Tottenham Hotspur beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge without conceding for the first time since December 1986.

The Blues lost for the first time at home this season, with Spurs emerging as 2-0 victors on Saturday in the Premier League.

An own goal from shot-stopper Mike Penders and a late strike from Mathys Tel ensured Chelsea would suffer their third league defeat of the campaign.

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the performance was how easily Tottenham outplayed their hosts, and boss Xabi Alonso cannot dismiss the loss as simply another game considering the nature of the clubs' rivalry.

The fact that Tottenham won without conceding at Stamford Bridge for the first time since December 1986 will be a major concern to the Spaniard, whose side have been frustratingly inconsistent.

1986 - Spurs have won without conceding against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time since December 1986, and a 2-0 victory thanks to a Clive Allen brace. Throwback.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 24, 2026

Why Xabi Alonso should be alarmed by Chelsea's loss against Tottenham

Losing against a rival like Spurs may ordinarily be understandable, but Chelsea welcomed a Tottenham side that had taken just six points from their first seven league games prior to the weekend.

The visitors were especially dominant in the middle of the pitch, though perhaps it should have not come as a surprise considering Jordan Henderson has been a regular starter in recent weeks.

Alonso brought the 36-year-old to Stamford Bridge following the club's failure to land Granit Xhaka in the summer, and the fact he has had to play the Englishman so often is a damning indictment of his squad depth.

The manager will no doubt highlight that his team's defeat was partly self inflicted given Penders scored an own goal and Cole Palmer was sent off.

However, the Blues have already conceded 15 goals in the league and have failed to win half of their eight matches in the top flight, and there are still major problems for the head coach to address.

Cole Palmer concern: Red card and lack of goals for Chelsea

While Palmer should not be expected to be at his best in every game, he has often struggled to impact games against the best teams in the division.

The attacker has registered just four goal involvements in his last 18 league appearances against the Premier League's big six.

There are more pressing concerns in areas of the pitch other than the frontline, but Palmer's contributions in the final third must also improve if Chelsea are to climb the table.