Premier League

Spurs v Southampton, 2024/25  Premier League

Ange Postecoglou insisted that his actions were "misinterpreted" after appearing to cup his ear to Tottenham Hotspur fans in a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea.

It was another difficult night for the Australian head coach as Enzo Fernandez's second-half header condemned Spurs to their 16th Premier League defeat of the season.

In a typical full-bloodied London derby - there were 10 yellow cards brandished - Postecoglou’s apparent gesture to his own supporters came when Pape Sarr rifled in what appeared an equaliser, only for it to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up following a VAR review.

“Jeez mate, it’s incredible how things get interpreted,” Postecoglou said afterwards.

“We’d just scored, I just wanted to hear them [the fans] cheer because we’d been through a tough time and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited.

“I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was on our [side].

“It doesn’t bother me, it’s not the first time they [the fans] have booed my substitutions or my decisions, that’s fine. They’re allowed to do that, but we’d just scored a goal, just scored an equaliser, I was just hoping we could get some excitement.

“If people want to read into it that somehow I’m trying to make a point about something, like I said, we’d been through a tough time, but I just felt there was a bit of a momentum shift there. If they get really behind the lads, I thought we had the momentum to finish on top of them [Chelsea].”

For Postecoglou, Thursday night's loss also provided the Australian with an unwanted record - he is the first ever Spurs head coach to lose each of his first four league matches against Chelsea while in charge of the club.

Ever the pragmatist, he was honest in his assessment after watching Spurs fail to score for a third time in four Premier League matches.

"It's a difficult night, a tight game and not an easy place to come," he added. "We had to work hard to stay in the game, we let in a disappointing goal, then fought our way back into the game but weren't able to get anything out of it.

"It is still a work in progress, the first time we had the whole group in together and in the final third we could've been a bit cleaner with our football but for the most part we handled it quite well.

"It's a tough ask coming here, there was still enough there tonight to show the lads are getting back to the level we need."

Football writer Alex Keble analyses Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the latest London derby at Stamford Bridge.

It was fraught and fractious, tense and at times unruly; a match that had everything – apart from quality at either end of the pitch, that is.

Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur had disallowed goals, VAR checks, angry confrontations, and even an unusual incident when Ange Postecoglou cupped his ear to his own supporters, a gesture that appeared confrontational but was dismissed by the Spurs head coach as a desire only “to hear them cheer.”

And thankfully for the hosts, it had one brief glimpse of the real Cole Palmer, whose outstanding cross for Enzo Fernandez’s winner was the only moment of magic in a scrappy affair at Stamford Bridge.

In that sense, order was restored.

Chelsea won a Premier League match against a side sitting outside the relegation zone for the first time since beating West Ham United over two months ago, while Palmer ended a sequence of seven matches in all competitions without a goal or assist.

Meanwhile Spurs struggled throughout, which, in truth, is also ordinary service resumed; only the Premier League’s current bottom four teams have lost more matches this season than the 16 of Postecoglou's side.

Gusto gave Chelsea control in midfield

The tactical battle was one-sided, even if the result ultimately was not.

From the outset Chelsea used Malo Gusto, inverting from right-back, as an extra body in central midfield, giving them a four-on-three against the Spurs midfielders and full control.

In the two images below, showing the two teams’ average positions, note Chelsea’s compact midfield square involving the right-back (RB) Gusto and then contrast it to the wide-open Spurs midfield with defensive midfielder (DM) Rodrigo Bentancur isolated.

Chelsea and Spurs' average positions

Chelsea also attempted lots of long balls over the top of the Spurs defence, which appeared to push them back further.

From here, Chelsea then played switches out to the left wing in particular, where Wilson Odobert struggled to help an over-worked Djed Spence up against Jadon Sancho.

Chelsea's long balls v Spurs

Put together, that overload in midfield allowed Chelsea to weave through the Spurs press or push them back with long balls, in turn creating space for long passes out wide for a winger to attack the full-back.

Enzo Maresca has received some criticism for his tactical setups in 2025, but he got it spot on here, to overwhelm and confuse the away side.

A better final ball, or more conviction to shoot when the chance presented itself, and Chelsea could have been several goals clear at the break.

Spurs fail to learn from first-half issues

Eventually, those tactics would lead to the winning goal.

Such was Chelsea’s dominance in the first half you might have expected Spurs to change their approach at the break.

They did not – and Chelsea dominated from the off before scoring from exactly the tactical mismatch that defined the opening 45.

Gusto’s positioning helped Chelsea dominate the ball (88 per cent between half-time and the goal), then a long switch of play out to the left saw Pedro Neto run at the full-back.

A short phase later, with Spurs unable to clear, Palmer crossed without any pressure on the ball from Odobert.

