Date: Sunday 19th September 2021
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Kick-off: 16:30 BST
Today’s game sees Chelsea travel across the capital to
face Spurs at the originally named Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
We arrive for this one having lost just one of our last
15 away matches in all competitions and scoring in the last six away from home.
We also come into today’s game having won in the league to Villa last weekend
and getting our Champions League defence off to a decent start Tuesday night
with a win at home to Zenit St Petersburg.
Spurs will have been particularly disappointed with
their battering by Crystal Palace last weekend because they were convinced their
previous three wins had virtually guaranteed them the title. The 2-2 draw with Rennes in the Europa Conference League
midweek might not have perked them up much either. They’re not half as ropey at
home though, with five goals and none conceded in their three wins out of the
blocks this season. They’ve won 11 of their last 13 games at home in all
competitions and despite the repeated woe-laden injury narrative we’re hearing,
it doesn’t look as if they’ll be that short on first team players this
afternoon.
Whatever is being said ahead of the game, with four
defeats to us from the last five Premier League meetings, they’ll have as many
back as possible four our latest bun-fight.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, says “It’s at home, and we’ll
have our fans behind us. We’ll compete. It will be tough, but we’ll be ready
for it. Chelsea are a very good team, of course, every team in the Premier
League is tough. Tonight (Thursday) we proved football becomes harder and
harder, because every place you go, teams give everything they have. So, we
have to match these situations and try to improve on our quality. We are on the way. We want to build and
become stronger.”
Thomas Tuchel, meanwhile, says “I’m not
saying we’re not playing well, we can play better but we are tough to beat. A
win helps with atmosphere, keep calm and also be open to criticism. In the
moment, I feel everybody is aware that we can do better. We are not really bad
but we can do better. I didn’t expect us to be at our top level early in
September, especially after this pre-season and Covid. For me at the moment, it
is more important that we are competitive, we play relentless and have belief
to overcome difficult minutes and periods within games. It is always a good
time to play Tottenham as it is a big match and rivalry. It is one of the
matches you want to play.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Tottenham, Japhet Tanganga
(suspended) and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) are out, whilst Son Heung-min (calf)
and Eric Dier (dead leg) are doubts, along with with Steven Bergwijn and Lucas
Moura, who both sustained injuries in their Europa Conference League game. Giovani
Lo Celso, Cristian Romero and Davinson Sanchez have been in quarantine but may
be back for today’s game.
For Chelsea, Christian
Pulisic (ankle) is out but N’Golo Kante is available following injury.
TEAMS
TOTTENHAM (Possible
line-up): Lloris; Emerson, Sanchez, Romero, Reguilon;
Hojbjerg, Skipp; Gil, Alli, Son; Kane
CHELSEA (Possible line-up):
Mendy;
Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; James; Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso; Mount, Havertz;
Lukaku
LAST SEASON
Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea (4th February 2021)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
TOTTENHAM: WWWL
CHELSEA: WWDW
OTHER STUFF
- Tottenham have won only seven of the 58 Premier
League meetings.
- Chelsea can win three successive Premier League
matches versus Spurs for the first time since 2005.
- Tottenham are vying to open their campaign with
three wins at home for the first time since 2002.
- Tottenham have won eight of their past 10 league
games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, keeping six clean sheets.
- Tottenham have conceded a club record 103 Premier
League goals against Chelsea
- Chelsea have only conceded one goal in the Premier
League so far this season
- Tottenham could lose three London derbies in a row
for the first time in 16 years.
- Chelsea could win six successive London derbies
away from home for the first time in their history.
PREDICTION
BBC Sport: Tottenham 1-2 Chelsea
Sky Sports: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea
Sportsmole: Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea