Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur

Stamford Bridge sets the stage for an all-London Premier League encounter between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea entered the international break with three defeats from their last six PL matches (W3). However, with Manchester City and Newcastle facing the same fortunes, they retained fourth place despite inconsistent form. Enzo Maresca’s side cannot continue to drop points if they’re to secure a first top-four finish in three years. Their last eight league games saw four home wins and four away losses, so they’ll aim to extend that trend for one more round against a familiar foe. Chelsea have won nine of their last 12 league meetings with Tottenham (D2, L1), including the last three by a 10-4 aggregate score. That’s not to mention they have beaten Spurs more times in the Premier League (36) than any other opponent.

In the meantime, the visitors have endured a dismal campaign, languishing a whopping 13 points off the top six pre-round. As a result, they face their worst Premier League finish in 15 years, with a poor record in London derbies among the key factors stalling their progress. Indeed, Spurs have earned a joint league-low ten points from nine such matches (W3, D1, L5). Boss Ange Postecoglou cannot afford to neglect the league, especially with the unwanted prospect of becoming the first Tottenham manager to lose his first four Premier League meetings with Chelsea looming over him. Avoiding that feat could be easier said than done, with Spurs losing four of their last five competitive away games (W1).