It was the umpteenth time that had happened and, at long last, Chelsea punished Postecoglou’s side for failing to learn – and failing to adapt their strategy.

Playing such an open style was always going to play into Chelsea’s hands, as Maresca said after the match.

After playing four matches against teams who “sit back and wait for us,” Spurs' style was “in some ways better” for Chelsea, Maresca said.

It wasn’t the first time Postecoglou’s lack of tactical flexibility has affected the outcome, and indeed it contrasted starkly with Maresca’s words after the match.

“Our game plan depends on the opposition,” he said, in response to a question about Chelsea’s long-ball tactics today. “We cannot do the same game-plan against Tottenham and Leicester.”

Palmer and Jackson returns boost Champions League chances

It is no coincidence Palmer’s goal involvement was on the day Nicolas Jackson returned to the starting line-up after a two-month absence.

Jackson was a threat throughout, his runs on the shoulder causing havoc when Chelsea pumped long balls over the top in the first half in particular, while his link-up play between the lines also marked a clear upgrade on his stand-in Christopher Nkunku.

Jackson's touch map v Spurs

Palmer will have been relieved to see that kind of movement ahead of him – and will be looking forward to the run-in now after providing a first Premier League assist since 1 December.

He has created 39 chances between those two assists, the fourth most of any Premier League player in that time, according to Squawka.

Clearly, Palmer has missed having a proper No 9 in front of him and now that he is reunited with Jackson, Chelsea – back up in fourth place – are in the driving seat for UEFA Champions League football.

They could be joined there by Spurs, of course, if Postecoglou can mastermind victory in the UEFA Europa League.

But after this performance, and a fourth defeat in four against rivals Chelsea, the Spurs manager faces an uphill battle to end the 2024/25 campaign on a high.

Chelsea returned to the top four of the Premier League table as Enzo Fernandez's header sealed a 1-0 London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Fernandez powered home following an outstanding cross from the returning Cole Palmer in the 50th minute, as the Blues earned a deserved three points at Stamford Bridge.

Moises Caicedo and Pape Sarr had second-half strikes disallowed, but Spurs could have few complaints about the result, having earlier relied on Guglielmo Vicario to keep Chelsea out.

After several of their rivals for UEFA Champions League qualification won in midweek, the victory moves Chelsea to fourth place on 52 points, back above Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Now winless in four league matches, Ange Postecoglou's Spurs stay 14th with 34 points.

More to follow...

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

Only Liverpool (38) and Arsenal (34) have won more Premier League points at home this season than Chelsea (31 – level with Nottingham Forest), with the Blues winning five in a row at Stamford Bridge for only the second time across the last five seasons (also last five matches of 2023/24).

Only the Premier League’s current bottom four teams have lost more games this season than Spurs, with Spurs losing 16 league games in a campaign for the first time since 2003/04 under Glenn Hoddle & David Pleat (19).

Chelsea have completed a league double over Spurs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since doing so in three consecutive Premier League campaigns between 1999/00 and 2001/02.

Spurs have failed to win any of their last nine Premier League games against teams starting the day in the top half of the table (D1 L8), since beating Manchester City 4-0 in November.

Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday in the next instalment of a fixture that has produced countless memorable moments. Football writer Adrian Kajumba looks back at some of the standout matches, goals, incidents and individual performances from their meetings during the Premier League era.

Seven-goal thriller - December 2024

Expectations were high when Spurs and Chelsea met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season and the London derby did not disappoint.

The two rivals shared seven goals in a see-saw classic, one in which Chelsea recovered from going 2-0 down, after two costly Marc Cucurella slips, to win 4-3.

The most memorable moment of all was the one that proved to be the winning goal - Cole Palmer’s Panenka penalty.

After scoring one spot-kick to make it 2-2 and brilliantly setting up Enzo Fernandez to make it 3-2, Chelsea’s talisman Palmer earned the chance to make it 4-2 when he was fouled to win an 84th-minute penalty.

It was a high-stakes moment, though you would not have known it when Palmer nonchalantly strode up and chipped Fraser Forster to all but seal victory for Chelsea.

Chelsea capitalise on chaos - November 2023

The rivals' first meeting of 2023/24 featured one of the managers returning to his former club.

But Mauricio Pochettino’s first reunion with Spurs, after he was appointed Chelsea head coach ahead of the 2023/24 season, was eventually overshadowed by the crazy game that unfolded, one of the most eventful in Premier League history.

Spurs had won eight of their first 10 league matches under new head coach Ange Postecoglou.

They looked set to continue their form when Dejan Kulusevski gave them an early lead but their night and brilliant start to the season soon began to unravel.

Palmer equalised with a penalty which was awarded after Cristian Romero’s red-card foul on Fernandez. Spurs then lost three more key players - Micky Van de Ven and James Maddison to injury, plus Destiny Udogie who joined Romero in being dismissed.

