Arsenal’s all-time English Premier League record of 14 straight wins remained intact as Chelsea were halted one short of it by an inspired display from Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night.
Chelsea were outplayed in every area of the pitch as they lost 0-2. Dele Alli scored two headed goals with one coming from either half. With the win, Spurs jumped to third in the table, overtaking Manchester City on goal difference.
Both goals were eerily similar to each other. Christian Eriksen, the standout performer in the game, was found unmarked outside the box, and the Dane curled pin-point crosses to the far post. Alli, easily towering over a surprisingly lackluster Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses, nodded the ball home with his head.
On both occasions, Chelsea’s well-drilled midfielders were dragged out of position by the overlapping run of Spurs right-back Kyle Walker.
In every game barring Manchester City away, Chelsea outplayed their opponents. It was anything but that, here. Spurs were the better outfit in every area of the pitch,. The Blues were no match for the manner in which the home side relentlessly pressed and won the ball back, in midfield and on the flanks.
The Spurs fullbacks – Walker and Danny Rose – ran tirelessly to peg the Chelsea defence back.
The league leaders’ frustrations ran so deep in the first half that Pedro and Diego Costa got into heated debate about who should have been where over a misplaced pass from the former.
There was a brief resurgence early in the second half from a thumping shot from Costa from a crowded area just outside the box. It was parried behind for a corner from Hugo Lloris. A minute later, Eden Hazard went even closer with a headed effort from close range.
Costa and Hazard also had underwhelming games but a lack of commitment was surely not the reason for it. Mauricio Pochettino mirrored Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 formation, and the Argentine’s backline of Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen dutifully stuck to their task of sticking close to the Chelsea attackers.
Spurs’ defence has been inferior only to Chelsea’s in the division and this team knew better than the side that squandered a two-goal lead in the ill-tempered draw between the sides at Stamford Bridge last season. Nor was this the side who were flat in the Champions League group stages or at Old Trafford last month. They knew how to shut shop and close the game down. This was Spurs’ fifth win on the trot.
Brief Score:
Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Dele Alli x 2) beat Chelsea 0