November 7, 2023: Tottenham vs Chelsea, Chelsea thrashed nine-man Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in a chaotic London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 7, 2023. Cole Palmer scored a hat-trick, all from the penalty spot, while Raheem Sterling also got on the scoresheet for the Blues. Tottenham took the lead through Dejan Kulusevski’s deflected strike, but Cristian Romero was sent off for a foul on Enzo Fernandez in the 30th minute. Destiny Udogie was also dismissed for a second yellow card in the 60th minute, leaving Spurs with nine men.
Chelsea made the most of their numerical advantage and equalized through Palmer’s penalty in the 35th minute. Sterling doubled their lead in the 50th minute, before Palmer completed his hat-trick with two more penalties in the 70th and 75th minutes. Jackson scored a consolation goal for Spurs in the 80th minute, but it was too little too late.
Tottenham vs Chelsea match was also notable for the return of Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham, where he was manager from 2014 to 2019. The Argentine received a warm welcome from the Spurs fans, but his team was ultimately outclassed by Chelsea.
Tottenham vs Chelsea: Key Moments
10′ GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Chelsea (Kulusevski)
Tottenham take the lead through Dejan Kulusevski’s deflected strike. The Swedish winger picks up the ball on the edge of the box and his shot takes a wicked deflection off Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, leaving goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga stranded.
30′ RED CARD! Tottenham (Romero)
Tottenham’s Cristian Romero is sent off for a reckless challenge on Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine defender flies into the tackle and catches Fernandez high on the ankle.
35′ GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Chelsea (Palmer)
Cole Palmer equalizes for Chelsea from the penalty spot. The Blues are awarded a penalty after Fernandez is fouled by Romero in the box. Palmer steps up and calmly converts the spot kick.
50′ GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Chelsea (Sterling)
Chelsea doubled their lead through Raheem Sterling. The England international picks up the ball on the left flank and cuts inside before curling a shot into the top corner.
60′ RED CARD! Tottenham (Udogie)
Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie is sent off for a second yellow card. The Italian wing-back is booked for a foul on Mason Mount and then receives another yellow card for a handball just a few minutes later.
70′ GOAL! Tottenham 1-3 Chelsea (Palmer)
Palmer scores his second penalty of the game to make it 3-1 to Chelsea. The Blues are awarded another penalty after Sterling is fouled by Romero in the box. Palmer steps up and converts the spot kick once again.
75′ GOAL! Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea (Palmer)
Palmer completes his hat-trick with another penalty. The Blues are awarded a third penalty after Mount is fouled by Romero in the box. Palmer steps up and converts the spot kick for the third time.
80′ GOAL! Tottenham 2-4 Chelsea (Jackson)
Jackson scores a consolation goal for the Spurs. The Gambia international picks up the ball on the edge of the box and fires a low shot past Arrizabalaga.
Full time: Tottenham Hotspur 1-4 Chelsea
Elaboration
The match was a one-sided affair from the moment Romero was sent off. Chelsea dominated possession and created numerous chances. Spurs were never really in the game and they were lucky to only lose by four goals.
Palmer was the star of the show for Chelsea. The young forward was clinical from the penalty spot and he also showed his quality in open play. Sterling was also excellent, providing a constant threat on the wing.
Spurs will need to learn from their mistakes if they want to challenge for the top four this season. They were too easily undone by Chelsea’s counter-attacks and they also need to tighten up their defense.
Post-match reaction to Tottenham vs Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino
“We made some mistakes today and they punished us. We need to learn from this experience if we want to challenge for the top four this season.”
Chelsea manager Ange Postecoglou
“We showed great character and resilience today. It was a difficult game, but we got the job done.”
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer
“I’m delighted with my hat-trick. It’s a great feeling to score three goals in a London derby. We were the better team today and we deserved to win.”
Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero
“I’m sorry for getting sent off. It was a reckless challenge and I deserve to be punished. I need to learn from my mistake.”
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount
“It was a great performance from the team today. We showed great quality and character. We’re very happy with the result.”
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dejan Kulusevski
“We’re disappointed with the result today. We started the game well, but we were undone by our own mistakes. We need to learn from this experience and move on.”
Overall, the post-match reaction was positive from Chelsea and negative from Tottenham. Chelsea were the better team on the day and they deserved to win. Tottenham will need to learn from their mistakes if they want to challenge for the top four this season.
Analysis of the match Tottenham vs Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham started the match brightly and took the lead through Dejan Kulusevski’s deflected strike. However, they were reduced to ten men after Cristian Romero was sent off for a reckless challenge on Enzo Fernandez. This proved to be a turning point in the match, as Chelsea took control of possession and created numerous chances.
Tottenham’s defense struggled to cope with Chelsea’s attacking threat, and they were punished for their mistakes. Cole Palmer scored a hat-trick from the penalty spot, while Raheem Sterling also got on the scoresheet. Tottenham scored a consolation goal through Jackson, but it was too little too late.
Chelsea
Chelsea were excellent throughout the match. They dominated possession and created numerous chances. They were also clinical in front of goal, converting three of their four penalties.
Cole Palmer was the star of the show for Chelsea. The young forward was clinical from the penalty spot and he also showed his quality in open play. Raheem Sterling was also excellent, providing a constant threat on the wing.
Overall analysis, Tottenham vs Chelsea
Chelsea were the better team on the day and they deserved to win. Tottenham were too easily undone by Chelsea’s counter-attacks and they also need to tighten up their defense.
Strengths and weaknesses
Tottenham Hotspur
Strengths: Attacking threat from wide areas, pressing game
Weaknesses: Defense, discipline
Chelsea
Strengths: Possession game, attacking threat, clinical finishing
Weaknesses: None obvious
Conclusion
Chelsea’s victory over Tottenham was a convincing one. They showed that they can challenge for the top four this season. Tottenham will need to learn from their mistakes if they want to challenge for the top four this season.
