Tottenham stun Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge as Cole Palmer is sent off and Mathys Tel seals it

Tottenham Hotspur picked up a rare win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Oct. 24, beating 10-man Chelsea 2-0 in a rain-soaked London derby. A Mike Penders own goal broke the deadlock in the 77th minute, Cole Palmer was sent off three minutes later, and Mathys Tel sealed it with a long-range strike in the 87th minute.

It was only Tottenham’s second league win at Chelsea in 36 years, according to BBC Sport, and their second straight Premier League victory under Roberto De Zerbi after a 3-1 home win over Coventry City on Monday.

Chelsea vs. Spurs: final score and key moments

Match stats are from BBC Sport. Chelsea’s official report put the attendance at 39,402, and Chris Kavanagh was the referee.

How Mike Penders’ own goal changed the game

Chelsea were without first-choice goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who BBC Sport said suffered a fractured jaw against Everton, and striker Joao Pedro, who the club said picked up an injury in training the day before. That handed 21-year-old Penders his first league start for the Blues.

For most of the match, the Belgian goalkeeper was one of Chelsea’s best players. He made a quick-reaction stop on Omar Marmoush and then rushed out to deny Tel in the first half, Chelsea’s report said. At the other end, Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky saved from Palmer, Jordan Henderson and Pedro Neto to keep the game scoreless at the break.

The breakthrough came from a Tottenham corner with 13 minutes to play. Under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke, Penders jumped and the ball went off his hand and into his own net. BBC Sport noted that Penders became only the second Chelsea goalkeeper to score a Premier League own goal, after Petr Cech against Everton in December 2009.

Why Cole Palmer was sent off

Palmer collected two yellow cards in a short spell on either side of the opening goal. According to BBC Sport, his first came after he barged into Mateus Fernandes during a heated flare-up in which three players were booked, and his second followed a late challenge on Conor Gallagher in the 80th minute. It was the first red card of Palmer’s career, BBC Sport reported.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso told Sky Sports he had not seen the incidents. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, he said the goal “affected a bit our emotional control.”

Mathys Tel’s late goal

With Chelsea down to 10 men, Tottenham put the game away in the 87th minute. Tel carried the ball from the halfway line and beat Penders with a low shot from about 25 yards, BBC Sport said.

“It’s a very special because we have come to Chelsea so many times and not got a win,” Tel told Sky Sports. “We showed great mentality today and we need to enjoy this win.”

What the managers said

De Zerbi told BBC Match of the Day: “I think we deserved to win. The players worked very well, prepared very well the game.” He said the win mattered for supporters who have “suffered” in recent seasons.

Alonso was blunt about his team. “Disappointed with the result and we have to be honest with the performance, we could have played better,” he said, adding that Chelsea would “support Mike” after the error.

Tottenham defender Andy Robertson called it “our best performance of the season.”

James Maddison injury worry

The one negative for Tottenham was another setback for James Maddison, who BBC Sport said impressed in the first half but walked off five minutes into the second with a new problem. He had made his first start since May 2025 on Monday after a serious knee injury. De Zerbi said he did not think it was “a big problem” but that the club would “have to see.”

Premier League table after Chelsea vs. Tottenham

According to the BBC Sport table after the match:

• Chelsea stayed fourth with 13 points from eight games. It was their first home league loss of the season.
• Tottenham climbed to 12th with nine points, their highest top-flight position since January, BBC Sport said.
• Manchester City and Arsenal sit level on 21 points at the top.

What’s next

Chelsea visit Liverpool in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday, and Palmer will miss that tie through suspension, BBC Sport reported. Tottenham host Crystal Palace in another London derby next Saturday.

FAQ