Chelsea manager Frank Lampard launched a staunch defence of Antonio Rudiger after Jose Mourinho blamed the German defender for Heung-Min Son’s red card.
Willian scored a brace in the first half to give Chelsea a two-goal lead at the break but Spurs improved after the restart and were pushing to get a goal.
However, their hopes of a comeback in the game were ended when Son was sent off for kicking out at Rudiger.
Referee Anthony Taylor missed the incident but VAR intervened to judge that it was a moment of violent conduct from the attacker.
Mourinho appeared to mock Rudiger in his post-match press conference, saying: ‘Rudiger for sure is having scans in the hospital over broken ribs because such a violent situation,’ said Mourinho.
‘In some countries like mine with my culture we used to say clever player but in this country and one of reasons I fell in love in 2004 is that we don’t call them clever we call them other things… which I refuse to call.’
However, Lampard took exception at the claim from his former boss and said he wouldn’t have a ‘single word’ said about Rudiger’s role in the incident.
‘It was a red card. It was a red card. I don’t know how much you’re expected to make out of it,’ said Lampard.
‘I think Son is a great player and from the outside looks like a great person but sometimes in football you have instinctive moments that happen – a bit of a reflex.
‘Maybe sometimes in games where it’s tough and it’s going against you a little bit and I think it was that moment. But I won’t have any word said about how Antonio Rudiger dealt with that.’
