Chelsea made a huge statement of intent as they came from two goals down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on Sunday evening. The Blues have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2024/25 season so far. After a couple of rough years, they've been flying under new manager Enzo Maresca and they currently sit second in the league table.
With Arsenal and Manchester City dropping more points than anyone expected at this point of the campaign, Chelsea have emerged as potential title challengers, chasing Liverpool, who occupy first place. Heading into the match against Tottenham, the Blues were in excellent form and they were handed a solid opportunity to close the gap on the Reds after their Merseyside derby with Everton was postponed.
Surprisingly, Maresca's men conceded two goals early in the contest and looked like they were being brought firmly back down to earth. Instead, they rallied and turned things around. Ultimately, they beat their London rivals 4-3, with Cole Palmer making headlines with his pair of penalties, particularly the second one in which he pulled off a panenka. He wasn't the only Chelsea man to shine, though. Another star stood out and really made a difference. That was Enzo Fernandez.
Chelsea celebrate against Tottenham after Cole Palmer's goal. Related
Tottenham 3-4 Chelsea: Player Ratings and Match Highlights
Chelsea came from two goals down to secure a big win over London rivals Tottenham.
Enzo Fernandez Vs Tottenham
The midfielder was nothing short of excellent
Enzo Fernandez
While Palmer earned most of the plaudits for his display, Fernandez was also pivotal to Chelsea's victory over Tottenham and ran the show in midfield. As well as scoring his team's third goal of the game with a well-struck effort to give them the lead, the former Benfica man contributed in a number of different ways.
He was very active in the game, recording 75 touches of the ball throughout the contest. That was more touches than anyone else in the game on either team, highlighting just how much influence he had on proceedings. He was almost perfect with his vision too. He played 50 passes over the course of the match and connected with 48 of them.
The midfielder completed five of his six long balls, demonstrating how effective he was at opening up play and getting his team forward. So, while his goal was excellent, it was the icing on the cake in terms of his overall performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Even beyond his offensive contributions, he shone.
Enzo Fernandez
Fernandez Thrived Defensively Too
He was unstoppable on both ends of the pitch
Enzo Fernandez
Fernandez had a sublime evening offensively, but his defensive contributions were just as impressive. The midfielder won more than half of his ground duels, showing how tough he was for opponents to deal with. He recorded two interceptions, two tackles and a clearance as well.
It was a real powerhouse performance, but it's not the first and likely won't be the last strong showing from Fernandez this season. Following the arrival of his new manager, Maresca, he's taken his game to a whole new level and there aren't many stars at Stamford Bridge who have benefitted from the change in management more than he has. Check out highlights of his performance against Tottenham below.
Fernandez Under Maresca
He's stepped things up
Enzo Fernandez
Fernandez's impressive showing against Tottenham was just the latest in a series of strong performances from the star. He has really turned his Chelsea career around under Maresca after a disappointing start to life in England. Initially arriving at Stamford Bridge in January 2023, he struggled to hit the ground running and failed to meet the lofty expectations that surrounded him when the Blues made him the most expensive British transfer ever.
In his first one-and-a-half seasons in England, Fernandez managed to record just seven goal contributions in the Premier League. He did so in 46 appearances in the division. After his strike against Tottenham on Sunday, he's now already chalked up six goal contributions in the league this season alone and he's reached that figure in 14 games. It's a significant upgrade on his previous output and reflects the major improvements he's made under Maresca's tutelage. Following the manager's arrival, he was handed the role of vice captain and in Reece James' absence, he has risen to the challenge of wearing the armband.
It initially looked like Fernandez's move to Stamford Bridge would ultimately go down as a failure and a major miss on the transfer market, but he's since become a key figure for Chelsea and is vital to everything they do on the football pitch. What a turn around.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, WhoScored & SofaScore and accurate as of 08/12/2024