De Zerbi's Tottenham break the drought at Stamford Bridge
After a bleak season, Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham, under Zerbi, first broke the curse at Coventry before taking on a major challenge at Stamford Bridge, where the Spurs were looking to end an eight‑year winless run against Chelsea.
First success at Coventry
The previous Saturday, the Spurs recorded their first win of the season in the Premier League, beating Coventry City 3‑1. This victory, which came last week, ended a run of defeats and gave De Zerbi a first tangible point. The match allowed Tottenham to regain confidence before the trip to London.
Decisive victory at Stamford Bridge
This Saturday, Tottenham travelled to Stamford Bridge, where the Blues were sitting in fourth place in the table. After eight years without success on that ground, the visitors dominated the game with nearly 70 % possession and fifteen shots to seven. The first goal came in the 77th minute, when Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders deflected a corner into his own net.
Ten minutes later, Mathys Tel scored the second goal, his first of the season and his first since September 5, confirming De Zerbi’s offensive resurgence. A short while after, Chelsea were reduced to ten men, then Cole Palmer received his second yellow card in the 80th minute and left the field. James Maddison, who had recently returned from a cruciate ligament rupture, limped off at the start of the second half.
Thanks to this 2‑0 win, Tottenham can breathe and move out of the relegation zone, temporarily sitting in twelfth place in the table. According to one report, the Spurs have nine points, while another indicates they are three points ahead of Nottingham. For their part, Chelsea remain fourth with thirteen points, eight behind the top duo.
The Blues, despite the defeat, can still aim for the top 3 if Brighton beat Liverpool on Sunday, which would put them close to the leading spots. It is therefore a situation where both clubs remain engaged in the battle for European places.
The contrast between the first win at Coventry and the success at Stamford Bridge shows that De Zerbi’s Tottenham is beginning to shake off its troubles, but the road remains long to consolidate its position in the mid‑table.