Despite being reduced to nine men, Postecoglou refused to alter his high-line approach and was almost rewarded for his bravery and defiance which was acknowledged by Spurs fans.

But Chelsea finally worked out how to exploit all the space behind their opponents' defence and Nicolas Jackson scored a late hat-trick to clinch a 4-1 win.

The game also featured five disallowed goals, 11 VAR checks and 21 minutes of added time.

Tuchel and Conte clash - August 2022

An already dramatic match was made unforgettable by the clash between rival managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte at the final whistle.

Tempers had been rising on the touchline as the contest unfolded.

The first sign of the storm to come was when Tuchel and Conte were booked after a confrontation in the wake of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s equaliser to make it 1-1.

That goal was allowed to stand despite Chelsea appealing for a foul on Kai Havertz in the build-up.

Tuchel then sprinted past ex-Chelsea manager Conte and the Spurs bench to celebrate Reece James's goal that put the hosts 2-1 up.

But Spurs had the final say when Harry Kane levelled six minutes into stoppage time to deny Chelsea a deserved win. Again Chelsea were aggrieved, that a foul on Cucurella was overlooked shortly before Spurs scored.

The most controversial moment of the afternoon was, however, still to come. The managers’ full-time handshake, when Tuchel refused to let go of his counterpart after appearing to take exception to Conte not looking him in the eye, sparked more unsavoury scenes. Both men were sent off and charged by the FA.

Alli’s double inspires Spurs to historic away win - April 2018

As well as the title, that 2016 comeback also denied Spurs one of their best chances of ending their long wait for a league win at Chelsea.

Finally, though, their hoodoo finally came to an end two years later.

An impressive comeback earned Spurs a historic 3-1 triumph, their first victory at Stamford Bridge since February 1990 - 28 years earlier.

After falling behind to Alvaro Morata’s header, Christian Eriksen drew Spurs level with a stunning, dipping strike from long range.

But Dele Alli stole the headlines with a quick-fire second-half double just after the hour.

Spurs’ triumph was crucial that season, as well as historic. They were competing with Chelsea for a top-four spot in 2017/18 and their trip to the Bridge was decisive at the time with Spurs kicking off five points ahead of their rivals.

The gap was up to eight points at full-time and was ultimately too big for Chelsea to close. They finished the season in fifth and Spurs clinched third spot.

Battle of the Bridge - May 2016

Few matches sum up the animosity in this rivalry better than the one that became known as the 'Battle of the Bridge'. Spurs travelled to Chelsea nine years ago needing a win to keep their title hopes alive.

But, despite having nothing to play for themselves after their poor title defence, Chelsea were hell-bent on preventing their opponents succeeding them as Premier League champions.

Some of Chelsea’s players, including midfielder Cesc Fabregas, even publicly declared their preference for Leicester City to win the title over Spurs, adding spice to the late-season derby.

Initially at Stamford Bridge, all was going well for Spurs when they established a 2-0 half-time lead through goals from Kane and Son Heung-min.

However, as Chelsea staged a fight-back, capped by Eden Hazard’s iconic equaliser, to earn a 2-2 draw that ended Spurs’ title hopes, the match also descended into disciplinary chaos.

Flashpoints broke out all over the pitch, during the match and after the full-time whistle, as tensions rose and eventually boiled over. Twelve players were booked, including a record nine from Spurs, and both managers were caught up in the drama.

Spurs head coach Pochettino entered the pitch to split up Danny Rose and Willian while Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink was knocked over during a post-match melee.

FA charges inevitably followed for both clubs with Spurs midfielder Mousa Dembele also receiving a six-match ban for violent conduct. The final outcome was one they would rather forget but events on the night ensured this game will live long in the memory.

Kane announces himself to the world - January 2015

The goals had already started to flow regularly for Kane in a Spurs shirt but his New Year's Day display against Chelsea was the one that made everyone really stand up and take note.

The Blues were Premier League leaders en route to regaining the title, had the division’s best defensive record and a backline with seasoned duo John Terry and Gary Cahill at the heart of it.

But Kane gave them a torrid time with a masterclass performance to inspire Spurs to a 5-3 victory, their first win over Chelsea in almost five years.

Kane scored two brilliantly-taken goals, won the penalty that Andros Townsend converted, and also set up Spurs’ fifth goal, scored by Nacer Chadli.

Kane’s manager Mauricio Pochettino said: "We need to be careful with him, but we cannot hide him away." That became impossible after the young striker’s breakout Premier League performance against Chelsea.

Eight-goal thriller at White Hart Lane - March 2008

The two teams produced another rollercoaster Premier League classic just two weeks after they had met in the Carling Cup final.

