Tottenham ground out a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge that lifted them top of the Premier League on goal difference.
Top spot in the Premier League was at stake as Frank Lampard and Jose Mourinho renewed their managerial rivalry, but goalmouth action was in scant supply on an afternoon where defences came out on top.
Tammy Abraham passed up three scoring opportunities in the second half before Mason Mount and Olivier Giroud saw late efforts saved by Hugo Lloris, but Chelsea rarely threatened as Spurs produced a hallmark Mourinho defensive display.
The draw saw Spurs drop points away from home for the first time this season, but the point was enough to move them above champions Liverpool on goal difference at the top of the table. Chelsea, who are now unbeaten in 14 in all competitions, remain two points back in third.
How stubborn Spurs stood firm at Chelsea...
After a cagey first 10 minutes in which Hakim Ziyech's hopeful early volley was comfortably saved by Lloris, the game burst to life with chances at both ends.
Spurs' first foray forward saw them efficiently work the ball to the edge of the Chelsea area, where Harry Kane slipped Steven Bergwijn into space, but having skipped inside a defender he lifted his shot over the bar.
Moments later Chelsea thought they had taken the lead in emphatic fashion as Timo Werner capitalised on a slip from Moussa Sissoko and rifled a stunning effort in off the far post, but the German was marginally offside in the build-up and the goal was correctly ruled out.
Serge Aurier drew Edouard Mendy into his first save with a fizzing drive through bodies on the quarter hour, which the Chelsea 'keeper did well to parry away from danger.
The tight, tactical tussle was restored after the flurry of activity, leaving Chelsea and Spurs in need of inspiration to make the breakthrough. Mount very nearly delivered it on 28 minutes as he skipped around two Spurs defenders, but his finish was found wanting as he blazed over from 18 yards.
Chelsea emerged from the interval with a more direct approach in attack, with two fine crosses from Reece James teeing up Abraham for two heading opportunities, but he was unable to convert either while under pressure from the Spurs centre-backs.
Chelsea were fortunate not to be punished as a mix-up between N'Golo Kante and Mendy nearly turned sour, but the Blues goalkeeper was able to hack the ball to safety before the lurking Heung-min Son could pounce on an error.
But with Spurs becoming increasingly passive, Chelsea continued to create. Abraham managed to outmuscle Eric Dier to meet Werner's cross, only to bundle the ball wide, before Ziyech fired over having cut in from the right.
Mount looked to break the stalemate on 81 minutes but Lloris - who was a bystander for the majority of the game - was alert to tip it around the post. And, in the closing stages, the Frenchman was on hand to deny substitute Giroud from lifting a late winner into the Spurs goal as the points were shared.
Opta stats - Stamford Bridge stalemate
- Spurs have won 13 points away from home in the Premier League this season (W4 D1); their most in their opening five away games of a league campaign since 1991-92 (also 13).
- Chelsea are now unbeaten in their last 14 games in all competitions (W8 D6) - their longest run without defeat since November 2018 (a run of 18).
- Tottenham have won just one of their last 35 away games against Chelsea in all competitions (D12 L22), with that lone victory coming in April 2018.
- Following today's draw, Spurs (9) and Chelsea (8) are now the two teams on the longest current unbeaten runs in the Premier League.
- Chelsea's Édouard Mendy has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season, with this being his fifth in six appearances in the competition.
What the managers said…
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard: "The game kind of went how I expected, I expected to have a lot of possession, and it would be hard to create chances, but I thought we created enough to win the game. I thought to deal with their threat of Kane and Son, we didn't give them a sniff, and didn't quite take our chances.
"We completely dominated the game possession wise, and at times they played a really low block. If you make the wrong pass, they want to counter you instantly. Spurs have players in real form, but in actual gameplay we should win the game.
"I don't want to react too much, I thought the players did really well, in our set up, they did everything I asked them to, in our discipline, some great individual performances, particularly in midfield."
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho: "The one thing l take from the game is that a draw here is normally a positive result, and to stay at the top of the league with that result is also a positive, but my dressing room is not happy.
"The best thing l take from the game is that we are not happy. It is a complete change of personality and mentality. You can tell me we didn't have many chances and l agree. But how many did they have?
"It was a game where we respected them, and they also respected us. Nobody gambled. Nobody tried to change the direction of the game. In the second half, we had the biggest chance where we had three against one. We should kill."
Hasselbaink: Abraham must step up
Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told Sky Sports:
"For me, Abraham has to do better for James' cross, James can't do any better. Just get your head on it, it doesn't matter who you are as a striker, these are brilliant crosses. What do you want as a striker? These moments. This is where Abraham has to step up.
"For the chance when he wrestled with Dier, why is he going to the floor? Stand up, you've already done the most difficult part. Stay on your feet, and it's a goal. He has had three chances, three opportunities where he has to make it more his own.
"He has to prove it in those moments; he did ever so well last season, he was a breath of fresh air in the first half, but second half he had it difficult. This season you need to step up."
What's next?
Chelsea travel to Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday at 8pm, before hosting Leeds on Saturday Night Football at 8pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Spurs travel LASK in the Europa League on Thursday at 5.55pm, before hosting Arsenal in the north London derby on Super Sunday at 4.30pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League.