Chelsea dropped more points in their quest to climb back up the Premier League standings as Serge Aurier earned Nottingham Forest a 1-1 draw with Graham Potter's side on Sunday while Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of regaining their place in the top four were scuppered as they suffered a demoralising 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa.
Fresh from their first league win in six games last time out against Bournemouth, Chelsea started well in the Nottingham drizzle, with Raheem Sterling firing them into the lead in the 16th minute with his first league goal since August.
Forest improved after the break and were desperately unlucky not to equalise early in the second half as Morgan Gibbs-White's drilled half volley hit the underside of the crossbar but bounced on the goal line and away.
The hosts kept coming and deservedly levelled things up as Aurier slotted home his first goal for his new club in the 63rd minute, with Forest looking the more likely winner from there on in.
They could not complete the turnaround, however, with Chelsea hanging on for a point that leaves them eighth in the standings, seven points behind Manchester United in fourth.
The hosts remain in the relegation zone but climbed to 18th, level on 14 points with West Ham United above them.
"I think overall when the game was controlled in the first half I don't think we did well enough, our performance level wasn't good enough, didn't move the ball fast enough," Potter said.
"They use their advantages which is the environment, the crowd. The second half we didn't control it well enough."
Chelsea needed the reset that the World Cup gave them, given they had gone on their longest league run without a win, five, in 10 years prior to the tournament.
It appeared they had turned the corner after the Bournemouth win and their impressive start at the City Ground. They nearly broke the deadlock in just the second minute as Mason Mount fired over from a good position.
The visitors went one better through Sterling after Christian Pulisic's cross had looped onto the crossbar and the England forward hammered home the rebound.
Chelsea continued to remain in control until the break, with Pulisic wasting a good chance to make it two just before the interval, firing straight at home goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Brennan Johnson saw one first half effort saved, but missed an even more gilt-edged opportunity early in the second period, firing too close to Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from a good position.
Gibbs-White was causing Chelsea all kinds of problems, firing against the crossbar before playing a big part in Aurier's equaliser, curling over a corner the visitors could not clear and former Tottenham Hotspur full back pounced.
Chelsea substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should have done better with a late header, but it would have been harsh on the home side, who more than warranted at least a point from the contest.
"I know we didn't win today but it was a good reference point that we can play against the big teams in the league," Forest coach Steve Cooper said. "We're in control of our destiny and we have to keep building."
Tottenham's top four hopes suffer blow
Without the injured Dejan Kulusevski, Antonio Conte's lacklustre side were devoid of inspiration with his replacement Bryan Gil given little chance to shine having been handed his first Premier League start.
Villa then punished Tottenham's porous defence after the break with goals from Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz.
Tottenham's France keeper Hugo Lloris, playing his first game since losing the World Cup final, was at fault for Buendia's 50th-minute opener. And when Luiz added a second in the 73rd minute, home fans began streaming towards the exits.
Chants against Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy rang out and it could have got worse as Villa sauntered to only a third win in their last 22 Premier League clashes with the Londoners.
Tottenham were booed off at the final whistle as defeat left them in fifth place with 30 points from 17 matches, two points behind Manchester United who have a game in hand, and 13 behind local rivals and leaders Arsenal.
Villa's third win in four league games since former Arsenal manager Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in November left them in 12th place with 21 points.
Conte performed wonders to seal a top-four finish last season having taken charge in November 2021, but on Sunday's evidence they have slipped backwards.
The Italian's sides are usually built on solid defence but Tottenham have now conceded at least two goals in seven successive top-flight games for the first time since 1988.
"I'm sure that if we don't concede the goal, we could win the game instead," Conte said. "The goal that we conceded killed us in confidence. We have to fight and show that we are strong. The league will be very difficult for us."
LACKING SPARK
If any of the fans that braved transport problems to spend New Year's Day at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium needed some extra sleep, they had ample opportunity in a dreadful first half. Tottenham were slow in possession and lacking any attacking spark while Villa were equally unadventurous.
Villa keeper Robin Olsen, who surprisingly kept his place ahead of Argentina hero Emiliano Martinez, was untroubled and three yellow cards in the space of 10 minutes for Tottenham, including one for returning World Cup winner Cristian Romero, was about the only talking point for the opening 37 minutes.
Tottenham finally created a chance when Ivan Perisic was played through on goal and forced wide by Olsen. Perisic managed to hoist a cross towards Harry Kane whose weak header was on target but cleared off the line by a diving Ashley Young.
At least Tottenham avoided trailing at halftime for a sixth match in a row but they fell behind for the seventh successive Premier League game five minutes after the restart.
Lloris spilled a shot by Luiz and Ollie Watkins was alert to nip in and pick out Buendia who slotted his shot inside the post to the joy of the Villa fans.
Conte's Tottenham side have earned 14 points from losing positions this season and almost responded when Perisic wasted a good opportunity for an equaliser.
But it was Villa who looked more threatening and they doubled their advantage when captain John McGinn threaded a ball in to Luiz who flicked a neat finish past Lloris.
Emery was full of praise for Olsen who barely had a shot to save but insisted Martinez remains Villa's number one.
"It was our plan to give him a rest but we are working with Robin too, to give him confidence," Emery told reporters.
