Ivorian striker Didier Drogba inspired Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur to help his side maintain their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Tottenham missed two good chances early on, with Harry Kane hitting the bar then dragging a shot wide, and Chelsea went ahead when Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard finished sweetly following a one-two with Drogba in the 19th minute.
Three minutes later the striker, who replaced the suspended Diego Costa, then netted in the second with a low shot following a Hugo Lloris mistake. Substitute Loic Remy completed the win with a smart finish from 12 yard in the 73rd minute, The BBC reported.
There was plenty to admire about Chelsea, who once again turned on the style for 10 first-half minutes to blow away their second-best opponents.
Tottenham, who are still without a win at Stamford Bridge since 1990, could not deal with the sublime skill of Hazard, the power and physicality of Drogba and the rampaging runs down the right from full-back Branislav Ivanovic.
The result might have been so different if Tottenham had taken their early chances. Vertonghen had already headed over the bar when Kane rattled the woodwork with a header from Aaron Lennon's right-wing cross.
Moments later, the forward picked up on Cahill's mistake, drove forward into the box but took one touch too many and flashed his angled shot across the face of goal. These misses proved costly and Chelsea stunned the visitors with two goals within three minutes of each other followed by a late strike in the second half to secure their win.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said that they played against a very good team and Tottenham showed that during some periods in the game. He added that their opponents started better than his side and should have scored before them.
But, Mourinho also said that after his side's first goal his team became more stable and confident and they controlled the game. He claimed that he is really happy with the points, performance and spirit of the players, although he added that it is a very heavy result for Tottenham.
Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said that they are very disappointed because his side created some chances to score and after they conceded in Chelsea's first action, the game changed.
But Pochettino said that he wants to congratulate his players because they were brave in the second half.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