Two of the scorers in the cup final got the goal fest underway when Didier Drogba and Jonathan Woodgate traded early strikes. Michael Essien and Joe Cole then scored to put Chelsea 3-1 up and in command.

But Dimitar Berbatov, another Wembley scorer, reduced the deficit before a fine finish from Tom Huddlestone drew Spurs level. Cole appeared to have won this breathless derby when he netted his second goal but there were still twists to come.

Firstly, Robbie Keane curled in a stunning 88th-minute equaliser to make it 4-4 after a clearance rebounded off Ricardo Carvalho’s back and fortunately into his path.

Spurs then had a huge chance to win the game but Carlo Cudicini denied Berbatov with a stunning save in stoppage time to leave Chelsea relieved not to lose a match they were minutes away from winning.

Spurs’ last trophy - February 2008

The passing of time has made what was an already major occasion between the two clubs 17 years ago even more significant.

The 2008 Carling Cup final between the two London clubs was the first League Cup showpiece played at the new Wembley Stadium.

It also has a special place in the history of this fixture as it remains the last time Spurs lifted silverware.

Chelsea were aiming to retain the trophy they won against Arsenal the previous season and were on course to do so after Drogba’s first-half free-kick.

But Berbatov's penalty took the game to extra time when Woodgate's header secured a famous victory for Spurs that would continue to be talked about for years.

Spurs end wait for a win over Chelsea - November 2006

A brilliant derby, featuring some outstanding individual contributions, finished with Spurs ending their 16-year wait for a league win against Chelsea.

Ledley King’s incredible recovery tackle to prevent Arjen Robben scoring was one of the first memorable moments of the match.

Unfortunately for Spurs, that led to a corner from which defensive midfielder Claude Makelele opened the scoring for the defending champions with a stunning volley.

Michael Dawson levelled with a perfectly-placed header to kick-start Spurs’ fightback, which was completed impressively by match-winner Aaron Lennon after Keane had bamboozled Chelsea defender Khalid Boulahrouz before crossing from the left.

Chelsea’s hopes of staging their own recovery were hit when Terry was sent off with 18 minutes left and Spurs held on to claim a famous win over their fierce rivals after 32 failed attempts.

Hasselbaink’s perfect hat-trick - March 2002

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink loved facing Spurs, scoring 13 career goals against them - his joint-highest tally at the expense of a single club.

Twelve of those goals came in 11 matches for Chelsea, where he spent four seasons.

In the last of the five meetings between the clubs in 2001/02, the Dutchman was the undoubted star of the show.

Three days after Chelsea beat Spurs 4-0 in an FA Cup quarter-final, they repeated the scoreline in the Premier League, largely thanks to a perfect Hasselbaink hat-trick.

Either side of curling, long-range efforts with his right foot and left, striker Hasselbaink scored with a header on one of the most memorable nights of his career.

"When I was told after the match that I’d scored a "perfect hat-trick", I didn’t know what that was. I just thought a hat-trick was a hat-trick. But when they explained it, that made it very special too," Hasselbaink told FourFourTwo magazine.

"I think all the Spurs fans remember it. My lawyer is a big Spurs fan and he doesn’t like it when I speak about my record against them!"

Chelsea have been handed a significant injury boost ahead of their match against Tottenham Hotspur, with manager Enzo Maresca confirming that Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson - the club's three leading scorers - are all in contention to feature on Thursday.

Palmer, Chelsea's top scorer with 14 league goals, missed the defeat to Arsenal before the international break after sustaining a muscular issue which also forced him to withdraw from the England squad.

Jackson, who has netted nine times in the league, has been out since early February after suffering a hamstring injury against West Ham United, while Madueke, on seven goals, has also been unavailable since that month.

But all three players have returned to training and could play a role against Spurs.

"Cole is back, he is OK. He is better. Noni is better and Nico is better. They are all good," Maresca confirmed to the media at Cobham on Wednesday.

"It is very good [to have them back]. We have said many times, this is a game for the players and when they are not there for different reasons, you struggle. It’s exactly what happened to us this season, we had six unbelievable months and then six or seven injuries in a row. Then we lost something. But it will be good to finish [the season] with all of them."

While Chelsea welcome back key attacking options, they will be without midfielder Romeo Lavia, who made his return from injury with a substitute appearance against Arsenal but has since suffered a setback.

"He was doing better in terms of progress but unfortunately, two days ago he had a small problem again," Maresca revealed. "We’re going to see [how he is] in the next hours."

Chelsea's next five PL fixtures

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 30.

Match analysis: Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

Entertaining sides make exciting matches, and it feels like Chelsea and Spurs are set up perfectly to produce open, high-scoring encounters.

Fourteen goals have been shared across their last three meetings, which have averaged 30 shots per match.

That is 15 per cent higher than the norm in this season’s Premier League.

