Jamie Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle impressed with Chelsea's fight back against Tottenham

Mata: at the heart of things for Chelsea

Jamie Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle were both impressed by Chelsea's strength of character as they came from behind to beat Tottenham 4-2.

Juan Mata's second-half brace was key to the victory, as Roberto Di Matteo's charges roared back from 2-1 behind to improve their position at the top of the Premier League.

Sky Sports expert Glenn Hoddle was impressed with the Spaniard's display, but also hailed the impact of the other attacking players in the side.

"Mata, Hazard and Oscar were exquisite for Chelsea, they really were," he said.

" if they had faltered today and lost the game then maybe we would be sitting here asking if they needed John Terry and a bit of character, but they did it without him."
Glenn Hoddle

"It was a test for Chelsea. At 2-1 down you thought right, either those three are going to disappear from the game or they are going to step up a few levels and be the difference - and that is exactly what they did. They changed a game that looked at the time that Spurs were going to go away from it.

"We sometimes give Obi some stick but today that was the best I have seen him play in a Chelsea shirt. His use of the ball and seeing it and filling in whenever Luiz went was excellent."

Chelsea's win also proved to Hoddle what a great position manager Di Matteo is in as his side overcame the absence of suspended captain John Terry.

"I don't think they missed Terry today," he added.

"Defensively they looked solid and they have two of the best footballing centre halves in Cahill and Luiz.

"You are going to miss him for certain things and for games away from home - if they had faltered today and lost the game then maybe we would be sitting here asking if they needed John Terry and a bit of character, but they did it without him.

"The manager is in a great position. He has a depth in his squad in an attacking way, a creative way and in a defensive way."

Jamie Redknapp was also impressed with Chelsea's reaction and had high praise for Mata, in particular.

"When Tottenham went 2-1 up I looked at Glenn and said we are going to find out about Chelsea today? We did and they passed it with flying colours.

"They kept on playing and kept on believing. They did not have the option of hitting Drogba and they had to keep on playing the intricate football.

"Mata, the little maestro, has been under the radar. You could just see how fresh he was today. He has had a two-week break being in the Spain squad.

"He was involved in everything that Chelsea did - he was absolutely magnificent. He could have got four today, his head was always up."

It was a tough afternoon for Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas especially without Moussa Dembele and Gareth Bale.

But Hoddle was disappointed by their performance after taking the lead in the second half.

He said: "Jermain Defoe's goal was a real striker's instinct - at that stage, as Jamie said, we were wondering how Chelsea were going to respond.

"Spurs unfortunately went downhill from there and Chelsea raised their game. For me Bale and Dembele are therir star players, it was a big loss and it showed - particularly in the first half where they battled to break Chelsea down.

"Villas-Boas needs to go away and find a way of getting Adebayor in the team with Defoe - if he can get Adebayor playing like he was last year with Defoe then I think it will elevate Tottenham."