"A performance full of energy and quality" - Chelsea win 2-1 to boost top-four hopes

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel celebrated the return of 8,000 spectators as his side inched a step closer towards Champions League qualification with victory against Leicester City.

The Blues successfully avenged defeat in the FA Cup final by beating the Foxes 2-1, thanks to goals from Antonio Rudiger and Jorginho in the second-half, which takes them up into third place with just one Premier League game left of the season.

And the German cited the returning Stamford Bridge faithful for an improvement in intensity and overall performance.

“It was a completely different match with spectators,” said Tuchel. “It was amazing and it was exactly what we wanted. You come for energy in the stadium, not just goals and outstanding individual performances. Sometimes we struggle with decisions and we don’t reward ourselves but we always give everything and it makes the spectators happy.”

A late touchline skirmish raised the temperature of the tie even further, with Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey the centre of the furore. Just two days earlier was the Ghanaian seen to be throwing the Chelsea pennant during celebrations in Wembley, an act of contempt which a number of players, including goalscorer Rudiger, did not take kindly to.

“Unfortunately some people from them don’t know how to celebrate,” he told Chelsea TV after the game. “We had to punish them for this. Congratulations to them, they won, celebrate and everything. But don’t disrespect club history. This is a bit bigger than you.”

Champions League football is by no means guaranteed, however, and Tuchel is under no illusions as to the size of the task that awaits his Chelsea side at Villa Park on Sunday, a challenge made more difficult by the potential loss of N'golo Kante to injury.

“He told me that he felt his hamstrings and he was worried that he would have an injury. We took some risks but it was the moment to take risks, with a game of the highest importance at the end of the season. Hopefully [he] will come back as we are a different team without him.”

The fact that destiny remains in their own hands will be a source of comfort to Tuchel and his Chelsea side nonetheless.

Special thanks to BCOMS and Chelsea for allowing me to cover the game at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday!