Tottenham 0-3 Chelsea FC LIVE! Rudiger goal - Premier League result, match stream and latest updates today
Tottenham face the unenviable task of trying to halt a rampant Chelsea side as the London rivals meet in the Premier League this afternoon.
The European champions have carried the momentum from their Champions League win at the back end of last season into the new campaign with an unbeaten start.
Romelu Lukaku is already proving his worth, having scored four times in his four appearances since signing from Inter Milan in the summer, including the winner against Zenit St Petersburg in midweek.
Spurs had less luck in Europe as they began their group stage campaign in the inaugural Europa Conference League with a 2-2 draw to French side Rennes during which the injuries mounted up for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
The Portuguese is facing his first tricky period as Spurs boss, having started the season with three wins on the bounce prior to last weekend’s defeat to Crystal Palace.
You can follow all the action LIVE with Standard Sport’s blog below...
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Tottenham vs Chelsea highlights
FULL TIME! TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-3 CHELSEA
GOAL! N’Golo Kante’s deflected shot makes it 2-0 to the visitors
GOAL! Thiago Silva heads Chelsea into the lead!
HALF TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-0 CHELSEA
Tottenham Hotspur FC 0 - 3 Chelsea FC
Tottenham 0-3 Chelsea
19:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
From the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Standard Sport’s James Robson:
Tottenham 0-3 Chelsea: Spurs outclassed in second-half blitz
Nuno Espirito Santo speaks to Sky Sports about Tottenham’s defeat
19:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“Disappointed. The first half was very good. The game had two halves, really. We were the better team in the first half, pressing high, and for 50 minutes we held on. After the first goal the game changed and became very hard for the boys.
“The plan was to score, and there were chances to do it. But the first half was fantastic. Chelsea are a mature team. We should have done better on a lot of aspects. We are aware that we have a lot to improve and a long way to go.”
Cesar Azpilicueta speaks to Sky Sports
18:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“If there is a characteristic of this team it is that we all play together. The first half was not our level, but we improved a lot in the second half. We were better without the ball and in the end we could have scored more.
“Tottenham are a team that are good on the counter-attack. They were dangerous. In the first half we had a few issues with that. In the second half, we dominated.
“We were not happy with our performance at half-time. It was something that we had to address. With and without the ball Thiago Silva had an amazing game. It is fantastic to have Thiago with us.”
Thomas Tuchel reacts to his side’s win
18:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“I was not happy with the first 45 minutes,” Tuchel tells Sky Sports. “There were individual performances that were great from Kepa and Thiago Silva, but in general we lacked intent and energy. We needed to be more relentless in duels. I had the feeling we wanted to impress with pure skills but a derby like this is also about aggression.
“We spoke clearly about it at half-time. I was not happy about the energy. It was about sending signals and letting the confidence grow with ball wins and higher work-rate. [Bringing on N’Golo Kante] was the signal.
“Thiago Silva was outstanding. He nearly scored twice but his performance was fantastic. He was outstanding today.”
Chelsea player ratings
18:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle
What about Chelsea? Plenty of high number in James Robson’s marking, you’d imagine:
Chelsea player ratings: Rudiger, Silva boss Spurs; Kante changes game
Tottenham player ratings
18:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A promising first half, but could Tottenham have done more to arrest their slide towards a hefty defeat? Dan Kilpatrick has assessed the men in white:
Tottenham player ratings: Lloris prevents hammering; Kane kept quiet
An early call from Standard Sport’s James Robson
18:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Meanwhile our other man on the ground has been gazing at his crystal ball...
Too good. I think we’re watching the champions here. #chelsea
— James Robson (@jamesrobsonES) September 19, 2021
Full-Time thoughts from our Chief Football Correspondent
18:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
#thfc FT, 0-3. After a promising first half, Spurs took a proper pasting after the break. Nuno didn't react to the introduction of Kante, which changed the game, but realistically what could he have done given the options on the bench?
