Chelsea fought back to draw with Tottenham in a fiery encounter at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, which in turn saw Leicester win the Premier League title. For once the neutrals were willing Chelsea on, and they made an awful start. Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min put Spurs ahead in the first half. Goals from Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard got Chelsea level, leading to wild celebrations in Leicester and big disappointment amongst Spurs fans.
John Terry made a welcome return to the side for what looks like his penultimate Stamford Bridge game. Eden Hazard might have returned to form last weekend, but he returned to the bench here. Guus Hiddink named a strong side, as the Blues looked to put a dent in their rivals’ title chances.
Things didn’t start all that well for them, as Harry Kane scored the opening goal. Tottenham knew they hadn’t won at the Bridge in 26 years, but they needed to if they were to keep their title hopes alive. Son Heung-Min added a second before half time, and that looked to have ended their awful run on this ground.
The game was a bruising, hot-tempered affair, and that stopped Tottenham from taking control of the game. They failed to keep a lid on Chelsea, and Gary Cahill pulled a goal back. The pressure was suddenly on Spurs, as they now had something to defend. They were chasing Leicester, but now they had to hold their lead to stay in the race.
Fans over land and sea and Leicester were willing Chelsea on towards the end of the game. Hazard came on and brightened up the game for the Blues, and he showed his ability with a fantastic equaliser. The Blues kept pushing to try to find a winner, but they were unable to claim a victory.
The last few minutes of the game saw the Tottenham players lost their heads, diving into wild challenges. The same happened at the end of the game, with a large coming together on the sidelines. Despite those negative images, it was the Leicester story that claimed the focus of attention. If Chelsea were to hand pick a side to hand the title to, it’s hard to think of a better candidate.
Plenty of supporters paid tribute to former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri, who guided Leicester to glory. He’s sure to receive a fantastic reception and a guard of honour when he heads to the Bridge on the final day of the season.
The players may have stopped Tottenham like they’d hoped, but only one of these two sides will be in the Champions League next term. There’s nothing left for the Blues to take from this season, they’re left to look back on the worst title defence in Premier League history. For the second season running a goal from Hazard at Stamford Bridge decided the league title. Second time around, there was nothing for the Blues to celebrate.
LCN Man of the Match: Eden Hazard