So, why do these two London rivals serve up such end-to-end encounters? Let’s take a closer look…

Boldness off the ball

Enzo Maresca and Ange Postecoglou demand aggressive pressing when their teams are out of possession, with both head coaches favouring a man-to-man approach.

Regularly forcing mistakes inside the opposition half, it’s a style of play which can bring plenty of rewards.

Spurs rank fourth for high turnovers in 2024/25, while Chelsea have produced the third-most shots from those situations.

Most turnovers per 90 minutes by PL teams 24/25

High turnovers per 90 Shot-ending high turnovers per 90 Arsenal 9.2 Bournemouth 1.97 Man City 9.1 Liverpool 1.72 Bournemouth 9.1 Chelsea 1.48 Spurs 8.9 Wolves 1.41

In a 4-3 win for Chelsea back in December, it was Spurs who scored first, pouncing on a slip by left-back Marc Cucurella.

The image below shows how Spurs engaged with a hostile man-to-man press shortly before the Spaniard fell over.

High-risk strategies

Going man-to-man is also a gamble, especially against the best, most press-resistant sides.

We saw this for Chelsea’s equaliser in December’s meeting when Postecoglou’s high press was skilfully bypassed by the Blues.

In a move that involved keeper Robert Sanchez, Maresca's men cleverly manoeuvred the ball through the thirds, playing around the home side to isolate Jadon Sancho in a 1v1 with Pedro Porro.

Good decoy runs from Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson then distracted the centre-backs, allowing the winger to cut inside and score.

Highlights from Spurs 3-4 Chelsea

Chelsea also like to mark man-to-man all over the pitch.

It can have a suffocating effect when performed properly, but when one player escapes their marker's attention it will cause issues.

This example (below) shows Son Heung-min drifting inside right-back Moises Caicedo, before playing a one-two with Dominic Solanke.

Having slipped away from his designated marker, Son was put through on goal, almost scoring from the 1v1 situation.

Adding to the risky nature of this style, Maresca and Postecoglou also want their sides to play out from the back.

They can both do this with confidence, but Chelsea and Spurs do also give up plenty of chances from high turnovers.

An issue Postecoglou’s men in particular, this approach brings plenty of risk.

Turnovers against per 90 minutes compared 24/25

High turnovers against per 90 (PL rank) Shot-ending high turnovers against per 90 (PL rank) Spurs 8.8 (2nd) Spurs 1.45 (5th) Chelsea 6.7 (13th) Chelsea 1.28 (7th)

Is this approach working against the top teams?

Based on this season’s performances, trying to play in this bold, high-risk manner – with and without the ball - has not worked well for either side against the Premier League's stronger teams.

Too many goals have been leaked.

Chelsea have not kept any clean sheets in their 10 matches against the current top eight teams this season, while Spurs have only kept one in their 12.

In their combined 22 matches against the top eight teams, Chelsea and Spurs have claimed only three victories between them.

Chelsea and Spurs' records v top eight clubs in PL 24/25*

Statistic Chelsea Spurs Matches played 10 12 Wins 2 1 Draws 2 1 Losses 6 10 Goals scored 11 16 Goals conceded 18 25 Clean sheets 0 1 Goal difference -7 -9

*Stats correct after Matchweek 29

Pace that punishes gaps on the break

While both head coaches want to exert control through possession, especially Maresca, these two teams are probably at their most threatening on the breakaway.

Each forward line is blessed with searing pace, and in the last three meetings between the clubs, we have seen them cause one another headaches with a stream of counter-attacks.

Spurs and Chelsea have scored 17 goals between them from fast breaks this season, so it’s likely we will see chances created at both ends from these situations at Stamford Bridge.

Most fast-break goals by PL teams 24/25

Team Total Liverpool 13 Spurs 10 Wolves 8 Chelsea 7

As both Maresca and Postecoglou place such a heavy emphasis on pushing their full-backs into central and advanced areas as a matter of course, there are obvious holes for each team to target on those counters.

Chelsea left-back Cucurella spends a lot of time in attacking midfield areas, and both Spurs full-backs are also encouraged to get involved deep inside opposition territory.

This season's touch maps for Cucurella and Destiny Udogie (below) show how often each player is away from their traditional full-back role.

When play breaks down, both teams will look to raid quickly down the wide channels, drawing central defenders towards the wing.

In terms of fashioning direct attacks, Chelsea are the most prolific side in the Premier League this season.

Most direct attacks per 90 minutes in PL 24/25

Team Total Chelsea 2.55 Bournemouth 2.52 Liverpool 2.41 Newcastle 2.11 Spurs 2.07

Expect excitement

While neither side is in top form right now, Chelsea versus Spurs rarely disappoints in terms of goal action.

The Blues have won the last three meetings in a row, but in all of them, Spurs also created plenty of opportunities.

