Near perfection - the two words that best sum up Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Spurs this evening as they cement their place in the top four of the Premier League and it thanks to a brace from Willian and a sending off of winger Heung Min-Son
The second goal, a killer penalty on the stroke of half-time ended any lingering doubts that the north Londoners could get anything from the game.
But in truth from the first whistle they were second best.
Willian opened the scoring with a beauty of a curling right-footer. It set the tome for a game which head coach Frank Lampard and his tam can be rightly proud.
Things could have got even worse for Spurs as three announcements regarding alleged racists chants were posted over the PA system
This could bring serious repercussions to the north Londoners with a possible sanction of the temporary closure of the amazing stadium.
Son getting sent off for kicking out at Antonio Rudiger summed up a dreadful match for Spurs, but many of the incidents were self-inflicted and there cannot be any doubt as to who deserved the three points.
Both sides started with a three at the back formation, Chelsea’s clear attempt to match the home side and hope to catch them on the break.
The break came in the 12 minutes, when following a short corner, the ball went to Willian.
The Brazil winger took two small touches, to create some space on the left apex of the Spurs penalty area, before letting fly with a sensational right-footer that crashed past the desperate dive of goalkeeper Paul Gazzaniga.
Spurs had a wonderful chance to equalise on 28 minuets when after a well-worked play, Harry Kan flashed over Kepa’s crossbar.
Hung Ming Son could have brought the home side level, seconds later but he sent his admittedly tight-angled left-footer inches past the Chelsea post.
With seconds of the half remaining, Alonso and Gazzaniga chased down a long ball, the goalkeeper almost cut Alonso in half trying to get to the ball with a chest-high challenge.
Referee Anthony Taylor incredibly gave a foul against the Chelsea wing-back. But VAR rightly intervened and awarded the party and give the goalkeeper a yellow card - Willian successfully tucked home the resultant spot kick to put the west Londoners 2-0 up.
There was no change from head coach Frank Lampard at half-time. Jose Mourinho, binned Eric Dier for Christen Eriksen.
Chelsea thought they had number three five minutes after the restart, but Tammy Abraham was adjudged to be offside when he ticked home the Rev Lund ball from an Alonso pile-driver.
It got worse for Spurs on 61 minutes when, following a challenge with Toni Rudiger, Son kicked out at Rudiger. Referee Taylor missed the incident, but VAR didn't and judged the South Korean action as violent conduct and sent him off.
The game was held up even more when missiles were apparently thrown from behind Kepa’s goal.
Lampard first replacement came on 68 minutes - Jorginho on for Mateo Kovacic.
A call for a VAR penalty with four minutes left on the clock saw the home side defeated even more as it was rejected.
Teams: Chelsea, Gazzaniga, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Son, Kane, Dier, Sissoko, Ali, Aurier, Moura
Subs, Vorm, Rose, Winks, Lo Celso, Foyth, Eriksen, Ndombele
Chelsea, Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Alonso, Kante, Abraham, Willian, Zouma, Kovacic, Mount, Azpilicueta, Tomori
Subs: Caballero, Christensen, Jorginho, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, Batshuayi, James,
Referee Anthony Taylor