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Mathys Tel made it 2-0 to Spurs late on(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Cole Palmer was sent off as Tottenham got the better of a below-par Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. In a game sorely lacking in quality, it was a comical own goal from Mike Penders which made the difference for Spurs, who added a second through Mathys Tel late on.
Penders punched a corner into his own net to give the away side the lead in the 77th minute before Palmer was given his marching orders for a second yellow card three minutes later. It meant back-to-back Premier League wins in the space of a week for Spurs, while Chelsea were brought back to earth with a bump following successive wins.
The Blues did have chances, with Antonin Kinsky pushing a Palmer curler around the post early on. Jordan Henderson wasted Chelsea's best opening of the first half by side-footing an effort straight at Kinsky before the Spurs keeper kept out another low shot from Morgan Rogers.
Pedro Neto stung the palms of Kinsky in the second half but the home side desperately missed the injured Joao Pedro up front.
Omar Marmoush was denied by Penders after being picked out by Andy Robertson in Spurs' best attempt. But Chelsea stand-in keeper made a mess of a corner while under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke to make it 1-0 before Tel found the bottom corner to make the points safe against the 10 men.
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Tottenham dominated the early exchanges, with Robertson's enterprising runs from left-back causing Chelsea all kinds of problems. The ex-Liverpool star combined well with Tel, with the duo constantly getting the better of Pedro Neto and Josh Acheampong.
The problem, as ever for Spurs this season, was the end product. Marmoush didn't make the most of Robertson's perfect cut-back, while Tel was flagged for offside after forcing another save from Penders before the break. They didn't make the most of it, but it wasn't to matter.
Joao Pedro was a big miss for Chelsea(Image: Darren Walsh, Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea's team news was surely met with a collective groan from the Stamford Bridge faithful, with Pedro absent from the matchday squad. The Brazilian has been excellent in front of goal this season, scoring five and assisting three in six Premier League matches, so he was always going to be missed.
Palmer and Rogers - the other two pieces of the league's sharpest attack - had efforts on target in the first half, but in truth Kinsky wasn't really troubled. The nature of Pedro's injury is yet to emerge. Blues fans will be desperate for a good prognosis, with their team lacking a focal point up front in his absence.
The game finally burst into life when Palmer clashed with Fernandes in the 70th minute. The Spurs midfielder had cynically handled the ball to stop Palmer going into a dangerous area and the Chelsea star's reaction was silly.
Palmer stormed over to Fernandes and pushed his hip into his face, prompting a roll around on the floor and a melee. The England man was booked, along with Fernandes and Micky van de Ven, but the reprieve didn't last long.
Minutes later, Palmer's studs connected with Gallagher's ankle and he was off. "Cole Palmer's lost his head," Gary Neville said on co-commentary for Sky Sports.
Cole Palmer picked up two yellow cards(Image: Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images)
It looked like a bore draw until Penders caved in, punching the ball into his own net. But the way Spurs frustrated Chelsea arguably meant they deserved the points.
Tel has often embodied Spurs' frustration in the final third, so it was fitting to see the French winger drive forward, cut inside and find the bottom corner from distance.
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