First Manchester City and then Liverpool had taken over first place during Saturday’s matches.
However, it was the Blues who finished the evening one point ahead again after coming from behind as Spurs lost in the league for the first time in 13 games.
Christian Eriksen fired Tottenham into a 10th-minute lead with a fierce strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Despite plenty of possession, the visitors could not find a second and Chelsea levelled just before half-time when Pedro cut inside from the left to curl a sublime finish past Hugo Lloris into the far left corner.
Chelsea went ahead early in the second half when, on 51 minutes, Victor Moses knocked the ball home after Diego Costa had pulled it back across the face of goal following a powerful run down the left.
Earlier, Fernando Llorente struck two late goals as Swansea completed a remarkable 5-4 win over Crystal Palace at the Liberty Stadium to further increase the pressure on Eagles boss Alan Pardew.
Palace, hovering just outside the relegation zone, were in front after 19 minutes through Wilfried Zaha, before Gylfi Sigurdsson’s free-kick made it 1-1 on 36 minutes.
Zaha saw his header come back off the crossbar just before half-time and the Eagles were behind on 66 minutes when Leroy Fer scored.
The Dutchman quickly grabbed a second from close range in the 68th minute as Swansea then led 3-1.
However, James Tomkins set up a grandstand finale when he reduced the deficit with 15 minutes left before Zaha’s cross looped in off Swansea midfielder Jack Cork to equalise at 3-3 on 82 minutes.
Christian Benteke looked to have given the Eagles all three points when he put them 4-3 up on 84 minutes.
Llorente, though, equalised again in stoppage time, before then handing new Swansea manager Bob Bradley a first win as the final whistle blew on a remarkable match which saw the hosts move off the bottom.
Coutinho blow
Earlier Liverpool went top of the league briefly after a 2-0 win over Sunderland at Anfield.
The Reds lost Brazilian playmaker Phillippe Coutinho after just 33 minutes to what looked like an ankle injury.
Sunderland’s resistance was finally broken with 15 minutes left when his replacement Divock Origi cut inside from the left and curled a low drive into the far corner.
James Milner added a late second from the penalty spot in stoppage-time.
In Saturday’s early kick-off, Sergio Aguero scored twice as Manchester City’s makeshift side secured a 2-1 win at Burnley to temporarily take over at the summit.
Dean Marney’s first goal in the Premier League for seven years had put the Clarets ahead on 14 minutes.
Aguero levelled things up on 37 minutes, poking the ball in at the far post, and then put the visitors ahead on the hour with a scrappy close-range finish, which was enough to secure victory which temporarily lifted them two points clear of Chelsea.
Premier League champions Leicester snatched a 2-2 draw at home to Middlesbrough with a stoppage-time penalty from Islam Slimani.
Boro went ahead on 13 minutes through Alvaro Negredo.
The Foxes, who have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, levelled in the 31st minute when Riyad Mahrez converted a penalty.
On-loan Valencia forward Negredo, though, struck again on 71 minutes, but the Foxes salvaged an unlikely point in a dramatic finale.
Hull and West Bromwich Albion drew 1-1.
The Baggies, chasing a third straight Premier League win, took the lead on 34 minutes when Gareth McAuley headed in from a corner.
Hull, though, earned a point through an equaliser from Michael Dawson with 18 minutes left.