Tottenham grabbed a dramatic late 2-2 draw against Chelsea in a feisty encounter at Stamford Bridge that saw both managers sent off after the final whistle.
The home side dominated the first half, with Kai Havertz forcing a good save from Hugo Lloris before a spectacular volley from Kalidou Koulibaly gave Chelsea the lead.
Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane missed a good chance for either side before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg drew Spurs level with a low drive midway through the second half. Both Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte were booked for a confrontation over an earlier foul following the goal.
In a heated atmosphere on and off the pitch, Reece James put Chelsea ahead again with 13 minutes remaining, before a late header from Kane nicked a draw in the sixth minute of injury time.
After the final whistle Tuchel and Conte squared up again, and were both shown the red card.
TALKING POINT – CAN EITHER TEAM LAUNCH A TITLE CHALLENGE?
When their tempers have calmed down somewhat, both managers might reflect on an opportunity missed here.
Tuchel will rue Chelsea’s failure to see this out, with his team undone by a simple set piece at the end, while Conte might reflect on making his attacking changes too late to take effect. It was magnificent entertainment, but the lack of a clinical, sharp edge on both sides was telling in a game both had chances to win but neither did.
The benchmarks in the Premier League are Manchester City and Liverpool, and both Chelsea and Spurs have some issues to iron out if they are to keep to the intimidating pace set at the top of the league in recent years.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – DEJAN KULUSEVSKI (TOTTENHAM)
It was a match of cameos, with no one player really imposing themselves, but the consistent threat of Kulusevski helped to drag Spurs back into this. All their best work came down the right.
PLAYER RATINGS
Chelsea: Mendy 7; James 7, Silva 6, Koulibaly 7; Loftus-Cheek 6, Kante 7, Jorginho 7, Cucurella 7; Mount 7, Havertz 6; Sterling 7. Subs: Azpilicueta 6, Gallagher 7, Pulisic 6, Broja 6
Tottenham: Lloris 7; Romero 7, Dier 6, Davies 6; Emerson Royal 6, Bentancur 6, Hojbjerg 7, Sessegnon 6; Kulusevski 8, Kane 7, Son 6. Subs: Richarlison 7, Perisic 6, Lucas Moura 6, Bissouma 6
KEY MOMENTS
19’ EXCELLENT SAVE! Sterling and Havertz play a quick one-two into the area, and Havertz’s shot is diverted past the far post by the studs of Lloris. That’s superb.
19’ GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Spurs (Koulibaly): What a cracker this is! Cucurella lobs the ball to the back post and Koulibaly watches it drop out of the sky, before lashing a right-footed volley past a stationary Lloris! That’s some hit, but who was supposed to be marking him? Brilliant from Koulibaly, shocking from Spurs.
61’ CHANCES! In the Spurs box Loftus-Cheek bundles through a few tackles, and finds Sterling who shoots over from 10 yards out. Immediately, down the other end, Spurs slide Kane clean through down the centre and he drags his low shot wide of the far post! Oh what a miss that is.
68’ GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Spurs (Hojbjerg): Well, well, Spurs are level! Chelsea dally around getting rid of the ball on the edge of their own area, and Son wins the ball back. Spurs work it to Hojbjerg, who drills in a daisycutter to the far post from 20 yards out!
70’ RAGE! Both benches are going at it here, it’s getting testy in the sunshine! Tuchel is furious that Chelsea didn’t get a free-kick for a foul on Havertz earlier in the play, but so much hapened thereafter that there’s no way it’ll get chalked for that.
75’ HUGE CHANCE! James whips in a delicious cross from the right. Havertz arrives, central and seven yards out, but volleys it wide! That’s a staggering miss.
77’ GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Spurs (James): Chelsea are back in front! They win the ball in the Spurs half, and shift it to Sterling on the edge of the area. Sterling calmly rolls it to James, in acres in the right of the area, and he drills it through Lloris to restore the advantage.
90+6’ GOAL! Chelsea 2-2 Spurs (Kane): Oh my, we’re level! Kulusevski whips it in dangerously again to the near post. Kane is completely free six yards out, and a glancing connection is going to nick a point for Spurs!
FULL-TIME THE GAME IS OVER… But the brouhaha isn’t. In an almost funereal atmosphere at Stamford Bridge the final whistle goes, and Tuchel and Conte both go nose-to-nose again at the final whistle. They’ve both been red carded; what an incredible end to the match.
