Chelsea 2 Tottenham 2: Anything can happen in top-four race, says AVB
Chelsea 2 Tottenham 2: Andre Villas-Boas urges Spurs to "keep the faith" in the top-four race after a draw at Stamford Bridge
Andre Villas-Boas urged Tottenham Hotspur to “keep the faith” in the top-four race after twice coming from behind to salvage a draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues edged into a first-half lead when Oscar managed to escape his marker Scott Parker and deflect Gary Cahill’s header past Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
However, Emmanuel Adebayor scored a superb solo effort to draw the visitors level midway through the opening period before Ramires’s low strike restored Chelsea’s lead in the 39th minute.
Villas-Boas introduced Gylfi Sigurdsson in the second half in an attempt to conjure an equaliser, and the Iceland international latched onto Adebayor’s flick and guided a curling shot past Petr Cech.
The draw leaves Villas-Boas’s men a point behind fourth-placed Arsenal, while the Blues moved two points clear of the Gunners with two top-flight games remaining.
“It was good for us to get back into the game. In the second half we really increased the tempo and played really well,” Villas-Boas told Sky Sports.
“Obviously with a point, we don’t depend on ourselves any more. Somebody will have to drop points. Our focus is on doing our job in the remaining fixtures and in the Premier League, anything can happen, so we must keep the faith.”
Villas-Boas was particularly pleased with Adebayor’s performance after the Togo striker scored just his fourth Premier League goal of the season and created Sigurdsson’s second-half strike.
“They were great goals,” added Villas-Boas. “Adebayor’s first goal is absolutely unbelievable. It’s good for him to score in such a decisive place and in a great game.
“He really impacted the game well for us and he showed that finishing touch which he has. He fully deserved man of the match.
“Gylfi did ever so well. He gets into this goal-scoring positions a lot.
“He’s been extremely unlucky this season because he was in great positions before but hit the post or the bar.”