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) September 19, 2021
F/T: Tottenham 0-3 Chelsea
18:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Comprehensive, in the end. After an even, spritely first half, that was a demolition job from Chelsea, picking Tottenham to pieces and leaving them desiccated with a dominant second-half performance. N’Golo Kante’s introduction at the interval proved key but it was Thiago Silva who provided the opening goal to add the gloss to a simply magnificent defensive performance. Chelsea are top of the Premier League.
FULL TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-3 CHELSEA
18:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
90 + 4 minutes
18:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea want one more. Only a very, very good block from Oliver Skipp prevents Romelu Lukaku grabbing it.
GOAL! Tottenham 0-3 CHELSEA (Antonio Rudiger, 90 + 2 minutes)
18:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That is the cherry on top!
It’s a third goal in stoppage time for Chelsea, just as it was against Aston Villa a week ago. It’s a nice finish from Antonio Rudiger on an ice-skater’s half-swivel, the German remaining in the box after a corner and curiously unmarked after Chelsea got to the byline down the right. Cut-back, swept home, and the stands begin to properly empty.
90 + 1 minutes
18:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea go close again! Perhaps it’s another player guilty of looking for a pass rather than a shot as Mateo Kovacic initially has his eyes on a return pass to Romelu Lukaku after the Belgian had played him in, and in the end Hugo Lloris is able to shut down the angle and block behind with his body.
90 minutes
18:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Kepa decides the tension has gone out of this game a little too much, flirting with disaster briefly as he slides towards the edge of the area with the ball in his grasp. No harm done, though, but that’s about as close as Tottenham have come.
Four more minutes
88 minutes
18:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Bryan Gil holds his thumb up in appreciation but that is very charitable of him. Dele Alli’s long hoist towards him would not have been retrieved by a particularly skilful whippet, and the Spaniard/nascent Beatles lookalike gets nowhere near it.
86 minutes
18:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That was almost the third! It’s a delectable cross from Antonio Rudiger, ripe for heading home, driven with a hint of inswing and perfectly onto the head of Romelu Lukaku.
You would want no-one else propelling their dome towards it but Lukaku can only drive his header right at Hugo Lloris. He puts his hands to his head in disbelief.
85 minutes
18:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea continue to look likelier to extend their lead than cede an opening the way of the home side. Tottenham’s vigour has gone almost entirely.
83 minutes
18:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle
After all of that, Tottenham need a breather. Hugo Lloris gets some treatment, as does Cristian Romero, and the Argentine is withdrawn from another of the Croatia three. Davinson Sanchez joins Eric Dier in the heart of the Spurs defence.
80 minutes
18:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Four times Chelsea nearly score and four times Tottenham keep them out! It’s a remarkable exchange in the Chelsea box as (in chronological order): Timo Werner’s shot is saved by a sliding Hugo Lloris; Marcos Alonso thumps against the head of Cristian Romero; a leaping Lloris claws away Cesar Azpilicueta’s looping header; and finally a karate-kicked Alonso volley introduces itself abruptly to Lukaku’s midriff. Tottenham keep the margin at two...for now.
79 minutes
18:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And into the book Timo Werner will now go! It’s a proper striker’s challenge from the German, lunging across as he tries to stop Bryan Gil fleeing his own territory. It’s high, it’s late, and it’s not particularly handsome. Few complaints as Paul Tierney produces the yellow with a dismissive wave of the hand.
77 minutes
18:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A huge chance squandered! Andreas Christensen nicks the ball inside his own half and his forward prod finds Romelu Lukaku with nary a Spurs shirt in sight. Lukaku turns and drives at the Tottenham defence, shimmying past a falling Eric Dier. He could shoot himself but instead plays in Timo Werner, who takes too long to release his shot and allows Emerson Royal to dash back and get a foot in! A vital intervention.
76 minutes
18:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea continue to turn the screw. Two more corners are won in quick succession, the second after an uncomfortable ricochet from Oliver Skipp’s ribs.
