Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham: Blues ease past Spurs in semi-final first leg on Antonio Conte's return to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea take a comfortable lead heading into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham after a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

A heavily-deflected Kai Havertz strike and a Ben Davies own goal following a misguided header from Japhet Tanganga were enough for the hosts in a game which Spurs boss Antonio Conte will want to quickly forget on his return to Stamford Bridge.

With Romelu Lukaku in the lineup, Chelsea started brightly and took an early lead following a glaring error from Tanganga. The Tottenham defender's loose pass looking for Emerson was intercepted by Marcos Alonso before he teed up Havertz, whose placed effort deflected off Davinson Sanchez's foot and into the net.

With Tottenham failing to register a shot on target in the first half and unable to retain a meaningful share of possession, the hosts continued to push for more goals and grabbed a second in the 35th minute thanks to another Tanganga error.

The 22-year-old attempted to head away Hakim Ziyech's dangerous free-kick, but instead it clattered off Davies and beyond the helpless Hugo Lloris in goal.

Tottenham began the second half much improved and Kepa Arrizabalaga was tested for the first time in the 48th minute when he parried away a Harry Kane free-kick.

Substitutes Tanguy Ndombele and Timo Werner both saw shots fly narrowly over the bar, while Lucas Moura and Hakim Ziyech later witnessed their acrobatic strikes go wide in an otherwise uneventful half.

Giovani Lo Celso saw a first-time near-post effort batted away by Kepa late on, while Lukaku's close-range shot in injury time lacked sufficient power to really test Lloris, and the hosts held on for an easy win.

Tottenham produced one of their most disappointing displays under Conte in what could prove to be a highly significant match in the context of their season.

Spurs' backline was leaky while the midfield line lacked any sort of creative spark. Their first-half performance was particularly bad.

Ndombele improved Tottenham's attacking threat in the second half, but the visitors did little to trouble Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel will be relieved to have got through the game so comfortably with a much-changed backline.

Conte will have to think carefully about what positive changes he can make to his line-up ahead of the second leg.

Ziyech was not called up to Morocco's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after reportedly falling out with head coach Vahid Halilhodzic, but he put in a fine display for his club side.

Tottenham's backline, which lacked any commanding aerial presence, struggled to deal with his trademark crosses into the box and the former Ajax winger was the main driving force in the hosts' attacking moves.

Chelsea: Arrizabalaga (7), Alonso (6), Sarr (5), Rudiger (6), Azpilicueta (6), Niguez (5), Jorginho (6), Mount (6), Ziyech (8), Havertz (7), Lukaku (6)

Subs: Werner (6), Kovacic (5), Loftus-Cheek (5), Pulisic (N/A), Vale (N/A)

Tottenham: Lloris (6), Emerson (5), Tanganga (3), Sanchez (5), Davies (4), Doherty (5), Hojbjerg (5), Skipp (5), Lucas (5), Son (5), Kane (5)

Subs: Ndombele (6), Winks (5), Lo Celso (N/A), Gil (N/A)

5' - GOAL! CHELSEA TAKE THE LEAD! An explosive start from Chelsea! Tanganga's limp pass looking for Emerson is intercepted by Alonso, he lays it off to the onrushing Havertz who looks to slot the ball into the bottom corner, but Sanchez's toe ultimately directs it into the net. Chelsea have the early lead!

35' - OWN GOAL! DAVIES SCORES AN OWN GOAL! Nightmare for Tanganga! A free-kick into the box from Ziyech is headed clear by Tanganga under little pressure, but it is blocked by Davies before the ball crashes into his own net! That's two glaring errors which have led to goals from the young centre back and Chelsea have a comfortable lead!

41' - OPPORTUNITY FOR LUKAKU! Ziyech, who has been threatening all evening, plays a dangerous cross into the box which Lukaku meets with a glancing header, but he heads just wide of Lloris' right post.

90+3' - CHANCE FOR LUKAKU! The Belgian turns and shoots inside the box, but he cannot get sufficient power behind is strike and it rolls into the arms of Lloris.