Tottenham sink Chelsea 2-0 to end Stamford bridge magic
By Tosin Omojola
Tottenham Hotspur secured only their second league victory at Stamford Bridge in 36 years as 10-man Chelsea suffered a disappointing home defeat in a fiery London derby.
England midfielder Cole Palmer was sent off in the 80th minute after receiving two yellow cards, capping a miserable evening for Xabi Alonso’s side.
Tottenham took the lead three minutes earlier in fortunate circumstances when Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders punched the ball into his own net under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke at a corner.
Penders was making his first Premier League start for Chelsea after Emi Martinez suffered a fractured jaw against Everton. French forward Mathys Tel sealed the victory in the 87th minute with a low strike from 25 yards after an impressive run from the halfway line.
Played in torrential rain, the match featured heated exchanges and physical challenges as the London rivals battled for supremacy.
Palmer received both yellow cards within nine minutes, either side of Tottenham’s opening goal. His first came after he barged into Mateus Fernandes, while his second followed a late challenge on Conor Gallagher.
The victory lifted Tottenham to 12th place and completed a successful week in which they won twice. Spurs had recorded their first league victory of the campaign on Monday with a 3-1 home win over Coventry City.
The result was particularly significant given Tottenham’s poor record at Stamford Bridge. Before Saturday, Spurs had won just once in their previous 36 league visits, recording 11 draws and 24 defeats.
That victory came on April 1, 2018, when Mauricio Pochettino’s side defeated Antonio Conte’s Chelsea 3-1. Before then, Tottenham’s previous league win at Stamford Bridge was on February 10, 1990, when Terry Venables’ side defeated Bobby Campbell’s Chelsea 2-1 in the old First Division.