75 minutes
18:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Nearly Thiago Silva again! This is a fierce flick at the near post, the centre-half darting there to get on to Marcos Alonso’s zippy inswinger and forcing a leaping Hugo Lloris to plam away with hands in front of his face. Good save from Lloris, for that was travelling.
72 minutes
18:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Kepa Arrizabalaga appears to have cramp! The goalkeeper wanders out in languid fashion to collect with relative ease a hopeful Heung-min Son free kick that drifts too deep, and then goes down, stretching his hamstring with a yoga-style forward pancake fold. The medical staff attend to him briefly, but I might suggest that it is as much gamesmanship as any severe problem. On we go...
70 minutes
17:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It is a change that most will have seen coming - an effective 70 minutes from Kai Havertz but he gives way for Timo Werner’s extra-explosive forward thrust as Chelsea consider a game-sealing third.
James Robson sends in the following from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the atmosphere has been properly punctured: “It will be infuriating to Spurs that it didn’t take a moment of brilliance to turn this game, rather just a collective shifting of gear from Chelsea to take it out of their rivals’ hands. The opening goal had been coming from the very start of the second half. And once the deadlock was broken they looked capable of running riot.”
69 minutes
17:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Timo Werner is still stood ready on the touchline as we have a longer period without the ball exiting the field of play. Chelsea still keeping Tottenham at arm’s length.
68 minutes
17:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That smile, that damned smile. 😁@nglkante • #TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/VLyTDLI7YI
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 19, 2021
67 minutes
17:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And from which they get nothing. Heung-min Son’s ball in is scrambled away after Cristian Romero can’t quite force a chance from a deep, wide position in the box, and Harry Kane’s attempt to find a teammate is then hooked out of danger by Antonio Rudiger.
Timo Werner appears to be receiving his final briefing from Thomas Tuchel before making his entry.
66 minutes
17:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
More good graft from Dele Alli to get back and force a toe in just as Romelu Lukaku draws back his hammer and prepares to fire a shot. A vital tackle from Alli because it appeared like a path to hit the target had opened.
At the other end Tottenham win a corner, from which they could do with something...
64 minutes
17:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Finally space opens for Harry Kane to release his first shot in anger of the afternoon, but his 30-yard drive trims the top of the grass on its way through to Kepa, who flops to his side to collect a reasonably well-struck, but ultimately untroubling effort.
63 minutes
17:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It appears Bryan Gil has gone to the right wing with Heung-min Son now quite wide on the left. Dele Alli remains slightly deeper in the midfield three with Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg - he’s doing plenty of midfield graft but has been limited in terms of forward offering.
62 minutes
17:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Here they come - Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso take their leave as Skipp and Gil sprint on to the pitch. Both showed promise at times in the first half but you would suspect that will allow Tottenham to return to a more conventional structure.
61 minutes
17:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It looks like Bryan Gil and Oliver Skipp may be coming on for Tottenham, who need something quickly. Skipp could restore a degree of midfield control while you feel Gil has more to give after a largely quiet spell at Spurs so far.
IT'S TWOOOOO!
⚪️ 0-2 🔵 [57'] #TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/7WjiY9m1M2— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 19, 2021
61 minutes
17:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It looks like Bryan Gil and Oliver Skipp may be coming on for Tottenham, who need something quickly. Skipp could restore a degree of midfield control while you feel Gil has more to give after a largely quiet spell at Spurs so far.
IT'S TWOOOOO!
⚪️ 0-2 🔵 [57'] #TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/7WjiY9m1M2— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 19, 2021
59 minutes
17:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“It is a long way back for Spurs now, particularly considering the lack of experience and quality on Nuno’s bench. Half of this starting XI have barely trained with the squad this week, though, so you imagine the manager will have to make changes soon,” writes James Kilpatrick from his seat in the press box at a suddenly silent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
GOAL! Tottenham 0-2 CHELSEA (N’Golo Kante, 57 minutes)
17:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Deflected...and in!
