing a free header while Kiernan Dewsbury-hall hit the woodwork.
THENVAR ruled out a Joao Felix effort and Leicester were buoyed.a clever backheel by Pereira and
Patson Daka scored.
Kepa Arrizabalaga made two stops – from James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho – and Chelsea bounced back through Havertz after good work from Enzo Fernandez.
Leicester, watched by home boy Gary Lineker, kept attacking while also looking liable to conceding. Conor Gallagher cleared off the line to deny Harry Souttar.
The killer blow came through Kovacic’s brilliant volley.
Having needed 14 games to record two wins, Chelsea have three in a week – the 1-0 victory over Leeds and the 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
After this away trip, Potter’s men entertain Everton, Astonvilla and Liverpool. He added: “We were a few centimetres away from another couple for offside too. Our quality saw us over the line today.”
fifth-place Liverpool, lifting some of the gloom following a wretched fortnight, including crashing out of the FA Cup and Champions League.
And the sight of under-the-cosh manager Antonio Conte leaping in the dugout only raised home spirits further. He did not look like a coach simply waiting to jump or be sacked – either in the summer or earlier.
As for staying in the top four, Conte said: “There’s only one place left and the race is tough.”
Kane labelled the cup defeat to
Championship Sheffield United a “dagger in the heart”.
But after being further slashed in Europe by Milan, he took his frustration out by cutting Forest to ribbons in the opening period.
Richarlison had an early effort ruled out for offside but in the 20th minute Tottenham took the lead with a Kane header and the striker extended the advantage from the spot before the break.
Son’s sixth league goal this season then put Spurs out of sight before Forest’s strong finale.
It was scant consolation for their boss Steve Cooper, however. He said: “We looked the more dynamic and aggressive team in the second half.
“But it was in the first half where the result was defined.
“We needed to be a lot more competitive than we were. We can play much better.”
TOTTENHAM: Forster 6; Romero 7, Lenglet 7, Dier 7; Porro 8, Skipp 8 (Sarr 90), Hojbjerg 7, Davies 7; Richarlison 8 (Kulusevski 84),Son 7 (Moura 84), Kane 9.
NOTTM FOREST: Navas 6; Aurier, 6 Worrall 5, Felipe 5,
Lodi 5; Freuler 5 (Yates 67, 6), Shelvey 6, Mangala 5 (Ayew 46, 5), Lingard 5 (Dennis 46, 6), Gibbs-white 5; Johnson 5 (Wood 67, 6) (Williams 73, 6).
MAN OF THE MATCH: HARRY KANE – No stopping England skipper whose double buried his World Cup penalty nightmare. REF: C Pawson 61,460