Chelsea reach red card century as Cole Palmer sees red against Spurs

A costly derby at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea suffered a tough 2-0 defeat against Tottenham in a feisty London derby at Stamford Bridge. Mike Penders scored an own goal to give Spurs the lead, and Mathys Tel added a second goal later in the match.

The mood at Stamford Bridge soured as disciplinary problems continued for the home side. Morgan Rogers received a yellow card in stoppage time after flinging a leg into Conor Gallagher.

The defeat leaves Chelsea in fourth place in the Premier League table. Tottenham moved up to 12th place following the victory.

Palmer sees red for the first time

Cole Palmer was sent off for the first time in his senior career during the match. He picked up his first yellow card in the 70th minute after forcefully shoving his midriff into the face of Mateus Fernandes, who was lying prone on the ground after handling the ball.

Ten minutes later, Palmer made a late challenge and landed his foot on the leg of Conor Gallagher. Referee Chris Kavanagh showed him a second yellow card, resulting in a dismissal.

Palmer will miss Chelsea's upcoming match due to an automatic suspension, though he will be available for the following league fixture unless his ban is extended.

An unwanted Premier League milestone

Palmer's red card took Chelsea to a century of dismissals in the Premier League. The club became only the third team in history to reach 100 red cards in the competition.

Everton leads that list with 113 red cards, followed by Arsenal with 110. Chelsea's overall discipline drew heavy attention last season when players and staff were sent off 11 times in 2025-26, which was the highest total among all Premier League teams.