Premier League
ChelseaChelsea2TottenhamTottenham Hotspur0

Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham: Hakim Ziyech and Thiago Silva score for Blues

By Michael EmonsBBC Sport
Hakim Ziyech
Hakim Ziyech scored for the second game in a row, after also finding the net in a 1-1 draw at Brighton on Tuesday

Two second-half goals, including a brilliant strike from Hakim Ziyech, helped Chelsea beat Tottenham for the third time in three weeks.

After a goalless first half, Ziyech scored within two minutes of the restart, superbly curling the ball into the top corner from 20 yards after a fine run from Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The hosts doubled their lead eight minutes later when defender Thiago Silva headed in from Mason Mount's excellent free-kick delivery.

In the first half, Tottenham thought they had taken the lead as Harry Kane slotted past Kepa Arrizabalaga, but the goal was ruled out as the England striker was adjudged to have pushed Silva to the ground.

This victory follows Chelsea's wins in both legs of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Spurs, cruising through 3-0 on aggregate to set up a Wembley final against Liverpool.

It is Tottenham's first defeat in the league since Antonio Conte, a Premier League and FA Cup winner while in charge of Chelsea, replaced the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo in November.

Tuchel praises 'brilliant' Ziyech goal in Chelsea win

Chelsea keep their title hopes alive

For Chelsea this was a welcome return to winning ways in the league.

They were top of the Premier League after a 2-1 win at Watford on 1 December but a run of only 11 points from their next nine games has severely damaged their hopes of becoming English champions for the first time since Conte guided them to the title in 2016-17.

They remain third and are 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, although Thomas Tuchel's side will not play in the league again until 19 February as a result of their participation in the Fifa Club World Cup, following their Champions League success.

Conte opted for a back four, the first time he has done so in a league game at Tottenham, as he looked to keep it tight and hit his former team on the counter attack.

But the hosts nearly broke through inside the opening minute when Romelu Lukaku shot over on the turn, before Chelsea failed to convert further chances through Hudson-Odoi, Silva and Ziyech.

Lukaku, who has only scored eight times in 24 appearances in all competitions following a £97.5m move from Inter Milan last summer, had another glorious chance following good work by Mount, but missed the ball when eight yards out.

Harry Kane
Harry Kane thought he had given Tottenham the lead in the 39th minute, but saw the goal ruled out for a push on Thiago Silva

While Conte was unhappy with the officials for ruling out Spurs' first-half goal, Tuchel was also furious that Japhet Tanganga, who had already been booked, was not shown a second yellow card when he had a hold of Hudson-Odoi's shirt late in the first half.

It was the second time Chelsea thought their opponents should have had a player sent off after Matt Doherty had earlier caught Malang Sarr by standing on his ankle - but a video assistant referee check decided it had been accidental.

However seventh-placed Tottenham, who would have moved into the top four with a win, saw their resistance broken early in the second half thanks to Ziyech's wonder strike, before Silva's goal took the game beyond them.

Chelsea could have won by a bigger margin as Lukaku, Mount and Cesar Azpilicueta missed chances.

Tottenham scored two injury-time goals in their last match to come from behind and beat Leicester 3-2 in a remarkable match on Wednesday but there was to be no dramatic repeat at Stamford Bridge.

Arrizabalaga did well to keep out Kane's powerful header late on as Chelsea maintained their clean sheet for their first Premier League win in three matches.

Gap between Spurs and top teams is very large - Conte

Player of the match

ZiyechHakim Ziyech

with an average of 7.89

Chelsea

  1. Squad number22Player nameZiyech
    Average rating

    7.89

  2. Squad number19Player nameMount
    Average rating

    7.41

  3. Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
    Average rating

    7.28

  4. Squad number8Player nameKovacic
    Average rating

    7.07

  5. Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
    Average rating

    6.99

  6. Squad number20Player nameHudson-Odoi
    Average rating

    6.93

  7. Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga
    Average rating

    6.76

  8. Squad number7Player nameKanté
    Average rating

    6.71

  9. Squad number31Player nameSarr
    Average rating

    6.69

  10. Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
    Average rating

    6.69

  11. Squad number5Player nameJorginho
    Average rating

    6.47

  12. Squad number3Player nameAlonso
    Average rating

    6.13

  13. Squad number17Player nameSaúl
    Average rating

    5.92

  14. Squad number9Player nameLukaku
    Average rating

    5.87

Tottenham Hotspur

  1. Squad number29Player nameSkipp
    Average rating

    6.16

  2. Squad number1Player nameLloris
    Average rating

    5.98

  3. Squad number15Player nameDier
    Average rating

    5.49

  4. Squad number10Player nameKane
    Average rating

    5.35

  5. Squad number19Player nameRyan Sessegnon
    Average rating

    5.15

  6. Squad number6Player nameD Sánchez
    Average rating

    4.89

  7. Squad number27Player nameLucas Moura
    Average rating

    4.79

  8. Squad number25Player nameTanganga
    Average rating

    4.44

  9. Squad number33Player nameDavies
    Average rating

    4.35

  10. Squad number23Player nameBergwijn
    Average rating

    4.35

  11. Squad number2Player nameDoherty
    Average rating

    4.12

  12. Squad number11Player nameGil
    Average rating

    3.37

  13. Squad number8Player nameWinks
    Average rating

    2.79

  14. Squad number5Player nameHøjbjerg
    Average rating

    2.26

Line-ups

Chelsea

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Arrizabalaga
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 2Rüdiger
  • 6Thiago SilvaBooked at 24mins
  • 31Sarr
  • 19Mount
  • 5JorginhoBooked at 42minsSubstituted forKantéat 73'minutes
  • 8Kovacic
  • 22ZiyechSubstituted forSaúlat 90+1'minutes
  • 9Lukaku
  • 20Hudson-OdoiSubstituted forAlonsoat 87'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Alonso
  • 7Kanté
  • 10Pulisic
  • 11Werner
  • 13Bettinelli
  • 14Chalobah
  • 17Saúl
  • 18Barkley
  • 29Havertz

Tottenham

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Lloris
  • 25TangangaBooked at 37minsSubstituted forSkippat 56'minutes
  • 15Dier
  • 6D Sánchez
  • 33Davies
  • 2Doherty
  • 8WinksSubstituted forGilat 89'minutes
  • 5Højbjerg
  • 19R SessegnonSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 56'minutes
  • 10Kane
  • 23Bergwijn

Substitutes

  • 3Reguilón
  • 11Gil
  • 12Emerson Royal
  • 14Rodon
  • 22Gollini
  • 27Lucas Moura
  • 29Skipp
  • 42White
  • 44Scarlett
Referee:
Paul Tierney
Attendance:
40,020

Match Stats

Home TeamChelseaAway TeamTottenham
Possession
Home65%
Away35%
Shots
Home15
Away6
Shots on Target
Home7
Away3
Corners
Home10
Away3
Fouls
Home17
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Chelsea 2, Tottenham Hotspur 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Tottenham Hotspur 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).

  4. Post update

    Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea).

  6. Post update

    Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Chelsea. Saúl Ñíguez replaces Hakim Ziyech because of an injury.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Bryan Gil replaces Harry Winks.

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Chelsea. Marcos Alonso replaces Callum Hudson-Odoi.

  10. Post update

    Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

  11. Post update

    Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Harry Winks with a cross.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Antonio Rüdiger.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Harry Kane.

  14. Post update

    Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).

  15. Post update

    Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Eric Dier tries a through ball, but Oliver Skipp is caught offside.

  17. Post update

    Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).

  18. Post update

    Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ben Davies.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Mason Mount (Chelsea) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech.

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