The stats below show the attacking averages for all clubs' Premier League matches this season.

Attacking averages in all Premier League matches 24/25

Statistics Average per 90 minutes Shots 26 Shots in box 17.9 Big chances 5.1 Expected Goals 2.92

Below, you can see how the last three Spurs v Chelsea meetings compare with those 2024/25 Premier League averages.

Last three Spurs v Chelsea matches - attacking stats compared

Total TOT 1-4 CHE (Nov 2023) CHE 2-0 TOT (May 2024) TOT 3-4 CHE (Dec 2024) Shots 25 35 30 Shots in box 18 23 23 Big chances 7 6 9 Expected goals 5.01 3.82 5.73

This fixture certainly has a pattern of being open and end-to-end, reflected in the big chance and expected goals counts being way in excess of what we usually see.

From a tactical perspective, Maresca versus Postecoglou is a match-up that promises more of the same on Thursday.

Even if we don’t get a seven-goal thriller this time, history shows it should be an enjoyable match to watch.

Also in this series

Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers will join Manchester City, Ipswich Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool on the last day of the 2024/25 ePremierLeague Grand Finals, after an enthralling close to Saturday’s knockout stage.

Twelve clubs were involved, with four teams progressing to Sunday’s quarter-finals.

Knockout phase

First up, there was an all-London affair, as Spurs faced Chelsea and enjoyed a convincing 9-3 win thanks to Tom Leese and NiKSNEB.

Crystal Palace recorded an impressive 10-5 victory against Manchester United, to set up a tantalising Round-of-16 tie against Spurs.

Southampton, Brentford and Leicester City also progressed to the last 16, beating AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest respectively. All three games were tight, decided by a single-goal margin.

Meanwhile, Fulham defeated their London rivals Arsenal 7-4, and Wolverhampton Wanderers beat West Ham United to seal their spot in the Round of 16.

Undoubtedly, the best tie of the knockout phase was the contest between Everton and Aston Villa. An enthralling game with end-to-end action, goals galore and jeopardy saw the match head to extra-time; it was the only game to do so.

In a tightly-contested affair, the stakes grew higher, up until the 120th minute, when Everton went through on goal. A tactical foul and red card later left the Toffees with a free-kick in a threatening position on the edge of the box. With the last kick of the game, 1mpactZ expertly buried his free-kick into the top corner to send Everton through to the Round of 16 in emphatic fashion; a bitter pill to swallow for cameronrock and Aston Villa.

Round of 16

The stage was set for the Round of 16 to commence, with one game remaining for each team to secure a coveted spot in Sunday’s Finals Day.

Two of the standout performers in the Round of 32 went head-to-head, with Crystal Palace taking on Spurs. A dominant first-leg performance from NiKSNEB over ETHXNH gave Spurs a comfortable 4-1 lead going into the second leg. The north London side came out on top overall, with a 7-2 aggregate victory.

Elsewhere, we saw the highest number of goals scored by a single team in Southampton’s jaw-dropping 11-5 victory over south-coast neighbours AFC Bournemouth. An emphatic victory capped off with Michael Fisher’s bowling-ball celebration, a striking image of a perfect result.

Everton were unable to carry the momentum from their dramatic last-minute winner in the previous round, as Wolves calmly asserted themselves as strong and worthy opponents.

Leicester's surprising underdog story in this season’s ePremierLeague came to an end, as Fulham bagged an 8-6 aggregate victory. Logriffey and Salman striking up a dangerous partnership with the championship rounds approaching.

An exhilarating day of ePremierLeague drew to a close with the four winners from the Round of 16 - Fulham, Southampton, Spurs and Wolves - progressing through to Finals Day. The four already-qualified teams wait in the wings for what is set to be an iconic finale on Sunday.

How to follow the ePL matches live

You can watch Sunday's action LIVE from 16:00 GMT on the Premier League’s YouTube channel using the link below, and there will also be coverage across Premier League social media channels such as X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Son Heung-min scored a late penalty as Tottenham Hotspur recovered from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with high-flying AFC Bournemouth.

Marcus Tavernier put Andoni Iraola’s side ahead three minutes before half-time, with his finish made simple by Milos Kerkez’s sensational pinpoint delivery.

The Cherries doubled their advantage in the second half through Evanilson’s dinked effort, only for Pape Sarr to reduce the deficit soon after with a fortuitous cross that sailed into the net.

But in the 82nd minute, Kepa brought down Son inside the area, and the Spurs captain stepped up to convert straight down the middle and seal a share of the spoils.

Bournemouth miss the chance to go sixth in the Premier League and instead only climb one place to eighth, above Newcastle United on goal difference. Spurs, meanwhile, stay 13th ahead of Manchester United's later match against Arsenal.

