- Pedro scores 8th of PL season
- Trippier passes in own goal
- Spurs drop nine back of PL lead
Pedro was a difference maker at both ends of the pitch as Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to effectively end their London rivals’ title hopes.
Willy Caballero posted the clean sheet for Chelsea in place of embarrassed starter Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Kieran Trippier completed the score line with a Spurs own goal.
Trippier’s own goal was one more ball on frame than his entire attack managed at the other end.
Tottenham is now nine points back of Liverpool and eight back of Man City, sitting just four points clear of Arsenal ahead of the North London Derby.
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The first quality chance belonged to Gonzalo Higuain, who hit a ball with the outside of his boost that plunked the inside of the post but bounded away from goal.
Eden Hazard laid off for Higuain after a terrible giveaway from Hugo Lloris, but the Argentine spun his shot wide of the far post.
For Spurs, Heung-min Son was lively in producing a pair of moments in the first 25 minutes. The second was handled neatly by Marcos Alonso.
Spurs continued to grow into the game, and Harry Kane earned a corner when his left-footed shot was blocked by the Blues. And Harry Winks hit a ball over the hand of Willy Caballero but off the cross bar.
[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]
0 - Tottenham have failed to land a shot on target in a Premier League game for the first time since December 2013 against Liverpool. Blank. #CHETOT
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 27, 2019
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Pedro gave Chelsea its breakthrough, dribbling down the end line and hitting a shot between two defenders and past Hugo Lloris. It wasn’t a howler given the power, but the Spurs backstop will have expected to do better.
And the Spanish goal scorer turned tackling hero in the 64th when he slid to dispossess Christian Eriksen in the Chelsea box, then taking off on a 50-yard dribble.
Toby Alderweireld had the next chance, popping a header wide of the goal in the 67th minute.
Trippier’s own goal was a clinical finish, as Hugo Lloris charged forward to collect a big header from Olivier Giroud and Trippier never noticed the keeper’s unavailability to receive a pass.