Derby day provided a timely reminder of a certain talent that resides within Chelsea’s attacking ranks.
An occasion that always promises its fair share of thrills and spills, the Blues showcased their powers of recovery to overcome a two-goal deficit and come out 4-3 victors away to fierce London rivals Tottenham.
As “Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again” rang out from the away end, Enzo Maresca revelled in his biggest win yet as Chelsea boss, which propelled his side to second in the league and extended their unbeaten run to eight in all competitions.
While an imperfect display, the result speaks volumes of Chelsea’s newfound resilience under Maresca, with one of the league’s forgotten assets coming to the forefront on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon in North London.
Jadon Sancho, a player much maligned for his inconsistency during his Premier League career thus far, was at the heart of Chelsea’s triumph. Showcasing his so far unfulfilled potential, Sancho was the bright spark and the catalyst behind a fightback that after 15 minutes looked all but unlikely.
In a weekend characterised by red alerts, Chelsea found themselves at panic stations early on, falling behind inside just five minutes. Dominic Solanke provided the golden touch, diverting into the top corner after Brennan Johnson hounded Marc Cucurella into a critical error down the right-hand side.
Six minutes later, Spurs were two to the good – Dejan Kulusevski this time finishing into the bottom corner after yet another Cucurella mistake, something which prompted a hasty change of boots for the Spaniard.
Chelsea had a mountain to climb and with little falling their way, Sancho produced a moment of magic to provide a reprieve. Darting in from the left wing, the 24-year-old drove into space before firing a low shot in off the far post, putting the Blues right back into the game on 18 minutes.
Sancho would continue to prove a nuisance up against Pedro Porro, who was having a hard time containing the ex-Manchester United man. And while Spurs would hold out until half-time, more damage was soon to be inflicted.
Maresca’s side came out of the tunnel hungry to equalise, bombarding Fraser Forster’s box and quickly fashioning an opportunity to bring parity, with Sancho once again at the centre of attacking play.
After dropping the shoulder on Timo Werner, he dinked through a deft pass to wrong-foot the Spurs back-line and allow Caicedo to charge into the box, who was promptly wiped out by Yves Bissouma to earn a stonewall penalty.
Cole Palmer converted his first of the afternoon and with Chelsea in the swing of things, Spurs were taken by the tide. Granted more and more space, Sancho continued to shine down the flanks, playing his part as Enzo Fernandez put the Blues in front before a Palmer Panenka took the game out of sight.
Making it four wins in five against Spurs, the victory acts as a statement in the title race, with fans now beginning to truly believe Chelsea’s status as a serious contender.
All the pieces seem to be coming together under their new boss, whose players are at long last proving value for investment week on week.
And while some saw the signing of Sancho in particular as a gamble on damaged goods, Maresca had little doubt the once £73m-man would come good. Now, what the Spaniard demands is dependability.
“I said since the start that the reason why Jadon came here is because we think that Jadon is going to help us,” Maresca said in his post-match press conference.
“Unfortunately, he had some small problems, so he was out for a while. Now he’s back. The only thing he has to do is to continue in the same way. He cannot drop, otherwise he’s not going to play.”
However, it would not be the first time Sancho instilled false hope that he was returning to the stellar form of his Borussia Dortmund days.
Consistency is key for the winger, something he failed to find at a Man Utd shirt for three seasons. There have been bright sparks and good games, but success on the pitch has never been enjoyed on a long-term basis since the Kennington prodigy returned to his homeland in 2021.
After falling out of favour under Erik ten Hag, a loan spell back to Dortmund during the second half of last term allowed Sancho to begin to demonstrate that all was not lost. But even after showing glimpses of brilliance in black and yellow, United opted for a clean break in the summer.
A fresh start was offered to Sancho in West London, with the Chelsea hierarchy recognising that at 24, much of his career is yet to be known. And what Sunday’s performance proved, without a shadow of a doubt, is that there is still very much a player in there.
Following up on a strong display at Southampton in midweek, Sancho is fast stamping his mark on Chelsea’s left-wing spot and if he continues in this stead, he could prove crucial in bringing the Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge.
Given his temperamental footballing past, it is a big if at this stage – just ask any United fan. But Maresca seems up to the challenge and should he manage to eke the best out of Sancho, his summer signing could prove the coup of the season.
