Cole Palmer’s ice-cool ‘Panenka’ penalty sealed Chelsea’s stunning comeback as they came from two goals behind to win at Tottenham.
Strikes from Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernandez and two spot-kicks from Palmer sank Spurs, who made a fast start but then fell apart and suffered a defeat that adds to the recent agony for under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou.
Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski had put Tottenham 2-0 up in 11 minutes, but by the time Son Heung-min added their third in stoppage time the game had slipped away from them.
Chelsea’s win moves them to just four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, whose game at Everton on Saturday was postponed because of Storm Darragh.
Spurs dominated the early proceedings in a breathless start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Summer signing Solanke poked home the opening goal inside five minutes after Brennan Johnson capitalised on a slip from Marc Cucurella.
Spain international Cucurella slipped again six minutes later to allow Kulusevski to drive at the Chelsea defence and finish inside Robert Sanchez’s near post.
That was the cue for Cucurella to gesture to the bench that he needed substitute boots, having struggled to stay on his feet, at great cost.
Momentum gradually began to shift, and Chelsea winger Sancho dribbled past Pedro Porro and Radu Dragusin before curling a terrific low shot in off the right post.
The comeback was under way, but Chelsea had an escape when Pape Matar Sarr headed against the bar from a corner.
Chelsea’s second-half surge came amid a spate of injuries for Tottenham. They lost key defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – who both returned for this important game but could not last the distance – and winger Johnson.
Palmer profited as the Spurs defence hopelessly lost their focus.
The England forward converted his first penalty just after the hour mark as Yves Bissouma brought down Moises Caicedo with a wild lunge, and the second was won by Palmer when Sarr needlessly shoved him over.
Palmer’s cheekily chipped finish from that second spot-kick rubbed salt into Spurs wounds.
Between the two penalties, Fernandez had cracked in a thumping shot after Palmer’s initial effort was blocked. It all meant that Son’s late goal from a short corner routine was merely a consolation.
Spurs sit 11th, while Chelsea march on into a title race, Palmer leading the way.