Tottenham Hotspur secured a rare victory over Chelsea in the Premier League, marking their second such win in 36 years. The 2-0 result was achieved thanks to a clumsy error by the 'Blues' goalkeeper Mike Penders and the subsequent sending off of Cole Palmer on Saturday.
Roberto De Zerbi's team earned their second consecutive league win due to Penders' mistake in the second half at Stamford Bridge, a rain-soaked stadium. Chelsea forward Palmer received a second yellow card a few minutes after this incident. Then Matias Tel scored a magnificent individual goal, leading to the first home defeat for the 'Blues' against Tottenham since 2018.
Since 1990, Tottenham has won only one of 41 previous away matches against London rivals Chelsea across all competitions. Ending this unsuccessful run allowed Tottenham to achieve only their second victory in the last 16 league matches against Chelsea, both at home and away, and their first since 2023.
After an unsatisfactory start to the season, Tottenham climbed to 12th place, relying on Monday's victory over Coventry, which ended the wait for their first win of the season. For fourth-placed Chelsea, this was a bitter blow, as they had previously beaten Bournemouth and Everton in two previous league matches. After the final whistle, fans began to riot, and the team remains in development under Xabi Alonso in his first season.
With Joao Pedro sidelined due to injury, Morgan Rogers played as the central striker for Chelsea, but the team's attack looked lifeless. Rogers set up Palmer after Neto dispossessed Matheus Fernandes. Palmer approached a potential early goal, but Anton Kinsky saved the curling shot.
'Tottenham' responded with a series of probing attacks when Omar Marmoush struck a cross from Andy Robertson, which was saved by Penders. Alonso's players put together the best combination of the half, using a series of one-touch passes to reach Jordan Henderson on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's low shot was deflected by Kinsky.
Neto tested Kinsky with a powerful shot, but the Tottenham goalkeeper managed to save it near his near post. Tottenham failed when frequently injured midfielder James Maddison left the field, ending his second start since May 2025. Maddison had missed training since his long-awaited appearance against Coventry, and his latest health issue showed that attempting to start him at Stamford Bridge was a risky move.
Continuing the careless play, Neto directed the ball straight at Kinsky from a dangerous position after Palmer exploited an inaccurate pass from Sandro Tonali. When Palmer's run was stopped by Fernandes' foul, the Chelsea star received a yellow card for aggressive contact with an opponent, causing the Tottenham midfielder to fall onto the wet grass.
'Tottenham' quickly retaliated in the 77th minute. Fernandes' in-swinging corner should have been caught by Penders, but he decided to punch it—a completely misjudged action—sending the ball into his own net in a comical goal. It was a terrible moment for 21-year-old Penders, who was playing his first league match without Emiliano Martinez following jaw surgery.
Adding insult to Chelsea's injuries, Palmer was sent off three minutes later for a reckless challenge on Conor Gallagher. Tel sealed Tottenham's triumphant victory in the 87th minute, bypassing Chelsea's unprepared defense and striking accurately into the far corner from outside the box.