It’ll be N’Golo Kante’s goal but Hugo Lloris is helpless! Kante drags his shot from distance straight into Eric Dier’s shin, cannoning off of it for the corner. It takes a healthy chunk of Lloris’ left-hand post but trickles agonisingly across goal a half-yard or so beyond the white line. A buoyant Chelsea have two and Spurs are reeling.
56 minutes
17:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It must also be said that Chelsea’s half-time change appears to have really worked. The extra midfield body means Tottenham are more reluctant to push their players forward for fear of a quick transition and N’Golo Kante has buzzed about in trademark disruptive fashion. The action has been virtually entirely one way since the players returned from their half-time oranges.
55 minutes
17:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle
James Robson on Chelsea’s quick second-half strike: “That is quite the response from Chelsea. This was the first time since Thomas Tuchel took charge that they failed to register a single shot on target in the first half of a Premier League game.
“Immediately from the restart Hugo Lloris was called into action to deny Marcos Alonso and then Thiago Silva heads the visitors in front.”
53 minutes
17:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle
BLOCKED OFF THE LINE! How has that stayed out? Chelsea work the ball wonderfully around the Tottenham penalty area with Marcos Alonso darting inside as Kai Havertz provides the width on the left. Alonso is found as the ball is put back across from Havertz’s cross and seems set to score...
But’s he’s denied by a leaping Eric Dier, who bumps the ball away with the bulge of his stomach with Hugo Lloris beaten! So close to 2-0.
52 minutes
17:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tottenham need to reset now. That was Chelsea’s best five minutes of the game so far by a distance and they ceded a goal that they will see as reasonably soft, for they appeared well set up at that set piece.
GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 CHELSEA (Thiago Silva, 49 minutes)
17:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea lead!
And crikey does Thiago Silva deserve that. It’s an outstanding header from an outstanding player enjoying an outstanding game, getting up above both Dele Alli and Eric Dier, who is arriving on to the flight of Marcos Alonso’s ball with momentum, powering for the bottom corner. A hint of seperation from his marker Alli and enough of a leap to beat Dier to it, and Hugo Lloris can’t get anywhere near it.
49 minutes
17:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And they draw another corner as a retreating Emerson Royal can only flick the ball out for a corner.
48 minutes
17:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea win another corner as Alonso whips in a good, pacey first delivery, but the visitors’ cannot make anything of it. A renewed purpose about Chelsea, though.
46 minutes
17:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
What a goal that could have been! It’s a hopeful pass from Thiago Silva for Marcos Alonso but beautifully flighted, dipping on to the left toe of Marcos Alonso. The left wing back is stretching at full extension but connects delightfully as it drops, forcing Hugo Lloris into a sharp stop with a fierce strike that appeared destined for the roof of the net. Corner kick.
46 minutes
17:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
What a goal that could have been! It’s a hopeful pass from Thiago Silva for Marcos Alonso but beautifully flighted, dipping on to the left toe of Marcos Alonso. The left wing back is stretching at full extension but connects delightfully as it drops, forcing Hugo Lloris into a sharp stop with a fierce strike that appeared destined for the roof of the net. Corner kick.
KICK OFF!
17:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The second half is underway
Mount off, Kante on
17:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Intriguing — it’s Mason Mount who is taken off. N’Golo Kante on. A front two of Kai Havertz and Romelu Lukaku as Tuchel looks for midfield ascendancy.
Chelsea preparing N’Golo Kante
17:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
N’Golo Kante is receiving some intense instruction from one of the Chelsea assistants, so it appears he may be with us for the second half. A second week in a row that Thomas Tuchel has shuffled his midfield pack at the interval. Last week it was Saul withdrawn to introduce Jorginho against Aston Villa — what’s he thinking this week?
