Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea. Premier League.
White Hart LaneAttendance35,639.
Sunday 29 November 2015 20:20, UK
Tottenham and Chelsea played out a goalless draw at White Hart Lane on Sunday with both goalkeepers made to work for their clean sheets.
Eden Hazard was chosen to lead the line for the visitors as Jose Mourinho opted to leave Diego Costa on the bench amid rumours of a falling out, and it was the makeshift striker who came closest to breaking the deadlock.
Hazard headed over when well-placed in the first half before seeing his volley brilliantly saved by Hugo Lloris in the second.
Tottenham's best opportunity fell to Heung-Min Son but his close range header was kept out by Asmir Begovic.
The game began at a frantic pace and Spurs almost created an opening in just the second minute, Mousa Dembele feeding Danny Rose down the left and a combination of Begovic and Gary Cahill managed to stop the onrushing Harry Kane from converting at the near post.
Tottenham remained the side on the front foot but they twice almost gifted Chelsea a chance to go in front. Firstly, Jan Vertonghen's wayward pass allowed Hazard to break and find Willian, only for the Brazilian to pick out Lloris rather than a team-mate with his cross.
Shortly afterwards, Begovic lumped a clearance deep into the Spurs half and as Vertonghen and Lloris left it to each other, Pedro was almost able to steal in. However, the centre-back eventually came across to deny the former Barcelona forward.
Chelsea seemed intent on getting in behind the high defensive line adopted by Spurs and after Kane tested Begovic with a well-struck shot, they began to get some joy from that tactic.
With 19 minutes on the clock, Hazard picked up the ball in space and shifted it quickly out to Oscar on the left. The Brazilian took a touch before clipping in a perfect cross for Hazard who had continued his run into the box.
However, the Blues' No 10 failed to keep his header down and Spurs escaped.
Hazard remained a thorn in their side though and beat the offside trap once more before moving the ball on to Pedro, who cut inside and unleashed a fierce drive that was deflected narrowly over the bar.
Despite Chelsea beginning to take control, Spurs were still posing a threat and should have gone in front through Son before the half hour mark.
Kane and Ryan Mason combined down the right before the former swung in a cross to the far post. Son was unmarked but headed straight at Begovic with the goal at his mercy.
The Bosnian was called into action again moments later, Dembele with the shot that Begovic pushed round the post.
As the frequency of the chances increased so too did the ferocity of the tackles. Rose clattered in Hazard to earn a booking, Kane joined him after hauling back Willian before Kyle Walker lunged in on Cesar Azpilicueta in the closing stages of the half.
The full-back was perhaps fortunate to see yellow rather than red.
The trend continued after the break as Vertonghen went to ground and through Hazard to join his team-mates on a caution, leaving the Belgian requiring treatment before he could continue.
The first real opening of the second period came as Son, who often appeared off the pace in the first half, drifted in from the left, played a one-two with Erik Lamela and fired a shot at goal.
Begovic was equal to it though and five minutes later it was the former Stoke man's opposite number who was called into action.
Branislav Ivanovic was given time and space to pick out Hazard with his cross and the Belgian's left-foot volley looked destined for the net before Lloris' dived to his left to tip it past the post.
Mourinho's side remained the more likely to break the deadlock and had the Tottenham fans worried again when Pedro wriggled his way into the area before being crowded out just as he looked set to shoot.
Chelsea's dominance only increased in the closing stages as Spurs struggled to get out of their own half but for all their territorial dominance the visitors were unable to create any clear cut chances.
Costa remained on the bench as the Blues pushed for a winner and seemed less than impressed to be overlooked, throwing his training bib over his shoulder in the general direction of his manager.
Ultimately, without their leading striker, Chelsea were unable to find the decisive goal and had to settle for a point.
Player ratings
Tottenham: Lloris (7), Walker (7), Alderweireld (7), Vertonghen (7), Rose (7), Dier (7), Mason (6), Dembele (7), Son (6), Eriksen (6), Kane (7).
Subs used: Lamela (6), Njie (5).
Chelsea: Begovic (8), Ivanovic (7), Zouma (7), Cahill (7), Azpilicueta (6), Fabregas (6), Matic (6), Willian (7), Oscar (6), Pedro (7), Hazard (7).
Subs used: Loftus-Cheek (5), Kenedy (5).
Man of the Match: Asmir Begovic
