Marcos Alonso: 'Defeat is damaging for Chelsea'

Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso has conceded that his team have been left "very disappointed" by their 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

Alonso had branded the Premier League contest a "must-win game" in the build-up due to Chelsea's position in the Premier League table.

Alvaro Morata sent the Blues ahead in the 30th minute, but Christian Eriksen levelled for Tottenham on the stroke of the interval before Dele Alli netted twice for Spurs in the second period.

Alonso has conceded that his side must now be victorious in their final seven matches of the 2017-18 Premier League campaign to stand a chance of finishing in the Champions League positions.

"Today was a must-win and we are very disappointed. We have to fight to the end and see what happens," Alonso told BBC Sport. "I don't think we played a bad game. We had many more chances but we didn't concentrate for the 90 minutes. In a game of this importance we can't give away three goals.

"I don't think we have had the same luck as last year. Other teams have improved and we don't have the consistency. It is what it is. We have to stand up now and fight until the end. Winning the last seven games has to be the target and we have to wait for others to lose."

Chelsea have now lost nine Premier League matches this season, and sit eight points off fourth-placed Tottenham.