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Chelsea succumbed 2-3 at London rivals West Ham United in the Premier League at the London Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors drew first blood with Thiago Silva's header before West Ham restored parity in the 40th minute, courtesy Manuel Lanzini's penalty. Mason Mount then restored Chelsea's lead on the cusp of half-time.
However, West Ham scored two unanswered goals in the second half to stun the league leaders. Jarrod Bowen put the hosts back on level terms in the 56th minute before a freak goal by Arthur Masuaku three minutes from time completed a memorable comeback.
The loss means Chelsea will cede top spot if Liverpool and Manchester City, who are in action later today, win their respective games. On that note, here's a look at five talking points from the game:
#5 Another day, another defender scores for Chelsea
Thiago Silva opened the scoring with a fine header. He did everything right from Mason Mount's corner, connecting well to divert the outswinging ball into the net. Silva was virtually unchallenged, as no West Ham player marked him in the buildup.
It was the first goal scored by a defender for The Blues this month, and 12th in the ongoing Premier League campaign. Chelsea have had 16 different goalscorers in the league this season, more than any other team.
Their four main defenders - Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Reece James and Ben Chilwell - have combined for 11 goals. That is more than what Chelsea's attackers and midfielders have conjured in the league this term.
#4 Chelsea concede thrice for the first time this season
Chelsea had the best defensive record across Europe's top five leagues before the international break. But their defensive solidity has taken a hit in recent outings, conceding in three of their last four Premier League games.
West Ham brought their A-game to this London derby and beat Edouard Mendy thrice in the game. There was not much he could be done against Bowen's left-footed strike in the second half, But Chelsea have themselves to blame for West Ham's opener.
The ever-reliant Edouard Mendy made an error, which led to a penalty for the hosts. After receiving a ball back from Jorginho, the keeper failed to clear. Jarrod Bowen put pressure on the keeper to earn a penalty, and bring his team on level terms.
Chelsea would go on to concede twice more after the break. That marked the third time in over 50 games under Thomas Tuchel that The Blues conceded more than once in a game. It was the first time Chelsea conceded twice in a match.
Chelsea's defensive slump is probably because their full-backs do not track back in time, despite being excellent in the final third. That leaves Blues with a numerical disadvantage against counter-attacks.
With the loss, The Blues' 12-game unbeaten run across competitions drew to a close.
#3 Mason Mount getting back to his best
Mason Mount scored a beauty for Chelsea against West Ham United. But the league leaders conceded twice in the second half to suffer their first Premier League defeat since September.
Though Chelsea had a poor outing against their city rivals, Mount has now scored twice in as many league games. It was a superb finish from the England international to put the visitors back in front after West Ham had made it 1-1.
Mount was very clinical in the game. He had three shots on target and created four key passes. Only Michail Antonio matched Mount's creativity with four key passes. Mount was also the provider for Silva's goal before getting on the scoresheet himself.
As Chelsea's performances take a hit ahead of the busy schedule this month, Mount's return to form is a good sign.
#2 West Ham deliver another impressive performance against a top-six side
West Ham recorded their first win in four league games, displaying great resilience to record a comeback win against Chelsea.
They did not have a great start to the game, especially in the opening thirty minutes. They conceded an avoidable goal from a corner after sitting back and inviting Chelsea pressure.
West Ham soon drove forward, with Antonio and Bowen. They impressed with their tireless displays and tormented the Chelsea defence, especially in the second half. Antonio had four key passes and also picked up the assist for Masuaku's fluke winner. Bowen earned the penalty that led to his team's first goal, before scoring the equaliser in the second half with his only shot on target.
Across all competitions, West Ham have now beaten Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
#1 Chelsea's form a cause for concern
Chelsea have dropped points in three of their last five games in the Premier League. That comes after stalemates against Manchester United and Burnley.
Their defence that has been their strength this campaign, has looked a bit shoddy in recent outings. They have not kept a clean sheet in four of their last five league games.
Moreover, Chelsea's gameplay has become predictable. They attacked a lot from the flanks and rarely created chances down the middle. They created few chances from open play, as West Ham thwarted the visitors on the flanks. However, they failed to mark Hakim Ziyech on the left flank, and his pass across the field led to Chelsea's second goal.
Fortunately, Chelsea have a kind run of fixtures ahead, and could regain form before their clash against Liverpool in the new year.
