Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points as a superb double from Juan Mata clinched a 4-2 win over Andre Villas-Boas’s Tottenham on Saturday.
Roberto Di Matteo’s side were in danger of suffering their first league defeat of the season at the hands of former boss Villas-Boas, who was sacked after just nine months in charge last season, as Tottenham took a 2-1 lead in the second half at White Hart Lane.
But Spanish midfielder Mata struck twice in the space of three minutes to secure Chelsea’s seventh win from eight league matches.
Gary Cahill, deputising for the suspended John Terry, fired Chelsea ahead in the 17th minute with a powerful volley that took a deflection off Spurs defender Steven Caulker.
William Gallas equalised against his former club two minutes into the second half when the Tottenham defender nodded in from close-range after Jan Vertonghen hooked the ball across the six-yard box.
And Spurs went in front seven minutes later thanks to Jermain Defoe’s predatory finish from Aaron Lennon’s cross.
However, Chelsea staged a stunning fightback as Mata punished a half clearance from Gallas to slot home in the 66th minute and the Spaniard then produced a fine finish from Eden Hazard’s defence-splitting pass three minutes later.
Mata turned provider when Chelsea killed off Spurs in stoppage-time. He robbed Kyle Walker of possession and slipped a pass for Daniel Sturridge to tap in.
Second-placed Manchester United, at home to Stoke, and third-placed Manchester City, away at West Bromwich Albion, can close the gap on Chelsea back to four points later on Saturday.