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Thiago Silva next to Drogba in Chelsea’s Premier League ranks
The Brazilian's effort against the Lilywhites saw him become the second oldest Blues player to find the net in an English top-flight game
At the age of 36 years and 362 days, Thiago Silva is the second oldest player after Didier Drogba to score a goal for Chelsea in a Premier League encounter.
The Brazilian centre-back capped an impressive display to inspire Thomas Tuchel’s Blues to a 3-0 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening.
In the entertaining encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the former Paris Saint-Germain star jumped above Dele Alli to head Marco Alonso’s corner kick beyond goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 49th minute.
Drogba holds the record at 37 years and 49 days after he found the net in the 3-1 defeat of Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on April 29, 2015.
The reigning Uefa Champions League winners completed the rout of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side courtesy of goals from N’Golo Kante and Antonio Ruediger.
Senegal international Edouard Mendy was not named in the squad following a slight knock suffered in the club’s 1-0 victory over Zenit St. Petersburg during the week, with Romelu Lukaku netting the only goal.
Morocco international Hakim Ziyech and former England youth international of Sierra Leonean descent Trevoh Chalobah were unused substitutes.
Silva had expressed a desire to emulate the efforts of AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini by playing on into his 40s.
"I hope I can do the same thing that Paolo Maldini did at Milan, playing until he was 40 or 41 years old,” he told the media earlier.
"That’s my plan for the immediate future. I have prepared myself for that and now at 36 years old I continue to play at a high level and that gives me a great deal of pride."
Chelsea now lead the Premier League log having accrued 13 points from five matches – although they are level on points with Liverpool and Manchester United.
For Tottenham Hotspur, they occupy the seventh position with nine points from the same number of outings.
Tuchel’s men – who are unbeaten in their last ten matches in all competitions – welcome Pep Guardiola’s Citizens to London on September 25.
Before then, they try Dean Smith’s Aston Villa for size in an English League Cup fixture three days earlier.
For the Lilywhites, they are guests of Arsenal in their next league fixture after locking horns with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup.
