Tottenham clinched a Premier League win at Chelsea for only the second time in 36 years as an own goal by Blues goalkeeper Mike Penders was followed by Cole Palmer’s red card in Saturday’s 2-0 victory.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side secured their second successive league win thanks to Penders’ error in the second half at a rain-soaked Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea forward Palmer was sent off for a second booking moments later before Mathys Tel produced a superb solo effort to condemn the Blues to their first home defeat against Tottenham since 2018.
Since 1990, Tottenham had won just once in 41 previous away matches against London rivals Chelsea in all competitions.
Ending that miserable run gave Tottenham only their second win in their last 16 league games against Chelsea, home and away, and their first since 2023.
After a dismal start to the season, Tottenham have climbed to 12th place after building on Monday’s win against Coventry, which ended their wait for a first league victory of the season.
It was a bitter blow for fourth-placed Chelsea, who had beaten Bournemouth and Everton in their previous two league games.
They were booed off at full-time and remain a work in progress under Xabi Alonso in the Spaniard’s first season in charge.
With Joao Pedro sidelined by a late injury, Morgan Rogers led Chelsea’s attack, but their revamped forward line lacked a cutting edge.
Set up by Rogers after Pedro Neto stole possession from Mateus Fernandes, Palmer came close to an early opener with a curling effort that Antonin Kinsky tipped over at full stretch.
Tottenham responded with a spell of pressure as Omar Marmoush met Andy Robertson’s cross with a shot that Penders kept out.
Alonso’s men produced the best move of the half with a flurry of one-touch passes to find Jordan Henderson on the edge of the area, but the midfielder’s low drive was saved by Kinsky.
Neto tested Kinsky with a fierce shot, but the Tottenham goalkeeper was equal to it with a save at his near post.
Tottenham suffered a setback when injury-prone midfielder James Maddison limped off, cutting short only his second start since May 2025.
Maddison had already missed training sessions following his long-awaited return to the starting line-up against Coventry, and his latest fitness setback suggested starting him at Stamford Bridge had been a gamble.
In keeping with the scrappy contest, Neto fired straight at Kinsky from a dangerous position after Palmer pounced on Sandro Tonali’s wayward pass.
When Palmer’s run was halted by Fernandes’ handball, the Chelsea forward escaped with a yellow card after barging into his opponent with such force that the Tottenham midfielder crashed onto the rain-soaked turf.
Fernandes’ inswinging corner should have been caught by Penders, but the goalkeeper opted to punch the ball and mistimed his attempt, diverting it into his own net.
It was a costly error for the 21-year-old Penders, who was making his first league start in the absence of Emiliano Martinez following jaw surgery.
Chelsea’s misery deepened three minutes later when Palmer was sent off for stamping on Conor Gallagher.
Tel sealed Tottenham’s memorable victory in the 87th minute, racing past Chelsea’s flat-footed defence before drilling a fine finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
AFP
