Chelsea Player Ratings: Fernandez and Santos Shine, but Delap Falls Short Against Tottenham

Chelsea and Tottenham’s legendary rivalry saw another chapter unfold as the Blues pushed Spurs’ relegation fight to the last day.

An exceptional strike from Enzo Fernandez broke the stalemate, followed by an eye-catching mobile phone celebration from the Argentine winger.

For much of the first half, the Blues were in control, with Palmer testing the keeper and Fernandez hitting the woodwork from a free-kick.

Home fans delighted in chanting “that’s why you’re going down” every time a Spurs player in yellow missed the target.

The only real threat from Spurs came from a Mathys Tel header that skimmed the post.

News of Arsenal clinching the title cast a shadow over both sets of supporters at the Bridge, but Chelsea fans were uplifted when Andrey Santos extended the lead to 2-0 in the second half.

Spurs fought back, with Richarlison scoring from a clever backheel by Pape Matar Sarr, but it wasn’t enough to keep them up that night.

Here’s how SunSport’s Chelsea reporter Lloyd Canfield rated the players…

ROBERT SANCHEZ – 6

As Chelsea eyes a new keeper in Robin Roefs for the summer, Sanchez has something to prove before season’s end, especially with Mike Penders returning from his loan. He kept the Blues in the game at 0-0 with a low save on Tel’s header, but couldn’t prevent Richarlison’s goal. Overall, he was reliable.

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JOSH ACHEAMPONG – 5

The 19-year-old had a significant opportunity to shine at right-back with Malo Gusto sidelined and Reece James on the bench. He advanced the ball decently down the right flank and wasn’t excessively troubled by Tel and Udogie, though he was occasionally slow to engage.

WESLEY FOFANA – 5

Richarlison posed minimal threat on Spurs’ crosses, and Fofana was largely solid defensively. However, he played Richarlison onside leading up to Spurs’ goal.

JORREL HATO – 7

Hato has shown promise this season, especially in recent matches. He had a shaky moment early on but quickly settled in and contributed positively from the back. He deserves a spot in Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea XI next season due to his versatility and poise. A crucial block to deny Maddison sealed a strong performance.

MARC CUCURELLA – 5

Cucurella was tasked with pushing forward on the left, as expected under Alonso. He held his ground defensively against Kolo Muani, who often looked uneasy, but a misjudged header allowed Spurs to capitalize.

ANDREY SANTOS – 8

This match gave Santos a chance to showcase his abilities, especially with Reece James absent and Fernandez playing higher up. This season may not have met his expectations since arriving, but he put in one of his better performances tonight with solid tackles and smooth midfield play. His left-footed goal capped off a satisfying night.

MOISES CAICEDO – 6

Caicedo executed his role effectively, making life difficult for Conor Gallagher while facilitating play from midfield without overcomplicating things.

COLE PALMER – 3

Palmer has struggled to hit his best form lately. He aimed for a spot on the World Cup squad and impressed new manager Xabi Alonso, but this match was another missed opportunity. His early shot was easily saved and he didn’t contribute significantly beyond that. He needs a break this summer.

ENZO FERNANDEZ – 9

Fernandez’s role in the team has evolved since the managerial changes, and he caught attention with a stunning long-range opener that left Kinsky helpless. His unique mobile phone celebration added to the highlight. Minutes later, he nearly scored again from a free-kick that hit the crossbar. He consistently created chances and provided a neat assist for Santos.

PEDRO NETO – 7

Neto’s key pass to Fernandez opened the scoring, and while his contribution to the second goal won’t show in the stats, his beautifully placed cross started the move for Santos’s goal. He relentlessly targeted Udogie throughout the match.

LIAM DELAP – 2

Delap has contributed just one Premier League goal for Chelsea at a hefty price of £30 million. His most notable action was earning a foul from Micky Van de Ven, which hardly qualifies him as a solution to Chelsea’s ‘number 9 curse.’ He was lucky not to receive a red card after elbowing Udogie late in the match.

SUBS:

TREVOH CHALOBAH (JOSH ACHEAMPONG, 74) – 5

Chalobah didn’t significantly enhance Chelsea’s stability in defense but also made no glaring mistakes.

MAMADOU SARR (WESLEY FOFANA, 81) – 5

It had been a while since Sarr featured for Chelsea, but he performed competently upon his return.

DARIO ESSUGO (COLE PALMER, 88) – N/A

LIAM DELAP (SHIM MHEUKA, 88) – N/A

ALEJANDRO GARNACHO (PEDRO NETO, 88) – N/A