Key Takeaways
Chelsea have dominated Tottenham in the Premier League since 1992.
Memorable matches like the 'Battle of the Bridge' have shaped the rivalry between the two clubs.
Ange Postecoglou's first match against Chelsea was one to forget, something he will not be aiming to replicate when they play against them in December.
Rivalries are what make football, and the Premier League more specifically, legendary. The drama. The chaos. The anticipation quickly shut down by an early opener. It's all part of the 'Derby Day' experience, with Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea being no different.
Tottenham, situated in north London, believe their biggest rivalry is with Arsenal, but their battle with Chelsea, in west London, remains fierce. In the Premier League, they have gone head-to-head and shared blows consistently, all creating a spectacle for those around the world.
Ahead of their first Premier League match this campaign, which will see Ange Postecoglou battle Enzo Maresca for the first time, we have outlined the overall head-to-head record between the two sides in the competition. One side has had far more success.
We have also laid out every single Premier League match between the two teams. Neither team has been relegated from the Premier League since it was formed in 1992, meaning there have been two matches between the two sides every single year since.
Tottenham were left embarrassed with a 6-1 defeat at home
In the 1990s, Chelsea were not as powerful as they are now. They didn't have Roman Abramovich's financial support and were inconsistent in the league. However, that didn't stop them from dominating the matches against Tottenham, going the entire Premier League decade unbeaten with seven wins and seven draws.
Most notably, they beat the north London side 6-1 away from home in December 1997. After a steady first half which saw Tore Andre Flo's opener cancelled out by Ramon Vega's strike, Chelsea quickly demolished their rivals. Further goals from Roberto Di Matteo, Dan Petruscu, Mark Nichols and two more from Flo, to complete his hat-trick, finished off an embarrassment at White Hart Lane. They were left haunted for years.
Chelsea dominated the fixture
Chelsea's success in the 2000s does not need to be understated. They were one of the best teams in the world, winning the Premier League in 2005 under one of the greatest managers of all time, Jose Mourinho. They were defensively world-class, with Mourinho even conning the term 'parking the bus' after a 0-0 draw against Tottenham — and their success against the Lilywhites remained the same. They won 14 times, losing just twice.
Tottenham's first-ever Premier League win against them came in November 2006. On a winless run since 1990, the time of the First Division, they were desperate for success to finally arrive. It looked like it would be going pear-shaped again when Claude Makelele's excellent volley gave the Blues the lead, but Michael Dawson and Aaron Lennon, via a stunning strike, secured a dramatic comeback and all three points. John Terry was sent off as well during a chaotic day in N17.
The Battle of the Bridge remains iconic
As Tottenham's record against Chelsea finally improved, their derby clashes became world-famous for drama and chaos. From Spurs' 5-3 win in 2015 to a dramatic 4-2 victory for the Blues a few years prior, you never knew what to expect.
However, it was their match at the end of the 2015/16 season which is considered one of the finest in Premier League history. Nicknamed the 'Battle of the Bridge', Tottenham had to win at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1990 to have a chance of winning the title. Everything seemed to be going to plan with goals from Harry Kane and Heung-min Son giving Spurs a 2-0 lead.
But in the second half, Chelsea were allowed a way back into the match and Eden Hazard's late equaliser sparked wild celebrations at Stamford Bridge. Not only in West London, but in Leicester, as this result handed the Foxes their first-ever Premier League title. It was a particularly heated match which saw nine of Tottenham's players receive bookings and a scuffle in the tunnel at the end of the game.
However, the drama for the decade didn't stop there. Less than a year later, Spurs beat Chelsea 2-0 at White Hart Lane to end their 13-game winning streak in the Premier League, but the Blues later had the last laugh, pipping Mauricio Pochettino's team to the title, Meanwhile, in 2018, Tottenham finally picked up their first win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge since 1990; two goals from Dele Alli saw them come from 1-0 down to win 3-1 in a match that epitomised everything legendary about the rivalry.
Red card chaos and managerial brawls
Chelsea's dominance has been revived in the 2020s, winning six times and losing just once. However, every match has continued the fiery and dramatic nature of the contest, especially in 2022 and 2023. At the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Tottenham picked up a dramatic 2-2 draw away from home thanks to a last-minute header from Harry Kane.
However, the main focus was on the sidelines, as former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte clashed with then-current Blues coach Thomas Tuchel. The German celebrated down the sideline when Reece James thought he had scored the winner, whilst – when Kane equalised and the full-time whistle blew – Conte returned the favour. As both were sent off, the match was dubbed 'The Battle of the Bridge II'.
A year later, Pochettino returned to N17 as Chelsea manager. Spurs wanted to prove a point to their former manager, but the occasion got the better of them. Spurs started quickly through a strike from Dejan Kulusevski, yet it soon unravelled. Cristian Romero was sent off midway through the first half before Cole Palmer equalised. Spurs' night then turned from bad to worse when Destiny Udogie was given the marching orders.
In memorable fashion, Postecoglou still played a high line with nine men, and it looked like they were edging closer to a memorable point, but three late goals from Nicolas Jackson saw Chelsea claim a chaotic Monday night 4-1 win in north London. Chaos.
Upcoming Fixtures
Postecoglou and Maresca will meet for the first time
Tottenham and Chelsea both have Champions League qualification aspirations this campaign, so their two matches against one another act as 'six-pointers'. Under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, Chelsea are enjoying life again with free-flowing football.