Coach Pochettino and his mission to 'rescue' the Premier League.

(Baonghean.vn) - Throughout the 'Christmas curve' and the entire winter marathon, Conte never had his strongest lineup in any match, yet Chelsea still managed 13 consecutive wins. But when the team finally had its full complement of stars, the Blues unexpectedly stalled, and the obstacle was the brilliant coach Pochettino.

Tottenham beat Chelsea, knocking Arsenal out of the top 4.

Masterful Seal

Before the match, in the White Hart Lane dressing room, manager Pochettino instructed his players: “The Blues are very strong this season, that’s true. But as long as you just play yourselves, victory will come, and more importantly, this victory will put us in the top 3.”

Manager Pochettino (right) and Conte during their match at White Hart Lane on the morning of January 5th. (Image from the internet)

In fact, the Tottenham players took to the field confident they could stop Chelsea's momentum. Pochettino's side controlled the game well and repeatedly threatened Courtois' goal. The midfield, featuring players like Wanyama, Rose, and Alli, constantly moved to stifle Matic and KanteMoses.

Apart from Eden Hazard's early shot that went wide of the post, Tottenham's defense—Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, and Walker—played extremely impressively. Coach Pochettino was overly confident in instructing his players to stifle Chelsea's flanks, limiting their supply of balls to Costa.

It's hard to say whether names like Alli, Eriksen, and Kane can compete with Chelsea's big stars like Pedro, Costa, and Hazard, but in terms of fighting spirit, the Tottenham players are superior. They move more, compete more fiercely, and that's something the previous 13 teams failed to do when facing The Blues.

Chelsea's game improved after manager Antonio Conte made three substitutions in midfield, keeping only Matic on the pitch. The Italian coach clearly saw his players' unease, but it was obviously too late as the home team's players became increasingly confident as the game progressed.

Who is Dele Alli?

Scoring two goals against goalkeeper Courtois, Dele Alli is truly a hero of the Premier League. From a player in League One, Dele Alli took just 18 months to become a leading hope for the England national team and English football today.

David Pleat, former Tottenham manager and now advisor, recommended Alli to Tottenham when he was just a young footballer. As a result, Tottenham only had to pay £5 million to sign Alli. At just 20 years old and in his second season in the Premier League, Dele Alli has already shown his star qualities. Among Spurs' midfielders, Alli currently has the most appearances.

Dele Alli - Tottenham's hero. (Image from the internet)

In Spurs' midfield, Eriksen is Dele Alli's closest partner, so it's not surprising that he provided two of the lofted passes that led to Dele Alli beating goalkeeper Courtois.

It is believed that manager Pochettino proved far more astute than manager Antonio Conte by placing his trust in young players in such a nail-biting derby match. Meanwhile, Chelsea's two midfielders who played exceptionally well in the previous game, Fabregas and Willian, were relegated to the bench until the end of the match.

It's impossible to say that just one loss will knock Chelsea out of the title race, but Tottenham's 2-0 victory clearly shows that Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 formation isn't perfect. The fact that two of Conte's most important players argued on the pitch further illustrates the Chelsea's panic in the face of Pochettino's disciplined style of play.

As for the Premier League, the title race has become even more exciting.

Thank you to manager Pochettino and young Dele Alli!

An Thanh