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Unlucky 13 for Chelsea as Spurs get their revenge

Chelsea killed Tottenham’s chances of winning the Premier League, so Spurs strangled Chelsea’s record-setting attempt. Now that the statistical sideshow is over, though, there is no reason to believe Chelsea’s chance of winning the title is badly damaged.

Dele Alli, centre, scored both goals as Spurs beat Chelsea 2-0 at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, gaining some revenge for last season’s defeat. Photo: AP

Dele Alli, centre, scored both goals as Spurs beat Chelsea 2-0 at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, gaining some revenge for last season’s defeat. Photo: AP

Chelsea killed Tottenham’s chances of winning the Premier League, so Spurs strangled Chelsea’s record-setting attempt. Now that the statistical sideshow is over, though, there is no reason to believe Chelsea’s chance of winning the title is badly damaged.

The gap between these two sides narrowed here after Spurs’ 2-0 win — that much is certain. This was one of Tottenham’s finest nights under Mauricio Pochettino, even allowing for Chelsea’s defensive off-night. Chelsea’s tempers frayed, too, with Diego Costa swearing and shouting at Pedro after one of the goals.

Spurs were strong, well organised and assured right across the pitch. They were ruthless in halting Chelsea’s winning march and should see themselves as title contenders, from a position only seven points off the top. But nor are Antonio Conte’s men likely to fall away.

Lacking emotional control back in May, Spurs made up for that here with two almost identical acts of cold-hearted precision. Like two Prozone analysts spotting a weakness, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli twice combined with a cross to the far post and header by England’s young midfield hope. Both times the flummoxed Chelsea defenders were Victor Moses and Cesar Azpilicueta, with the bigger defenders, Gary Cahill and David Luiz otherwise engaged.

Either somebody on the Tottenham coaching staff had done some pretty tidy homework, or Alli and Eriksen are shrewd tacticians. Whichever — a Chelsea defence that contributed as much as those buccaneering forwards in 13 straight wins looked vulnerable and disjointed for the first time in months.

On the joy-killing scale, stopping an enemy from setting a single season record of 14 consecutive top-flight wins cannot compare with causing one to implode three games from the end of a title race, which is what happened to Spurs at Stamford Bridge in May, in a throwback battle that handed the championship to Leicester City (they were almost certainly going to win it anyway).

The images from that day remain vivid: 12 yellow cards and clashes straight from a Saturday night on the High Street. Yet there was something authentically admirable about the challenge Chelsea had given themselves here. Stylish play, good management and the rebirth of Eden Hazard and Costa made Chelsea’s winning run worthy of envy and respect.

Not that Spurs had any time for it. Apart from a brief spell after the interval, when Chelsea re-emerged energised, this never had the feel of a history-making evening.

On a good trot of their own, Spurs were intent on proving they have absorbed the lessons of May, when Chelsea chipped away at the emotions of Pochettino’s young side until their software blew.

The resulting conflagration (Moussa Dembele gouging Costa’s eye, Eric Dier aiming cow kicks) had the feel of an inexperienced team falling into a trap set by a streetwise one. Fines of £600,000 (S$1.05 million) for the two clubs reflected the high score on the mayhem chart.

So in this final Christmas/New Year fixture, a developing team (Spurs) defeated one that has been irresistible since the 3-0 loss at Arsenal on Sept 24 — a nadir that prompted a tactical change (three at the back) and major remedial work on the spirit inside the squad by Conte, who still leads the big name managers who are new or new-ish to England.

Irritating him, though, was the knowledge that 13 straight wins had opened up only a modest lead in the title race. Or, as Conte put it: “We took 39 points. For the other situation (the record), it’s not important for us. But if you see the table, you can see that we have only five points more than second place, from Liverpool.”

Chelsea’s stomp through autumn and winter began with a 2-0 win at Hull on the first day of October. And they equalled Arsenal’s single-season record of 13 wins with the 4-2 victory over Stoke on New Year’s Eve. It was worth remembering that no top-flight team had made it to 14 win in a single season since the league started in 1888 — and only four had managed it in any of the divisions.

Arsenal’s 2002 side won 14 consecutive matches, but over two seasons, with a summer in between. The starting XI that set that benchmark in August of that year with a 2-0 win over Birmingham was: Seaman, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Parlour, Vieira, Edu, Wiltord, Bergkamp and Henry. A look through those names demonstrates the level of class required for a side to pass into double figures and then into the teens.

But to get to 14, Chelsea knew they faced a trial of body and spirit, because the rivalry with Spurs, traditionally hot, has turned volcanic. They ran into opponents high on confidence — especially Alli, with Victor Wanyama supplying his usual aggression.

Plainly White Hart Lane was an unpromising venue at which to set a record, even if Chelsea benefited from a gentler Christmas schedule. Spurs were assured from the beginning. They took heart from Chelsea’s lack of fluency up front and vulnerability at the back post. Even the toughest teams are susceptible to the extra pressure of having to make a new mark in history; and Chelsea, tougher than most, found it hard to build a rhythm against a Tottenham team with revenge in their eyes.

But credit them for those 13 wins, which impressed and entertained in equal measure. Chelsea still head the table, with a five-point cushion. Their chance of winning the league is largely undiminished by this foreseeable stumble, just short of a less important finishing line. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

* Paul Hayward is Daily Telegraph’s Chief Sports Writer

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