Tottenham succumbed to defeat against Chelsea yet again on Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 by their London rivals.
Joao Pedro’s 34th-minute goal was ultimately the only difference between the two teams, but the visitors could easily have added to their advantage as the game wore on.
Xavi Simons was appalling for Tottenham, and he was substituted midway through the second half, despite having previously come on for Lucas Bergvall in the early stages.
Thomas Frank will have been hugely frustrated with his side’s performance, and it could have easily been even worse for him and his team.
Richard Keys in shock at Rodrigo Bentancur decision
Rodrigo Bentancur started in the midfield for Tottenham, and he was at the centre of the game’s major moment of controversy on the stroke of half-time.
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The Uruguay international was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Reece James, with VAR official Craig Pawson standing by the decision of referee Jarred Gillett, despite the fact that the Spurs star appeared to plant his studs into the ankle of the Chelsea man.
The Premier League released a statement outlining that the challenge was deemed to be reckless rather than a case of serious foul play, but Richard Keys was still left speechless by the decision.
Keys expressed his confusion at the decision during beIN Sports’ coverage of the game, saying: “I’m lost for words… he’s got to go.”
The 68-year-old then followed up his earlier statements on his X account, where he wrote: “Staggering. That’s as clear a red as you’ll see all season. That was a horrible challenge. What is VAR for if not to pick those up? Craig Pawson fails again.”
It was yet another moment of major controversy from a fixuture that has delivered countless fiery moments over the years.
Tottenham booed off as woeful Chelsea record extended
Tottenham have only beaten Chelsea twice in the last six years, and they extended their woeful recent record against their London rivals this time around.
The Lilywhites have now lost a disgraceful 14 of their last 18 meetings with the Blues in all competitions, and they have still beaten their bitter rivals just once since the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The N17 outfit were unsurprisingly booed off by their fans at full-time, after a horrific display that saw them create a total of just 0.05 xG across the whole 90 minutes.
Frank’s reign is continually taking one step forward and two steps back at the moment, but this was perhaps the most concerning display yet in the 2025-26 campaign.