BBC SPORT | Football | Eng Prem | Cudicini keeps Spurs at bay

Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea

Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini produced a string of top-drawer saves to deny Spurs at White Hart Lane.

The Italian was the cornerstone of a dogged defensive display that saw Chelsea preserve their record of never being beaten by Spurs in a Premiership match.

An enthralling, pulsating game between two fully committed teams only lacked a goal, but a Spurs' winner would have been rough on Cudicini.

Cudicini's heroics

25mins: Tips Redknapp's free-kick over.

56mins: Poyet's close-range shot is blocked

57mins: More Cudicini acrobatics to foil Sheringham

Spurs owed an early debt to Dean Richards, who first blocked from Enrique de Lucas after the young Spaniard's sinewy run took him in the danger area.

Richards then showed great bravery with a diving header to reach Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink's cross just ahead of Frank Lampard.

Chelsea's Enrique de Lucas and Spurs Stephen Carr
Enrique de Lucas and Stephen Carr get to grips in midfield

Richards enjoyed a let-off, though, when his attempt to catch Gianfranco Zola offside failed and the little Italian pulled his shot across the face of goal.

The �8m defender was involved in Spurs first chance on 15 minutes, flicking on Steffen Freund's long throw, with William Gallas nicking the ball off Teddy Sheringham's toes.

Hoddle rues 'missed chance'

A minute later, Keane stole in behind Gallas, only to head Stephen Carr's long cross wide of the target.

Chelsea looked the more composed team and Hasselbaink's 24th minute shot grazed paint off the outside of Kasey Keller's left-hand post.

I was celebrating, I thought it was in, but it was a great save

Spurs Jamie Redknapp

Referee Rob Styles spotted an off-the-ball collision between Sheringham and Marcel Desailly.

From the resulting free-kick, Jamie Redknapp produced a brilliant piece of skill to flip the ball up and send in a vicious dipping volley which produced an equally stunning save from Carlo Cudicini.

Chelsea spurned a great chance to take a 35th-minute lead when Zola's perfectly weighted pass put Lampard through, but the England midfielder's poor first touch allowed Keller to snatch the ball.

Chelsea's Marcel Desailly and Spurs Teddy Sheringham
Desailly and Sheringham show plenty of commitment

Petit's pass unravelled the centre of Spurs defence to send de Lucas through, only for the young Spaniard to hurry his shot wide with defenders closing in fast.

In first-half inury time, Cudicini showed good, clean handling to clasp Sheringham's well-struck free-kick.

Spurs created an opening at the start of the second-half, with Keane climbing to Carr's cross, only to plant his header on the roof of the net.

Cudicini then twice kept his side alive.

He first blocked point-blank from Gustavo Poyet after the Uruguayan muscled his way through.

For me, Carlo is the best keeper in the league

Chelsea's Frank Lampard

The Italian keeper then arched upwards to tip over Sheringham's volley from a training-ground corner routine.

Chelsea's reply saw Mario Melchiot flick a header against the inside of the post from Zola's viciously whipped free-kick.

Zola then curled a free-kick just wide after Freund fouled Eidur Gudjohnsen 23 yards out.

Tottenham: Keller, Perry, Richards, Bunjevcevic, Carr, Freund, Redknapp, Poyet (Acimovic 73), Davies, Sheringham (Ferdinand 90), Keane.
Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Etherington, Gardner.

Booked: Sheringham, Acimovic, Keller.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Desailly, Babayaro, Morris, Lampard, Petit, De Lucas (Oliveira 88), Hasselbaink (Gudjohnsen 44), Zola.
Subs Not Used: Pidgeley, Ferrer, Terry.

Booked: Morris, De Lucas.

Attendance: 36,049.

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).