Silva lining
17:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea may well have already been behind were it not for their soon-to-be-37-year-old centre half. Thiago Silva has been utterly outstanding so far, at times left with limited support as Spurs’ setup has stretched the Chelsea system.
H/T: Spurs 0-0 Chelsea
17:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Just one attempt on target so far but as Dan suggests, it’s been a good, spritely contest. It’s a real surprise that Tottenham have come out with such a forward manner but it has done the game no harm, and should they persist in such a way you would suggest clear-cut chances at either end will surely come. Nuno Espirito Santo would have loved to have landed an early blow, of course, but it’s about even so far.
Thoughts from our man on the ground
17:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle
#thfc #cfc HT, 0-0: Great game. Spurs transformed from Palace defeat & taking the game to Chelsea with a high risk, high energy approach. Blues have looked threatening on the counter but wasteful.
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) September 19, 2021
HALF TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0-0 CHELSEA
17:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Level at the interval. ⏱
⚪️ 0-0 🔵 | #TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/f6WmfTmKiC— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 19, 2021
45 + 2 minutes
17:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Emerson Royal copes well with Marcos Alonso’s jinks in an attempt to create a chance and Paul Tierney has had enough - that’ll do us for the first half.
45 minutes
17:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Into two additional minutes to close a lively first half.
43 minutes
17:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tanguy Ndombele has taken a bang to the eye, and the Tottenham doctors have reached for the squeezy pipette to adminster some relief. Ah - Ndombele is still in bother. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg wades in to assist, pulling up his teammates eyelid, and the medics give him some further attention. He’s fine to continue, just about.
42 minutes
17:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Cristian Romero has looked strong so far. Given he has not long been back in the country and is still very much a new player at Spurs he is working well with Eric Dier, and so far they have kept Romelu Lukaku reasonably quiet.
He’s definitely got a degree of physicality about him.
40 minutes
17:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And from one such moment, good ball progression down the field enables Mason Mount to win a corner, though it comes to nothing.
39 minutes
17:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Chelsea looks like they are trying to reset a bit defensively. I think the Tottenham approach surprised them, and they appeared a litte rattled early on, but now are passing the ball about with a degree of comfort and control. There may be an element of Spurs’ fatigue to that but Chelsea are finding different angles to distribute the ball from the back.
36 minutes
17:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle
There’s a certain spike and spite to some of the challenges in this contest. The intensity has been impressive from both sides so far.
“Kai Havertz is making a nuisance of himself playing off Romelu Lukaku, who is obviously the focal point. He’s not managed to take advantage of the space he’s managed to find, but looks as likely as anyone in the Chelsea team to find the breakthrough,” says James Robson, one of Standard Sport’s men at the ground. Havertz has been the pick of the Chelsea attackers so far.
33 minutes
17:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Could Heung-min Son have done better? It’s delightful football from Tottenham, dragging the Chelsea structure hither and thither with lively triangles and Giovani Lo Celso puts Son in.
The Korean, for once, appears a touch tentative in front of goal, perhaps unaided by an off-putting hand on the shoulder from Marcos Alonso, and can only prod with limited force into a smothering Kepa Arrizabalaga coming out quickly at him. You wonder if a fully fit, in-form Son might have made more of that chance.
32 minutes
17:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Dan Kilpatrick at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: “Dele Alli has a history of scoring big goals against Chelsea but his two best moments so far this afternoon have both been in his own box; a clearing header and a block. The new Dele is putting in another shift as part of an impressive Spurs display.”
31 minutes
17:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Another cross into the box nearly causes Spurs increased danger, and Emerson Royal is a touch fortunate that his blind backward header cannons out of play off of Kai Havertz rather than towards Hugo Lloris’ goal.
30 minutes
17:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
At the other end, that’s a commanding header from Eric Dier. The centre-half beats Romelu Lukaku to a stood-up cross from Marcos Alonso in an authoritative fashion to clear the danger for Tottenham.
