Pochettino seizes spoils in demolition derby as Spurs suffer horror night

After everything that had gone before, it was only natural that there would be a degree of hesitation; doubts and questions. Was there something wrong with Nicolas Jackson's goal that finally put Chelsea in front against nine-man Tottenham?

- David Hytner

We had already seen four goals ruled out by the officials, with the video assistant particularly prominent - one for Spurs, three for Chelsea, although one of those was overtaken by the award of a penalty from which Cole Palmer made it 1-1.

Now we had to wonder whether maybe Raheem Sterling had strayed offside before he crossed for Jackson. Or perhaps there was something else amiss. Because, frankly, it was that kind of night - when the game appeared to be played as much in front of the replay screens in Stockley Park.

Mercifully for Mauricio Pochettino, who was just about able to enjoy his return to Spurs with Chelsea, we got the all-clear. Pochettino was on his way to the first statement win of his Chelsea tenure; Ange Postecoglou to his first Premier League defeat with Spurs, although that told only a part of the story.

Let's do this by the numbers. Spurs' red cards were for Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie while they lost two more players to injuries - Micky van de Ven and James Maddison. But the detail that made them really howl was when the substitute, Eric Dier, had a goal disallowed for offside in the 78th minute after yet another VAR intervention.

What a story that would have been. Spurs fought until the end, with another substitute, Rodrigo Bentancur, and later Son Heung-min blowing glorious chances to equalise. Enter Jackson to twist the knife, converting from a Conor Gallagher cross and wrapping up a hat-trick at the very end when he ran through what was left of Spurs' backline.