Spurs check Chelsea title charge

Chelsea missed a gilt-edged chance to pile pressure on Manchester United in the English Premier League title race as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday.

Luka Modric’s superb strike early in the second half consigned Guus Hiddink to his first defeat since assuming control at Stamford Bridge on an interim basis, but while the Dutchman will be piqued at losing his unbeaten record, his real annoyance will be at failing to capitalise on United’s surprise defeat at Fulham.

Instead, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side retain their four-point lead over Chelsea – a lead that could be stretched to seven if they win their game in hand – and Hiddink might well come to see this as the day his hopes of restoring the league championship to west London were snuffed out.

Ferguson, a close friend of Harry Redknapp, will be feeling even better disposed towards the Tottenham manager after this result, which should also extinguish any lingering relegation fears at White Hart Lane.

Instead, Redknapp can start looking up towards the seventh place that will guarantee a place in next season’s Europa League, the successor to the UEFA Cup.

For Hiddink, however, this defeat represented the most painful of reality checks and the Dutchman will have plenty to ponder on his flight to Moscow on Sunday, as he prepares for Russia’s World Cup qualification double-header against Azerbaijan.

It was not simply the result which will have dismayed him, but Chelsea’s limp performance. There was no energy or zip to the visitors’ football and not even the most one-eyed observer could claim that Tottenham did not deserve their triumph.

The only consolation, of sorts, was that Chelsea are not the first of the Premier League’s established elite to come unstuck in these parts. Spurs can now boast that in home league games against Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea they have collected eight points and conceded just one goal.

Kick-off may have been delayed by half an hour due to traffic problems caused by a security alert, but Spurs still began at a rattling pace, thanks largely to the energetic Wilson Palacios and Jermaine Jenas, who refused to grant any of Chelsea’s advanced midfield trio a moment’s peace.

Chelsea’s rhythm was wrecked. The visitors produced just two long-range shots from Michael Essien and Nicolas Anelka – both comfortably saved by Heurelho Gomes – in a toothless first-half performance and while Petr Cech, the Chelsea goalkeeper, was hardly under siege, Spurs still looked the likelier scorers.

In the 18th minute, Gomes’s long downfield punt was horribly misjudged by Alex, the ball bouncing over him and into the path of Robbie Keane. The Ireland striker’s half-volley was cleanly struck but Cech proved equal to it at his near post.

Keane was a persistent menace, and he forced Cech into another smart save six minutes later, firing off a shot from 12 yards after a storming run from Vedran Corluka.

Hiddink must have been baffled at his team’s lethargy, especially as news had filtered through of Manchester United falling behind at Fulham, but if the Dutchman hoped that the interval would shake Chelsea out of their stupor, he was mistaken.

They started the second period in the same ponderous fashion they had finished the first and this time they were punished. After Aaron Lennon had wriggled into space on the right, the England winger squared to the top of the penalty area, where Modric was lurking with intent. One swish of his right boot sent the ball scudding into the bottom corner, and Spurs had a deserved lead.

Not even falling behind was enough to spark a Chelsea revival and it took until the final 15 minutes for Hiddink’s side to generate any meaningful momentum.

Gomes was finally forced into serious action in the 78th minute, when John Terry rose highest to meet Frank Lampard’s inswinging free-kick and the England defender’s header was clawed behind.

That drew gasps from the home crowd and, when Alex’s downward header deep into stoppage time bounced up and struck the crossbar, Redknapp placed his head in his hands, hardly able to watch. He need not have worried; instead, it was Hiddink left nursing regrets.