28 minutes
17:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Thiago Silva is fighting an awful lot of fires, like a single-high safety in an NFL defensive structure and being forced to cover plenty of ground with his centre-half partners occupied. He’s doing a fine job, the Brazilian, as you might expect from an exceptional reader of the game. You do get the sense that there will be chances in behind again for Tottenham, though.
25 minutes
16:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Over the angle! Chelsea are beginning to settle. Tottenham for once pack men behind the ball and Andreas Christense takes the opportunity to come forward, ignoring a pass to fire a shot from 23 yards or so. It’s nicely struck, with a hint of in-movement, but fails to dip sufficiently to trouble the top right corner of Hugo Lloris’ goal, who raises the roof with his hands as it flies over his crossbar.
24 minutes
16:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This game has barely settled down through a quarter and a bit of action. Chelsea perhaps just beginning to settle. Harry Kane has thus moved himself back one down the visitors’ spine, touch-tight on Jorginho and looking to deny Chelsea’s metronome the chance to tick.
22 minutes
16:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
James Robson has 2020 vision: “There is a bit of Chelsea from last season here. That’s two really good openings that they’ve failed to take advantage of. First Havertz air-kicked when trying to connect with Azpilicueta’s knock-down - and a few minutes ago we saw Lukaku opt to square instead of taking a clear effort on goal from the angle.
“They have shown their threat on the break - but the decision-making and quality in the final third has to be better.”
Rest in peace, Jimmy. 💙 pic.twitter.com/kAAJXZvnER
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 19, 2021
20 minutes
16:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Twice Spurs nearly find an opening! It’s well-worked, again down that left, with Dele Alli turning round the corner for Heung-min Son, who holds up well and then feeds Sergio Reguilon streaking on from left-back.
Reguilon’s square pass is cut out with two teammates waiting, but the ball comes back to Harry Kane, who curls towards goal. It’s tame enough, really, but Kepa makes a hash of his gather, and is grateful for the shielding work of a defender as Emerson Royal sniffs around on the rebound. The Spanish goalkeeper just about regathers.
19 minutes
16:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle
There are times when Tanguy Ndombele looks irresistible. He dances down the left wing with fancy footwork to rival any of the celebrities unveiled on Strictly last night, and then dances back again to maintain possession. Delightful stuff.
18 minutes
16:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tottenham again can’t make the most of the corner with a wasteful delivery. Chelsea are a tall enough side but Spurs would hope to be able to trouble them aerially as they continue to force opportunities to load the box, but they need to improve their set-piece input.
17 minutes
16:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The crowd are very invested in this one. Chelsea have been on the wrong side of referee Paul Tierney so far and every peep of his whistle is being greeted by loud cheers.
And that’s mighty clever! Heung-min Son takes the free kick quickly and Harry Kane is nearly in! He might have been offside had we gone to a VAR check but in the end Thiago Silva has to smother the ball out of play.
15 minutes
16:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And as Dan fires that across Chelsea nearly take the lead! They break the shackles of the press and suddenly it is three on two, Mason Mount and Romelu Lukaku interchanging down the right and forcing a shooting chance. It’s all a little ‘after you, please’, though, neither committing to the shot at goal and eventually Mount’s hit is blocked. Chelsea will be a danger on the counter.
14 minutes
16:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
From Dan Kilpatrick at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: “This is much more like it from Spurs, who are pressing from the front, zipping the ball around with urgency and snapping into tackles. It’s a far cry from their pedestrianism at Crystal Palace last weekend. Chelsea are good enough to withstand it, of course, but this is the Spurs that supporters want to see.”
13 minutes
16:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tottenham are really up for this. It is a real switch of tactics from Nuno Espirito Santo, who has clearly encouraged his side to get high up the pitch and press hard. Even Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is pushing up to inside the Chelsea half and both full-backs are also ready to press up if need be. They are troubling Chelsea.
