Football: Five-star Chelsea make up for Sarri showing as Spurs march on

Chelsea players celebrate their victory after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. Photo / AP

This time, there was no need for Maurizio Sarri to get mad with his players.

The Chelsea manager could instead sit back and enjoy their performance in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield that lifted them back into the top four in the English Premier League yesterday.

Doubles from Gonzalo Higuain — his first goals since joining on loan from Juventus — and Eden Hazard helped Chelsea bounce back from two straight league losses that jeopardised their Champions League qualification hopes and left Sarri wondering where to turn next.

After losing to Arsenal 2-0, Sarri questioned the temperament and attitude of his players. After losing at Bournemouth 4-0 on Thursday, he locked them in a dressing room and demanded answers.

The response? Chelsea's biggest win of the season, albeit against a team in last place and surely heading to the second tier.

"[The result] is all positive," Sarri said. "We played a full 90 minutes, defended very well, so it was a very good match, but we need consistency now. We have to continue to play with the same mentality in all the matches.

"I hope in the future we will not need a lost match to find the right mentality."

While Chelsea still have plenty of work to do to secure a top-four spot, especially with a resurgent Manchester United just five points back in sixth with a game in hand, Tottenham are looking more and more safe.

A title challenge is also looking increasingly possible, after a 1-0 win over Newcastle lifted the team into second place.

Son Heung-min's shot from the edge of the area looked harmless but it went through the grasp of Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and into the middle of the goal in the 83rd minute.

It was Tottenham's third straight victory in the league, with the winning goal in each of the games — against Fulham, Watford and now Newcastle — coming in the final minutes.

Tottenham moved a point ahead of City, who played Arsenal overnight, and four behind Liverpool, which visit West Ham tomorrow.

Jeers accompanied the final whistle at Goodison Park as Everton lost 3-1 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, a week after exiting the FA Cup at the hands of second-tier Millwall.

Everton are ninth and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri isn't getting much of a return from his investment of $350 million over the past two years.

The game was delayed for three minutes after a black cat strayed on to the field. "Sign him up," disgruntled Everton fans chanted.

Goals by Ruben Neves — from the penalty spot — Raul Jimenez and Leander Dendoncker allowed Wolves to consolidate seventh place in an encouraging first season back in the top flight.

Chris Wood's Burnley were awarded a penalty in the Premier League for the first time in nearly two years. It earned the team a last-gasp draw against Southampton.

Ashley Barnes converted the spot kick in the fourth minute of injury time to secure a 1-1 draw for Burnley. It kept both teams unbeaten in the league in 2019.

- AP