Tottenham assistant boss Cristian Stellini was full of praise for one ‘amazing’ Spurs star following the London derby win over Chelsea and also provided an update on Antonio Conte’s return to the dugout.
Oliver Skipp goal Tottenham v Chelsea© PA Images
Spurs boosted their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish with a 2-0 victory over a toothless Chelsea side that increases the pressure on Blues boss Graham Potter.
Oliver Skipp’s thumping 20-yard effort just after the interval put the hosts in command and their victory was sealed when Harry Kane turned home Eric Dier’s knock-down late on.
While the majority of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were in celebratory mood in the final stages, Kane’s goal saw visiting supporters head for the exit as Chelsea’s recent woes continued.
Things are on the up for Spurs, who have won four of their past five league matches and now sit fourth in the table, four points above fifth-placed Newcastle, who have two games in hand.
And speaking after the game, Stellini told BBC Sport: “Our desire was there to win, play a great game and to fight for every ball and we are happy for the fans, the club and of course for us and Antonio who is still at home.
“My expectation is that Antonio [Conte] will be back this week.”
On the incident in referee Stuart Atwell overturned Hakim Ziyech’s red card, Stellini added: “The referee was good and explained the situation to us. VAR needed time to see who the player was and then to check if it was violent or not so they took their time and make this decision.”
Skipp earns plaudits after breaking Spurs duck
Stellini also had praise for goalscorer Skipp, who notched his first for the club.
The Italian added: “Brilliant moment [for Oliver Skipp] and one that we expected for one year because it has been one year he stayed far from the pitch. Last season with physical problems and this year for tactical decisions.
“He is ready because he has trained a lot and pushed himself. He is an amazing guy and great player. A player like Skippy has to understand that if he trains a lot he will have possibilities to show his value.”
Meanwhile, Kane was relieved to get a win off an opponent Tottenham always struggle to get any points against.
The Spurs skipper said: “Chelsea have been a difficult opponent for us over the last few years. So it’s a really important win to keep us around fourth. Overall I thought we deserved the win.
“It was an unbelievable goal [from Oliver Skipp] and what a time to get your first. He has been working hard so it was nice to see that one fly in.
“First half both teams created a few half chances. We struggled with our pressure a bit and sorted that out second half. I think we just showed a bit more quality in the final third and whenever you break the deadlock it helps open the game up. Another clean sheet, two goals, so overall a good home performance.”
Tottenham are next in action on Wednesday evening when they head to Sheffield United in the FA Cup.