11 minutes
16:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The chance eventually comes, and Kai Havertz should do better! Cesar Azpilicueta heads nicely across the box from a floated diagonal ball and the German is left in space about 15 yards out. He swings his left leg at it but connects with barely a smidge of the side of the ball, skewing it away and wasting what was a decent volleyed chance.
10 minutes
16:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Here’s the concern for Tottenham. Tanguy Ndombele lets the ball slip beneath his boot like an errant banana skin and suddenly there appears to be plenty of space for Chelsea. Tottenham regather well on this occasion but Chelsea have their first extended period of possession inside the Tottenham half.
8 minutes
16:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This is a very, very good start from Spurs. They have three proper forward prongs who are matching up against Chelsea’s back-three and pressing them hard. It may leave them vulnerable should the visitors’ breach that forward press but so far Thomas Tuchel’s side are struggling to settle into their flow in possession.
7 minutes
16:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It has been an impressive start from Spurs and they’ve got the crowd going already by forcing Chelsea back early on. But if there is one thing we know about this Chelsea team it is that they are happy to withstand pressure and happy to frustrate the opposition.
From Standard Sport’s James Robson at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
6 minutes
16:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
So far the best defenders in this game have been Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane, though each at the wrong end. Again a striker blocks a teammate’s shot as Kai Havertz’s effort (which might have been going wide) slams into Lukaku, who gets in the German’s way for a second time.
Remembering Jimmy Greaves
16:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Remembering our greatest ever player.
Rest in peace, Jimmy. 💙 pic.twitter.com/aFsnvvfBz1— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 19, 2021
5 minutes
16:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And that’s a hopeless delivery from Giovani Lo Celso, at ankle height all the way and safely cleared by the first defender.
4 minutes
16:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Not this time. Against the end-man on a lengthy, stodgy wall, but away for another corner.
3 minutes
16:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Now then. This will be a chance. Spurs waste the corner after taking it short but Cristian Romero wins a free kick on the edge of the ‘D’ as Jorginho catches him a little high after the Tottenham defender beats him to the ball. Harry Kane would love a goal to mark Jimmy Greaves’ memory...
2 minutes
16:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Friendly fire! That Heung-min Son/Harry Kane connection either isn’t working or is working too well as the former curls beautifully...
Right into Kane’s back!
A good start from Spurs, though. Giovani Lo Celso’s header appears to be going wide but is blocked by Andreas Christensen but Chelsea can’t clear fully and the little Argentine then forces a corner.
1 minute
16:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Nearly an early opening for Chelsea. Tottenham are cut to pieces straight away as Cristian Romero is turned by Kai Havertz but an offside Romelu Lukaku intervenes as his teammate looks to continue on. He’s rightly flagged.
Looks like Tottenham have begun in a 4-3-3 with Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndomble flanking Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso on the right of the forward three.
KICK OFF!
16:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tottenham against Chelsea is underway.
A tribute to Jimmy Greaves
16:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“Every footballer of my generation wanted to be Jimmy Greaves,” says Sky Sports’ lead commentator Martin Tyler as he sends us into a minute of applause. “Quick-footed, quick-witted, absolutely one of a kind.”
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium rises, bashing their palms together in appreciation and memory of an England, Tottenham and Chelsea great, chanting his name. Farewell, Jimmy.
The players are out
16:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Out come Chelsea first, looking very relaxed after a fine start to the season. Tottenham are applauded on by their legendary predecessors - steely focus on the faces of Harry Kane, Sergio Reguilon and Eric Dier, while Emerson Royal takes in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time.
Tottenham’s best assemble
16:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The great and the good of Tottenham Hotspur have assembled themselves this afternoon to pay tribute to perhaps the greatest, Jimmy Greaves: Ossie Ardiles, Gary Mabbutt, Ledley King, Paul Allen, Martin Chivers, Micky Hazard, Glenn Hoddle, Steve Perryman and Graham Roberts are all at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as are, of course, and pleasingly, thousands upon thousands of supporters.
