Chelsea finishes job against Spurs to reach League Cup final

Just like in his first season in charge, Thomas Tuchel will be leading Chelsea into another final.

Antonio Rüdiger’s header sealed a 1-0 victory in the second leg of the League Cup semifinals on Wednesday to complete a 3-0 aggregate win over Tottenham.

Chelsea’s display was again so commanding that Tottenham offered little threat, aside from having two penalties and an equalizer correctly overturned by VAR.

Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger, left, is congratulated by Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku after scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair Grant)

That should trouble Antonio Conte, two months into his reign as Tottenham manager with a squad ill-equipped to win a first trophy since beating Chelsea for the 2008 League Cup.

Chelsea is into a 15th final since then, including the FA Cup won by Conte in 2018 to complete his two years in charge of Chelsea.

In the Feb. 27 League Cup final, the west London club will play Arsenal or Liverpool, who meet in their delayed first leg on Thursday. Tuchel will be looking to add to the European Cup he won in May while experiencing a more memorable day at Wembley after losing the FA Cup final last season.

Tottenham's Japhet Tanganga duels for the ball with Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi, right, during the English League Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair Grant)

Despite the chance of using the second-tier competition to end Tottenham’s trophy drought, it wasn’t the strongest-possible team deployed by Conte with an eye on Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal and the bid to make the Premier League's top four.

Captain Hugo Lloris was rested on the bench, with Pierluigi Gollini deputizing to make his first appearance in goal since an embarrassing loss to Slovenian minnow Mura in November.

The Italian could be faulted for the goal, flapping in the air as he missed the attempt to punch clear a corner from Mason Mount that went off the back of Rüdiger’s head into the net.

Tottenham's Harry Kane, right duels for the ball with Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic during the English League Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair Grant)

It was a calamitous way to concede, although not as farcical as Tottenham defenders being at fault for the first-leg goals.

Now only the FA Cup can end Tottenham’s 14-year trophy drought. Chelsea also remains in contention in that competition as well as the Champions League but heads to Manchester City on Saturday sitting 10 points behind the Premier League leaders in second place.

In a rescheduled Premier League game on Wednesday, Jarrod Bowen scored twice to lead West Ham to a 2-0 victory over last-place Norwich, dislodging Arsenal from fourth having played a game more.

Chelsea's goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga during the English League Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair Grant)

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Tottenham's Harry Kane, foreground, misses a shot during the English League Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair Grant)

Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus scored more goals in 53 minutes on Saturday than he had in the previous eight months in the English Premier League.

Becoming the first player in the league to score four goals in one game this season, Jesus led City to a 5-1 thrashing of Watford to open a four-point lead over second-placed Liverpool in the title race.

Liverpool can trim that back to one point with five matches left by beating Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his fourth goal, his side's fifth, during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Watford at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoJon Super)

Jesus scored three goals in the league before the arrival of next-to-last Watford for a match that ended up resembling a training exercise.

The Brazil international netted twice in the first half and twice more in the opening eight minutes of the second half — one of which was a penalty to complete his hat trick.

Rodri scored the other goal for City, which used the match to give key players a rest ahead of Real Madrid's visit in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes reacts after failing to score from a penalty kick during an English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates stadium in London, Saturday April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair J. Grant)

While City stayed on course for the title, fierce rival Manchester United likely dropped out of the race for Champions League qualification.

By losing at Arsenal 3-1, United fell six points behind its top-four rival and manager Ralf Rangnick all but called time on his team's season.

“I don’t think it’s very realistic to dream and think of the top four," Rangnick said at the end of a week when United also lost at Liverpool 4-0 and hired a new manager, Ajax's Erik ten Hag, for the start of next season.

Arsenal moved into fourth, three points above north London rival Tottenham, which visited Brentford late.

In other games, last-placed Norwich plunged closer to relegation with a 3-0 loss at home to Newcastle, while mid-table teams Leicester and Aston Villa drew 0-0.

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