Enzo Fernandez grabs winner as Chelsea beats Tottenham to climb to 4th in Premier League

Enzo Fernandez sent Chelsea back into the Champions League qualification positions with a second-half header that secured a 1-0 win over Tottenham in a typically feisty Premier League derby between the London rivals on Thursday.

The Argentina midfielder got in between defenders to nod home Cole Palmer’s cross in the 50th minute at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea climbed above Newcastle and Manchester City into fourth place in the Premier League, which should have five spots in next season’s Champions League. There are eight rounds left in the league.

This fixture has been wild and chaotic in recent years and while the latest edition was hardly a classic, there were 10 yellow cards and a melee to go with two goals disallowed after video review — one for each side.

Moises Caicedo thought he had put Chelsea 2-0 ahead in the 56th when he volleyed home sweetly after a free kick was only partially cleared, but the goal was ruled out for offside against Levi Colwill in the buildup after long VAR check that frustrated fans.

Tottenham substitute Pape Sarr then had a long-range strike scrubbed off because he fouled Caicedo before surging forward to take his shot. In the end, Sarr lost his goal and was booked for his challenge.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min had a chance saved by Robert Sanchez before 12 minutes of stoppage time.

“If we want to become an important team, we need to win in a dirty way, ugly way,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said, “and (I’m) quite happy.”

Tottenham stayed in 14th place, with its priority now clearly the Europa League after reaching the quarterfinals. This was another below-par league performance that will pile the pressure on its under-fire manager, Ange Postecoglou, who was unhappy at Sarr's goal being disallowed and faced some criticism from fans for his substitutions during the second half.

“My subs have been booed, it’s not the first time," Postecoglou said. “They are allowed to boo.”

The match saw the return from injury of Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson after two months out.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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Tottenham's Pape Matar Sarr, rear, and Chelsea's Moises Caicedo vie for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Pape Matar Sarr controls the ball as the Chelsea's Moises Caicedo leis on the ground, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Son Heung-min, right, stops the Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur for a clash with the Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur, center, clashes with Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur, center, clashes with Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Moises Caicedo shoots the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Malo Gusto kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, center, and Tottenham's Destiny Udogie, right, fight to save the ball from Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, left, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, left, celebrates after scoring the first goal against Tottenham during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, left, celebrates after scoring the first goal against Tottenham during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez celebrates after scoring the first goal against Tottenham during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur, center, clashes with Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, at Stamford Bridge stadium, in London, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

One U.S. service member was rescued and at least one was missing after two U.S. military planes went down in separate incidents including the first shoot-down since the war began nearly five weeks ago.

It was the first time U.S. aircraft have been downed in the conflict and came just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran.”

One fighter jet was shot down in Iran, officials said. A U.S. crew member from that plane was rescued, but a second was missing, and a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation was underway.

Separately, Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation, said it was not clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down.

The war now entering its sixth week is destabilizing economies around the world as Iran responds to the U.S. and Israeli attacks by targeting the Gulf region's energy infrastructure and tightening its grip on oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Here is the latest:

Authorities in Dubai said the facades of two buildings were damaged by debris from intercepted drones, including one belonging to U.S. tech firm Oracle. No injuries were reported.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack Oracle and 17 other U.S. companies after accusing them of being involved in “terrorist espionage” operations in Iran.

Previous Iranian drone strikes caused damage to three Amazon Web Services facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

As of Friday, 247 of the wounded were Army soldiers, 63 were Navy sailors, 19 were Marines and 36 were Air Force airmen, according to Pentagon data available online.

It is unclear if the data includes any of the service members involved in the downing of two combat aircraft reported Friday.

Most of the wounded — 200 — were also mid to senior enlisted troops, 85 were officers and 80 were junior enlisted service members.

The current death toll remains at 13 service members killed in combat.

Palestinian Muslims attend Friday prayers outside Jerusalem's Old City due to restrictions linked to the Iran war, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Tamara and her sister Amal color pictures on the floor as their parents, Sara and Ahmed, who fled their village of Khiyam in southern Lebanon due to Israeli bombardment, sit inside a tent used as a shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Mohammad Qubaisi, 53, with burn wounds from an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon undergoes surgery by Dr. Mohammed Ziara, left, and his team, at the Sidon Government Hospital in Sidon, Lebanon, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

FILE - An F-15E Strike Eagle turns toward the Panamint range over Death Valley National Park, Calif., on Feb. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)