How the match unfolded

Spurs almost endured a nightmare start when Cristian Romero’s slack pass was picked off by Evanilson, but the returning defender’s blushes were spared by a strong Guglielmo Vicario save.

However, Bournemouth did take advantage of their opponents’ sloppy play in the 42nd minute, catching Spurs on the break as Kerkez’s excellent run and cross from the left was finished by the sliding Tavernier.

After seeing a Justin Kluivert strike ruled out for offside following a VAR check, the Cherries doubled their lead in the 65th minute, the Dutch creator slipping in Evanilson, who dinked the ball over Vicario.

Spurs, though, gave themselves a lifeline two minutes later when Sarr’s attempted cross looped over Kepa, and that would not be the Bournemouth goalkeeper's last involvement.

Kepa rushed out to try and claim a throughball but instead clipped the feet of Son, with the Spurs captain dusting himself down to equalise from 12 yards.

Spurs' super subs salvage a point

Spurs have endured a difficult time with injuries lately, but with many players returning, Ange Postecoglou now has the ability to affect the game from the bench.

His team were buoyed by the returns of Dominic Solanke and Romero to their starting line-up, but the latter endured a difficult start and showed signs of rust, with the Argentinian making his first Premier League start since a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea back in December.

Postecoglou’s side also looked unassured in possession, with several loose passes picked off by Bournemouth. The Cherries’ ferocious press caused Spurs plenty of early problems, and they were indebted to Vicario for making a couple of big saves.

Indeed, it was Pedro Porro’s giveaway that led to Bournemouth flying forward for the opener, with the Spurs players leaving the field to boos from their supporters at half-time.

But the introductions of Lucas Bergvall and Son injected some dynamism into the team, and both players clipped the upright before Sarr’s fortuitous strike gave Spurs hope.

Son would ultimately have the final say, with the result perhaps the confidence boost Spurs needed ahead of Thursday's huge UEFA Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar.

Cherries' European hopes falter

Talk of Bournemouth gatecrashing the European picture gathered pace as they made a strong start to 2025, but their momentum has faltered somewhat, having now gone three Premier League matches without a win.

Having seen three chances come and go in the opening five minutes, Bournemouth stamped their authority on this contest and looked fitter and sharper than their under-pressure hosts.

After Solanke’s tame header into Kepa's gloves gave them a warning, Bournemouth hit the front following a real moment of quality from Kerkez, who put the ball on a plate for Tavernier to tuck home.

Iraola’s side had another sensational counter-attacking strike chalked off early in the second half due to an offside decision against Antoine Semenyo in the build-up, though they shook off that setback to go 2-0 up through Evanilson.

Sarr’s goal swung the balance of the contest, though Bournemouth had their chances at 2-1. Kerkez smashed the woodwork with a cross before Kluivert struck the base of the post, and they were punished for their wastefulness after Kepa's rash challenge on Son.

Though this will feel like two points dropped, Bournemouth will continue their quest for European football when they face Brentford next week.

Club reports

Spurs report | Bournemouth report

What the managers said

Ange Postecoglou: "It was a different kind of struggle for us today. Bournemouth pressed really well and we were really sloppy with the ball at times which allowed them to pin us back. At 2-0 we had a bit of a mountain to climb. It was a chaotic game today and the boys showed a real mentality. It would have been really easy at 2-0, with the atmosphere in the stadium, to let it slip away from us but they fought hard and got themselves back in the game."

Andoni Iraola: "Today we feel we lost two very important points. We tested the keeper two times in the first five minutes but we need to capitalise. We had chances to score the third one and the fourth one but we couldn't take our chances. We are playing well, creating chances and controlling games but we have to find a way to win them. I hope we don't play as well next time and find a way to win against Brentford."

Next PL fixtures

Key facts

This afternoon's comeback was the 26th different time that Spurs have come back to salvage at least a point after being 2+ goals down in a Premier League match (W9 D17), with only Man Utd doing so on more occasions in the history of the competition (30).

No team has scored more open-play goals from crosses in the Premier League this season than Bournemouth’s eight, with three of those being assisted by Kerkez.

Only Liverpool (35) and Arsenal (26, prior to playing Man Utd later today) have picked up more points away from home than Bournemouth in the Premier League this season (23), whilst only Liverpool (38) have scored more goals on the road than the Cherries (30). Bournemouth have now netted 30+ goals away from home in a single Premier League campaign for the first time ever.

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics, and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 28.

Team analysis: Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs may have had an off night in midweek, losing 1-0 at AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League, but domestically they are one of the form sides, having won three of their last four Premier League matches.

Sitting in 13th place they are still nine points adrift of the top half, but there are signs that Ange Postecoglou’s side are capable of finishing the campaign strongly.

