Joao Pedro finally ended his goal drought as Chelsea sealed a narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, extending Spurs’ miserable home form in 2025.
The Brazilian striker struck late in the first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, giving Enzo Maresca’s side a crucial lead in the tense London derby.
Pedro’s goal — his first in nine games across all competitions — marked a return to form, with his last strike dating back to August 30 against Fulham. Since joining from Brighton in a £60 million ($78 million) summer transfer, the 24-year-old has found the net only three times for the Blues.
Chelsea’s win, their third in the last four Premier League matches, lifted them into fourth place, level on points with Tottenham, who remain third on goal difference.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s home struggles continue. The North London side have not won a league game at home since defeating Burnley on the opening weekend of the season.
Their poor run began under former manager Ange Postecoglou and has persisted under Thomas Frank, who is still searching for consistency since taking charge.
Although Spurs recorded a 3-0 away win against Everton last week, their supporters are growing frustrated with Frank’s cautious tactics — a stark contrast to the club’s famous attacking motto, “To dare is to do.”
Tottenham also suffered an early setback during the match when Lucas Bergvall sustained a head injury and was replaced by concussion substitute Xavi Simons. The incident briefly turned heated as Bergvall appeared to protest his substitution before Frank intervened to calm the situation.
Despite late pressure from Tottenham, Chelsea held firm to secure a statement win in the race for the top four.
