Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night, only the second Premier League win Spurs have ever managed at the ground, after a goalkeeper’s mistake and a stunning solo goal settled a dull game.
It was the fixture we previewed on Saturday morning, and for 77 minutes it looked like going nowhere. Then it exploded, and Roberto De Zerbi’s side came away with a win that few Spurs fans expected.
How did Chelsea 0-2 Tottenham finally come alive?
Neither team could break the deadlock in a largely uneventful first half. Omar Marmoush’s saved effort from close range was the only truly notable chance, and Chelsea completed just 97 passes before the break, one of the lowest first-half totals in the Premier League since 2016/17.
Tottenham kept hold of the ball after the restart, but both sides struggled for quality in the final third. The breakthrough, when it came with just over 10 minutes left, owed nothing to creativity.
Mateus Fernandes swung in an in-swinging corner, Jan Paul van Hecke challenged for it, and Mike Penders, making his full Premier League debut, misjudged the flight and punched the ball into his own net in the 77th minute.
Palmer sent off and Tel finishes it
It went from bad to worse for the hosts. Cole Palmer stepped on Conor Gallagher’s ankle as the pair went for the ball, and referee Chris Kavanagh showed him a second yellow card, so Chelsea were down to ten.
Mathys Tel then sealed it in the 87th minute. He drove from inside his own half deep into Chelsea territory and, from just outside the box, fizzed a shot into the bottom left corner that gave Penders no chance.
Why was Mathys Tel the man of the match?
It was arguably one of the forward’s best performances in a Tottenham shirt. He completed the most dribbles of any player on the pitch (four), had more touches in the opposition box (10) than anyone else, created two chances and scored the second goal. For a player in a squad full of summer signings all fighting for minutes, it was a timely reminder of what he can do.
What does Chelsea 0-2 Tottenham mean for Spurs?
The win is only Tottenham’s second at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, after a 3-1 victory in 2018. It also lifts the Lilywhites to 12th, with back-to-back league wins, and the performances have been improving steadily all season. It was a good day for De Zerbi, who had defended his medical staff in his pre-match press conference.
Chelsea, by contrast, were short of a natural striker’s presence with Joao Pedro missing, and Xabi Alonso’s decision not to start Danny Welbeck looks even more peculiar in hindsight. They head to Anfield to face Liverpool in the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday, while Spurs, already knocked out of that competition by Liverpool in the third round, have a full week off before facing Crystal Palace on Saturday. You can follow both clubs on the official sites of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
Author Opinion
Let’s be honest, this was not a classic, and Penders handed Spurs the lead. But the Lilywhites dominated the ball, kept pushing, and punished a rattled Chelsea when the chance came. Tel’s solo goal was worth the trip to SW6 on its own.
Two wins on the bounce and a performance that is getting better by the week: if De Zerbi can keep this up, N17 might finally have something to smile about.
