Chelsea suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby at Stamford Bridge. This marked the first time since December 1986 that Tottenham had beaten Chelsea at their home ground by a two-goal margin without conceding. Manager Xabi Alonso took full responsibility for the team's drab display, which lacked intensity and invention from start to finish. He acknowledged that the team was not at its best, especially after conceding the first goal and then receiving a red card, which made a comeback difficult. Alonso emphasized that while João Pedro's absence from the attack was felt, it was not an excuse for the overall performance. He urged the players to be critical of themselves and highlighted the need for improvement following the significant loss against a strong opponent. Chelsea had previously secured wins against Everton (2-0) and Bournemouth (5-1) after the international break.