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Tottenham Hotspur must wait until the last day of the Premier League season to confirm their top-flight safety after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday night. Although Richarlison found the net in the second half, Roberto De Zerbi’s men saw their four-match unbeaten streak snapped by their London rivals.

Spurs began with promise as Mathys Tel’s header from Pedro Porro’s cross struck the post. Not long after, Antonin Kinsky did well to block Cole Palmer’s effort, but the Tottenham goalkeeper was caught out soon after when Enzo Fernandez unleashed a superb 25-yard strike into the bottom corner to give Chelsea the lead.

Fernandez nearly doubled his tally when his curling free-kick crashed against the crossbar, while Palmer came close again, firing just wide before the interval.

Tottenham created a few openings after the break, the best of which saw Richarlison head straight at Robert Sanchez. However, Chelsea extended their lead midway through the second half when Andrey Santos tapped in Fernandez’s cut-back.

Richarlison managed to pull one back five minutes later, finishing at the far post after a clever flick from Pape Matar Sarr, offering a glimmer of hope to the travelling fans. But Spurs failed to create another meaningful chance, leaving them needing at least a draw against Everton on Sunday to guarantee survival.

Here’s how GOAL rated Tottenham’s performers at Stamford Bridge:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Antonin Kinsky (5/10): Made a fine save to deny Palmer early on but reacted too slowly to Fernandez’s opener. Displayed steady hands when dealing with crosses.

Pedro Porro (5/10): Offered attacking threat down the right flank, contributing to Richarlison’s goal and switching play effectively. However, his defensive positioning was suspect, and he picked up another booking.

Kevin Danso (6/10): Kept Liam Delap under control and used his strength well throughout the match.

Micky van de Ven (5/10): Confident in possession and broke lines with his passing, but occasional lapses at the back put Spurs under unnecessary pressure.

Destiny Udogie (5/10): Tried to link up with Tel on the left but often found himself running into dead ends.

Midfield

Joao Palhinha (4/10): Tough in the tackle but too slow to react on several occasions, particularly during the build-up to Santos’s goal.

Rodrigo Bentancur (5/10): Failed to close down Fernandez before the opening goal but kept possession ticking over in midfield.

Conor Gallagher (5/10): Worked tirelessly against his former club but allowed frustration to creep in. Lacked the decisive touch in attacking areas.

Attack

Randal Kolo Muani (3/10): Found some early success against Marc Cucurella but wasted possession repeatedly with poor final balls. His misplaced pass led directly to Santos’s goal, capping off a disappointing performance.

Richarlison (5/10): Put in plenty of effort but lacked precision in front of goal until his late strike offered a brief lifeline.

Mathys Tel (7/10): Unfortunate not to score early on when his header hit the post. Tottenham’s most dangerous player and also diligent in defence.

Substitutes & Manager

James Maddison (6/10): Nearly levelled the score when he broke through in the final minutes, only for Jorrel Hato to intervene with a superb tackle.

Djed Spence (6/10): More energetic than Udogie after replacing him at left-back midway through the second half.

Pape Matar Sarr (6/10): Played a part in Richarlison’s goal with a well-timed flick, whether by design or luck.

Roberto De Zerbi (4/10): His team looked composed in possession, but his hesitation to make substitutions proved costly as Chelsea doubled their lead while his changes waited on the sidelines.