Pochettino hails Chelsea duo after victory over Spurs

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino hailed Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah after the homegrown duo produced superb displays in the 2-0 win over Tottenham.

Gallagher was outstanding at the heart of Chelsea’s midfield but his future at the club remains uncertain – he is yet to be offered a new contract and his current deal is due to expire in 2025.

The England international, who was greeted by an enormous flag bearing his image that was unfurled in the Shed End before kick-off, set up the opening goal for Chalobah, who headed home Gallagher’s free-kick midway through the first half.

“That is the most happy I have been after a game. That is what I wanted from the beginning of the season, we were so competitive,” Pochettino said after the victory over his former club.

“Conor and Trevoh were fantastic. When we talk about the identity of the club they have grown up in the club and come through the academy system and have the capacity in this type of game to understand the emotion of it.

“You can build this bond, but the whole team was fantastic and Conor was amazing.”

The win kept Chelsea’s hopes of securing a European place alive.

It moved them to eighth in the Premier League table – three points behind sixth-placed Manchester United with four games of the season remaining.

“This is group of players that have suffered injuries but you can see from this how they can grow,” Pochettino added.