Chelsea's head coach Mauricio Pochettino hugs Chelsea's Moises Caicedo at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are getting thinner by the day. By falling 2-0 at Chelsea on Thursday, Tottenham slumped to a second loss to a London rival in the space of four days in the Premier League — after a 3-2 home defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday. That’s another blow to Spurs, who are fifth and stayed seven points behind fourth-place Aston Villa with one game in hand. They still have to play Liverpool and Manchester City in their remaining four games so it is looking increasingly unlikely they will close the gap to Villa. Headed goals by Trevoh Chalobah in the 24th and Nicolas Jackson in the 72nd were enough for Chelsea, which could yet salvage a place in one of the minor European competitions from what has been an underwhelming Premier League campaign for a squad assembled at a cost of more than $1 billion. Chelsea climbed above West Ham and into eighth place, two points behind Newcastle and three behind Manchester United in sixth.
Chelsea's head coach Mauricio Pochettino hugs Chelsea's Moises Caicedo at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, centre, is challenged by Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur, left, jumps for a header with Chelsea's Benoit Badiashile during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Tottenham's Cristian Romero, right, is challenged by Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Tottenham's Richarlison is challenged by Chelsea's Alfie Gilchrist, rear, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Tottenham's Son Heung-min is in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.
Tottenham's Cristian Romero, right, fails to score during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge stadium in London.