Clean-sheet victories over Brentford and Manchester United have lifted morale, as did a handsome 4-1 success at Ipswich Town.

The return of several regular first-team players from injury has also provided a timely boost, with centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero both in contention to start against AFC Bournemouth this weekend.

Shutout against Brentford set the tone

On the back of four consecutive Premier League defeats, the pressure was on for Postecoglou and his players at the start of February, but they discovered newfound defensive resolve in a 2-0 win at Brentford.

Spurs were often pushed back that day, and they rode their luck, but their collective resilience was exceptional.

Making 49 clearances, including 34 with their heads, their unified spirit played a big part in that victory, especially with three full-backs and a central midfielder making up the back four.

Those 49 clearances were the most by Spurs since May 2022 against Liverpool (51), while their 34 headed clearances was their highest tally in a league match since December 2016 against Burnley (43).

Spurs' clearances v Brentford

That hard-fought victory against Brentford set them up well for back-to-back successes against Man Utd and Ipswich.

Spurs made an impressive 26 clearances at home to Man Utd - their third-most of the season.

Postecoglou’s men have also made more blocks in their last four matches than their average of 3.65 across their first 23 matches.

While the stats below reflect a side that have had to absorb pressure, the numbers also signify an upturn in desire to protect their own goal.

Spurs' blocks last four matches

Opponent Blocks Brentford (A) 7 Man Utd (H) 4 Ipswich (A) 6 Man City (H) 5

Returning goalkeeper has made a difference

First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has been outstanding across the last three matches.

The Italian missed 12 Premier League fixtures with an ankle injury, and Spurs had to use three different goalkeepers during his absence.

That uncertainty affected the team, who have been given a lift by Vicario’s comeback.

Vicario produced a sensational double save early on against Ipswich and caught the eye making a series of spectacular stops against both Man Utd and Manchester City.

In a sign that Spurs have not been exactly watertight in recent matches, Vicario has been forced into making 14 saves, the second-most in the division during the last three Matchweeks.

But his success rate when dealing with those efforts has been superb, helping to prevent an additional 1.4 goals according to Opta.

Spurs now face a Bournemouth team who rank third in the league for Expected Goals (xG) this season, so they may well be reliant on their fit-again 'keeper making more telling contributions.

PL goalkeepers' stats since 14 Feb

Saves Save success % Goals prevented Ramsdale 19 Flekken 90.0% Flekken 2.0 Vicario 14 Areola 88.9% Ederson 1.5 Onana 13 Vicario 87.5% Vicario 1.4

A super spell for Spence

One of the biggest positives for Spurs has been the resurgence of full-back Djed Spence.

He has filled in at left-back with great distinction, showing excellent defensive attributes in 1v1s.

The 24-year-old has been out of favour for most of his two-and-a-half-year spell with the club, but he is now offering plenty to the side defensively and with his progressive ball carrying too.

Spence tops the rankings for duels won, tackles won and completed dribbles compared with all Premier League defenders who have also made at least nine starts (his total).

Best PL defenders' averages per 90 24/25

Duels won Tackles won Dribbles completed Spence 7.85 Spence 2.45 Spence 2.45 Mazraoui 6.91 Munoz 2.43 Ait-Nouri 1.74 Munoz 6.70 Udogie 2.12 Wan-Bissaka 1.72 Williams 6.58 Romero 2.12 Semedo 1.14 Udogie 6.54 Senesi 2.05 Aina 1.07

He faces stiff competition now that Destiny Udogie is fit, but this weekend it would be no surprise if Spence starts ahead of him or Pedro Porro on the other flank.

Spence has become the type of dogged full-back that opponents do not want to face.

And as he showed against Ipswich, he is also capable of bursting into the final third to score goals.

Competition fuelling better performances

Postecoglou is no longer down to the bare bones in terms of attacking options and that should drive up standards between now and the end of the campaign.

We saw evidence of this at Portman Road when Spurs’ finishing was top-class.

Son Heung-min produced a mesmeric individual display, while Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski both scored, and James Maddison and Dane Scarlett also provided assists from the bench.

Kulusevski is now injured and Dominic Solanke limped off in midweek, but Spurs can still call on Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert, Mikey Moore and Timo Werner this Sunday in addition to the names mentioned.

In midfield you can see something similar happening too.

Fit-again Rodrigo Bentancur has made a difference in recent weeks.

Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are vying for a spot alongside him, and both men have been getting forward to make things happen inside the final third.

Sarr burst into space to score a terrific goal at Brentford, as shown below, while it was Bergvall’s shot on target that was spilled out to Maddison for the winner at home to Man Utd.

Spurs remain a work in progress, as shown in Europe on Thursday, but they are in better shape than they were at the turn of the year.

For this reason, they can give a Bournemouth team who are chasing the top four a tough examination this weekend.

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