Kick-off nears
16:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Just before kick-off, let us remember the remarkable life of a remarkable player
Jimmy Greaves obituary: Goalscoring genius for Tottenham, Chelsea and England
Pre-match thoughts
16:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle
We’ve got our own pair of well-connected footballing folk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon, with Dan Kilpatrick and James Robson keeping a beady eye on everything Spurs and Chelsea.
15 minutes until kick-off…
🗣 @jamesrobsonES is at the London Stadium with some pre-match thoughts 👇#TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/JZArKYY9kD— Standard Sport (@standardsport) September 19, 2021
Thomas Tuchel speaks to Sky Sports
16:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“I think that they will play with three or four in midfield. We were not sure because they had some injury problems but they have the connection between Heung-min Son and Harry Kane on the field which is a huge threat.
“You earn your momentum. There is hard work behind it and you want to keep it going. We hope to have a good performance and to be able to win.”
Dangerman dazzling
16:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s quite something, the Chelsea warm-up kit. Still, you’d expect Romelu Lukaku to be a major danger to Tottenham, particularly with Eric Dier just back to fitness and Cristian Romero back in the United Kingdom for little more than 24 hours.
Some thoughts from our Chief Football Correspondent
16:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
I think that's probably Spurs' best XI players & in the right positions. But how many of that side are fully up to speed? Maybe just 3 or 4! It's an encouraging development but still a big ask against a well-oiled Chelsea side
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) September 19, 2021
Chelsea well aware of Harry Kane’s threat
16:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
There were a few reports during the summer that Chelsea were giving Tottenham an envious eye and perhaps preparing to test Daniel Levy’s resolve with an offer for Harry Kane, but Thomas Tuchel clarified on Friday that his side never had any significant talks about adding Kane to their squad. Still, Tuchel admitted he was surprised that Kane is not now calling Manchester home, and the German will be all too aware of Kane’s threat despite a disrupted start to the season.
Harry Kane on Jimmy Greaves
15:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“A sad day, but hopefully we can put on a great performance for him,” Tottenham’s Harry Kane said of Jimmy Greaves, who has died at the age of 81, to Sky Sports.
Reflecting on Greaves’ career stats, the England captain said: “Frightening, really, how good a player he was, the goal ratios that he returned, the goals he scored year in, year out.
“For someone like me to look at those numbers and try to achieve those numbers and hopefully one day go on to break those numbers would be incredible.
“Jimmy was an incredible player, incredible goalscorer, a legend for club and country.”
Tottenham looking suave
15:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The lads are in the building! 👋 pic.twitter.com/geeW0PGn4g
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 19, 2021
Kepa starts in goal for Chelsea
15:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle
No official confirmation from Chelsea yet, but one can only assume that Edouard Mendy is injured after a standout showing against Aston Villa last weekend. There are some reports that he may have taken a bang against Zenit St Petersburg.
This could be a huge test for Kepa Arrizabalaga, who hasn’t played too much football this year. Spurs will surely look to test the Spaniard early and often if they can.
Team news - Spurs go all-out
15:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
So much for Spurs trying to shut up shop. It’s harsh on Oliver Skipp, a midfielder with a huge future who had looked very, very composed in midfield at the start of the season, but Nuno Espirito Santo has clearly decided he fancies properly going at Chelsea. Two attacking full-backs, creative midfielders, three potential forward goalscorers - if Tottenham aren’t able to force chances this afternoon then there will be serious concerns about Nuno’s structures.
It will be interesting to see who plays where. Dele Alli has played slightly deeper at times this year.
Team News - Chelsea
15:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Three changes for Chelsea, including in goal, where Kepa Arrizabalaga starts. There’s no N’Golo Kante but Cesar Azpilicueta is back and captains the visitors.
Three changes for the Blues today!@ParimatchGlobal | #TOTCHE pic.twitter.com/VQUBPYcPPJ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 19, 2021
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