Premier League: Chelsea bounce back from shock opening loss to continue Spurs’ Wembley woes

TOTTENHAM made a gloomy start to their temporary residency at Wembley as Chelsea rediscovered their best after their opening weekend blunder.

Marcos Alonso proved the two-goal hero for Chelsea.

MARCOS Alonso’s double reignited Chelsea’s title defense by securing a 2-1 victory over Tottenham, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris blundering to enable the Premier League champions to recover from their opening weekend loss.

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For Tottenham, it was a gloomy start to their temporary residency at Wembley Stadium after going unbeaten throughout its final season at White Hart Lane before it was demolished to make way for a new venue.

Tottenham had been well placed to salvage a draw when Alonso’s first-half free kick was cancelled out by Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi inadvertently heading the ball into his own net in the 82nd minute just after coming off the bench.

Marcos Alonso celebrates his late intervention.

But within six minutes Chelsea was back in front and Batshuayi’s blushes were spared in the London derby meeting of last season’s top two.

Chelsea defender David Luiz intercepted the ball after Victor Wanyama received it from Lloris’ throw. Alonso helped to knock the ball along to Pedro Rodriguez on the left flank and the wingback raced forward to receive a return pass in the penalty area. Alonso’s shot from a tight angle then squirmed under the normally reliable Lloris.

It was an instant recovery for Chelsea after opening with a home loss to Burnley that saw captain Gary Cahill sent off and suspended for the trip across London to Wembley.

“There was a lot of talking throughout the week,” Alonso said.

“I think we showed that we are together. We worked so hard this week and we 100 per cent deserved the win.”

It was Tottenham’s seventh loss in 10 matches at the national football stadium, which was also used for the north London club’s European matches last season and there was also a visit in the FA Cup semi-finals last season when it lost to Chelsea.

“It is not the reason we lost the game,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said of Wembley, where the pitch is wider than Tottenham’s old White Hart Lane home.

Chelsea' manager Antonio Conte was a happy man after the victory.

Fuelled by its formidable home form, Tottenham secured its highest league finish in more than 50 years last season even though it was pipped to the title by Chelsea.

The sides are level on a win apiece after Tottenham opened the season with a victory over Newcastle.

“Frustrated? No,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said.

“I am disappointed because I think we deserved more. Our performance was good.”

Not good enough, though.

Originally published as Premier League: Chelsea bounce back from shock opening loss to continue Spurs’ Wembley woes