Chelsea vs. Tottenham: Harry Kane Aims Blues Dig After Leicester Title Win

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane has accused Chelsea players of “celebrating like they won the league” after the dramatic 2-2 draw between the two sides on Monday. 

Spurs surrendered a two-goal advantage on the night and with it, any hopes of winning the Premier League title, with Leicester City now confirmed as champions. While Kane had praise for the Foxes in the aftermath, he didn’t have too many kind words for the Blues.

“When the ex-champions are celebrating like they won the league at the end, it shows that we're doing something right,” said the England striker, per Jamie Styles of the Daily Star. “… Credit to Leicester. Well done to them for winning the league. They've been fantastic this season.”

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Eden Hazard netted the equalising goal on the night, with the Belgian stirring the Blues into a brilliant second-half comeback.

For the former champions it’s been a season to forget, languishing around mid-table after a disastrous beginning to the term. For a lot of Tottenham fans, seeing such wild celebrations from the Blues fans and players would have left a bitter taste.

Commentator John Bradley noted the Stamford Bridge crowd did seem particularly delighted to derail Tottenham’s title bid:

Still, local rivalry is a key part of football and in a campaign of doom and gloom, the performance in the second half was at least something to cherish from Guus Hiddink’s side.

They played with an attacking swagger that’s been scarce in 2015-16, with Hazard in particular, who has endured an awful campaign, coming to life.

“The fans, the club, the players, we don't want Tottenham to win the Premier League,” Hazard candidly admitted ahead of the game to Match of the Day, per BBC Sport. That was certainly something that showed in the celebrations.

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However, FourFourTwo’s Seb Stafford-Bloor thinks the Blues fans should be asking questions in the wake of this result, not enjoying it:

While Kane may feel vindicated to take a swipe in the wake of what was an intense affair, the ultimate frustration will be reserved for themselves.

With a two-goal lead in the bag, Spurs should have been able to see this game out in the second half, especially given their excellent defensive record. 

The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg compared the reaction of Tottenham to adversity in recent matches to that of Leicester:

Indeed, Spurs’ shortcomings in their last couple of games shed more light on just how remarkable Leicester’s own efforts have been late in the campaign. With the collected Claudio Ranieri in the dugout, they’ve remained calm during the run-in, showing no signs of nerves and a clear composure in vital moments.

Tottenham, a young side, did lose their way under the pressure of the chase, and the fact that their goading local rivals finished their charge for the title will be raw for the likes of Kane.

However, when those at White Hart Lane take stock and put their performance in 2015-16 alongside what was mustered by the Blues, they’ll feel a lot better overall.