Tottenham Hotspur denied Chelsea a record 14th consecutive Premier League win and loosened its grip on the title race as two Dele Alli headers secured a 2-0 victory at a rocking White Hart Lane on Wednesday. After Tottenham's own title dream last season ended in a tumultuous 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in May, there was a particular satisfaction that it stopped the Chelsea bandwagon. Arsenal still holds the record for consecutive Premier League wins although its streak included 13 at the end of 2001-02 and one more at the beginning of the following campaign. Conte's side was not at its best although there was little between the sides in a high-tempo derby that thankfully never descended into the kind of indiscipline that resulted in 12 bookings in the Bridge battle of last season. The 50th Premier League clash between the London rivals was an engrossing tactical affair with chances at a premium. In the end it was decided by two carbon-copy goals either side of halftime — both created by the precision of Tottenham's Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen. It was one of his trademark deliveries that led to Tottenham's opener in first-half stoppage time. Given too much time to pick his spot, he whipped in a right-footed cross that Alli headed past Thibaut Courtois. Chelsea upped the pace at the start of the second half and Eden Hazard wasted their best chance when he stooped to head a bouncing ball wide at the far post under no pressure. Alli showed him how to do it minutes later when Eriksen again sent in a lethal cross and the young England midfielder found too much space to head past Courtois. After a slow start to the season Alli now has 10 goals and has netted seven in his last four games. Tottenham's fifth consecutive victory lifted it from fifth to third with 42 points from 20 games, ahead of Man City on goal difference and one point above Arsenal. Chelsea, who could have set a new record for consecutive wins during a single season, still leads second-placed Liverpool by five points after 20 games with Tottenham seven adrift. Rodriguez shines James Rodriguez made the most of a rare start for Real Madrid on Wednesday, scoring twice in a convincing 3-0 win over Sevilla in a first-leg match in the Copa del Rey's Round of 16. Less than a month after he called for more playing time and said he might leave the club if things didn't change, the Colombian midfielder got to start at the Santiago Bernabeu. And his performance showed that Rodriguez believes he should still be considered for a place in Zinedine Zidane's regular starting lineup. He opened the scoring with a low, left-foot shot from outside the area in the 11th minute, and netted his second by converting a penalty just before halftime after Luka Modric had been fouled inside the area. Defender Raphael Varane scored the other goal with a header from the middle of the area in the 29th, as Madrid extended its unbeaten streak to 38 games — one short of the Spanish record set by Luis Enrique's Barcelona last season. Zidane, celebrating one year at Madrid's helm, had downplayed Rodriguez's complaints following the Club World Cup in December, saying he counted on the talented midfielder going forward. He included Rodriguez in Wednesday's lineup after resting some of the regular starters, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Also Wednesday, Real Sociedad earned a 3-1 home win against Villarreal in another matchup between teams near the top of the Spanish league table — Villarreal is fourth, one spot ahead of Real Sociedad. In a game between second-division clubs, Alcorcon and Cordoba played to a scoreless draw. — Agencies
