/https://sportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net/uploads/2025/11/imago1068604743-1-69070fe32de79079946716.jpg "Toothless Tottenham: Spurs set unwanted xG record in - Sports Mole")
An extremely Tottenham Hotspur side set a new unwanted club Premier League record in their 1-0 loss to London rivals Chelsea on Saturday evening.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank sought a response to his side's 2-0 EFL Cup fourth-round defeat to Newcastle United in midweek, but his players were more toothless than ever up front.
A first-half Joao Pedro strike was all that was needed to settle a normally chaotic contest between the two capital clubs, and Chelsea have now triumphed in each of their last five matches with the Lilywhites in all competitions.
All of Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani, Brennan Johnson, Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison were unable to lay a glove on the Blues' defence, and a particularly damning statistic told the story of Spurs' day.
The Europa League champions generated a paltry 0.05 Expected Goals (xG) throughout the evening, their lowest on record in a Premier League game since such data became available in the 2012-13 season.
Tottenham set unwanted xG club record in Chelsea defeat
In none of Spurs' previous 503 Premier League matches since August 2012 had they totalled fewer Expected Goals, highlighting just how ineffective Frank's attacking forces were in the London derby.
The Lilywhites only mustered three attempts all evening - one of which was on target - whereas Chelsea had 15 shots and nine on target while fashioning 2.92 xG at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
As was the case against Monaco in the Champions League, Spurs largely had Guglielmo Vicario to thank for the one-goal scoreline, as the Italy international made eight saves and prevented 2.17 goals in North London.
The manner of the defeat and emotion of the occasion was too much for two of his defenders to take, though, as Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven appeared to snub Frank entirely when he tried to persuade the pair to clap the fans at full time.
Spence and Van de Ven stormed past their manager towards the tunnel, leaving Frank to look back on them bewildered for several seconds before eventually making his way further onto the pitch.
Spurs 0-1 Chelsea: Thomas Frank explains Micky van de Ven, Djed Spence incident
Frank was inevitably asked about the incident in his post-match press conference, but the Dane side-stepped the question and played down the snub, saying: "All the players are of course frustrated," as quoted by football.london.
"They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that. I think it is about which is difficult to be consistent in good times and in bad times.
"That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that. I understand why you ask the question, but I think that is one of the small issues.
"We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence who are doing everything they can. They perform very well so far this season and everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, so I donât think it is a big problem."
Tottenham now sit eight points behind leaders Arsenal in the Premier League table and have won just two of their last eight games in all competitions ahead of Tuesday's Champions League battle with Copenhagen.
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