Many happy returns for impassive Mauricio Pochettino as he enjoys the last laugh

When Tottenham’s gang of nine finally succumbed with 12 minutes of regular time remaining here last night, Mauricio Pochettino turned and clapped his hands like he was acknowledging a well-executed ten yard pass on the training field.

He was rarely one for exuberant celebrations when he was Tottenham manager. Equally, he hasn’t had much opportunity since he arrived at Chelsea. Maybe he is simply out of practice.

There was still a VAR check to come. Of course there was. How many did we have here on this frenzied night at this stunningly atmospheric football stadium in north London? Half a dozen? More? Probably more. Whatever the case, this was a game that lasted 111 minutes.

But on this occasion the goal — a simple side foot by the bafflingly erratic Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson from six yards — was to stand. He then added two more and with it came a first Premier League defeat for Spurs and the most significant win of Pochettino’s time at his new club.

There are caveats, for sure. Tottenham led early and were denied a second by the fact their captain Heung-Min Son was a hair’s breadth offside when seemingly scoring another soon after.

At this stage Pochettino’s young Chelsea players were chasing shadows and not catching many of them. Had one goal become two at that stage then anything could have happened and not much of it would have been good.

When it was 11 v 11, Chelsea were up against it. But Spurs gave way to 10 — losing Cristian Romero — and 10 became nine — Destiny Udogie departing — so Chelsea were afforded an opportunity that they just about managed to take.

On the face of it, this win may not look like much. But it will feel significant. Before this game began no Chelsea team had beaten an opponent of note in the Premier League since beating Spurs in January of last year.

So with Chelsea now in to the top half of the table at least, they can prepare to face Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday if not with confidence then at least with a semblance of hope.

At times this felt more like a street scrap outside a kebab shop than a sporting contest. The first half alone needed 12 minutes of added time to get it done.

In between it all was some occasional football and when it broke out signs of hope and of life were visible for Chelsea.

They were ragged at the start, run to all corners of their own half by a Tottenham team imbued with confidence, form and athleticism. They were a goal down early and it could have been worse.

But even then it was possible to glimpse the burgeoning young talent of Cole Palmer. Nobody really knows or indeed understands why Manchester City sold him to Chelsea in August. Pep Guardiola does not usually sanction the sale of talented English players.

Here Palmer was, though, taking balls on the half turn, easing past opponents, occasionally drawing fouls and easing pressure. It’s easy receiving possession when your team is on the front foot and moving forwards.

It’s a great deal more difficult when your team is pinned in its own half and every pass that comes your way finds you with your back to the direction of play.

On the other side, over on the left, Raheem Sterling was also an outlet. For him, it was pace that was the weapon — he had a yard or two on Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro from the start.

Earlier Pochettino had returned to his former club dressed in black, a walk around the perimeter of the field a gentle reintroduction while the stadium was all but empty.

It was different when he re-emerged before kick-off. There were some boos from home supporters with deliberately short memories but they were soon drowned out by the warmth of the embrace from Ange Postecoglou.

There are some similarities between the men and their approach to football and to management. Pochettino was already tactically advanced when he arrived in London from Southampton in 2014.

His early Tottenham teams were athletic and committed to pressing football. So too Postecoglou’s version and similar also would appear to be the spirit and unity fostered by both coaches at this side of the Seven Sisters Road.

Pochettino had not massively endeared himself to some Chelsea supporters in the build up to this game, suggesting that one day he may return to Tottenham. It was nonsense really, mind. His comment had been prefaced by the suggestion he hoped to stay at Chelsea until he ‘died’ so all that talk could be filed in an envelope called irrelevant.

He is the Chelsea coach now and that is what matters. He had also said pre-match that James Maddison could present a problem to his team but by the time the Spurs playmaker left the field with an injury Chelsea were in the game at 1-1 and a man to the good after the sending off of Romero.

Ten men became nine for Tottenham early in the second half. Udogie the man to walk the walk.

If you were cruel, however, you could suggest Chelsea had been playing with 10. Jackson’s troubles at the top of Pochettino’s formation had been apparent ever since Chelsea lost Christopher Nkunku before a competitive ball had been kicked this season. To say Jackson was a focal point would be generous. The 22-year-old centre forward has been so shorn of belief there were occasions here when it was tempting to wonder if he was hiding a little bit.

When early opportunities did come his way, he lacked conviction. But soon, as Tottenham tired, Chelsea created three opportunities that even he couldn’t miss. A hat-trick for arguably the worst player in blue. That just about summed all this up, a night Pochettino is unlikely to forget in a hurry.