Team
news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Tottenham in the Premier
League on Sunday, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 4.30pm).
Team news
Christian Pulisic could return for Chelsea having beaten his latest
hamstring issue. Pulisic is back in training but boss Frank Lampard is not
sure whether the USA forward is yet back to full match fitness.
Kai Havertz is working back to full sharpness having completed his
self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.
Tottenham will be without centre-back Toby Alderweireld after he suffered a
groin injury during last weekend's 2-0 win over Manchester City. Welsh
defender Joe Rodon replaced the Belgian late on and could be given a full
debut.
Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga are other alternatives. Hugo Lloris,
Giovani Lo Celso and Steven Bergwijn are expected to be part of the squad
but Erik Lamela (Achilles) remains out.
Jones Knows prediction
Huge match. Although Chelsea have hit a purple patch of form, I feel this is
a great time for Tottenham to head to west London.
Not only will the players be bursting with confidence in the way the team
structure is working, Chelsea's hold over them at Stamford Bridge - losing
just one of the last 34 meetings - is null and void due to the
behind-closed-doors factor. This game is usually played in a hatred filled,
ferocious atmosphere which Chelsea have fed off to their advantage - not
this time.
In these big games between teams with title ambitions, my immediate instinct
is to see whether the draw is the biggest price of all three match outcomes.
In this case it is. A stalemate suits both parties and if the game is level
with 30 minutes to play we could see a repeat of what happened between
Manchester City and Liverpool where the game fizzled out completely.
Since the start of Spurs' four-game winning run, only Jack Grealish - in a
league of his own in terms of drawing opposition - has won more fouls in the
Premier League than Harry Kane.
From a betting perspective, this significantly increases the likelihood of
opposition players within his vicinity picking up yellow cards.
N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma all are going to be
tasked with stopping Kane getting into dangerous positions. A tactic
employed by Frank Lampard's side when the two teams met in December last
year, a game Chelsea won 2-0. Zouma, especially, was very aggressive in the
way he engaged Kane to the extent he was booked for a thumping challenge
with 33 minutes gone. He is 9/2 to get a card. That is well worth jumping
on.
JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-1 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
Chelsea have won their last three Premier League games against Spurs, more
than they had in their previous eight against them (W2 D2 L4). They last won
more consecutively against them in the competition between January 2000 and
March 2002 (six games).
Tottenham have won just one of their last 34 away games against Chelsea in
all competitions (D11 L22), losing the last three in a row since a 3-1
victory in April 2018.
Spurs have kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 away matches against
Chelsea in all competitions, a 0-0 draw in March 2012.
Chelsea (seven, level with Southampton) and Tottenham (eight) are on the
current longest unbeaten runs in the Premier League, with Spurs one of three
sides with a 100 per cent away record in the competition so far this term.
Since the start of 2018-19, Chelsea have won eight of their 10 home London
derbies in the Premier League (D1 L1), dropping points in consecutive games
last season against West Ham (0-1) and Arsenal (2-2).
Tottenham have won all four of their Premier League away games so far this
season - only four teams have ever won their first five on the road in a
Premier League campaign (Newcastle in 1994-95, Charlton in 2005-06, Chelsea
in 2008-09 and Man City in 2017-18). Meanwhile, Spurs have only done this
once in their top-flight history, doing so in their last title-winning
season of 1960-61.
Tottenham are looking to win five consecutive Premier League games for the
first time since December 2018. The Lilywhites will have been top of the
Premier League table for at least seven days this season, more than they had
in their previous 10 campaigns combined (6 days between 2010-11 and
2019-20).
Tottenham boss José Mourinho has lost both of his Premier League meetings
with Chelsea manager Frank Lampard - the Portuguese has never lost three
consecutive league matches against the same manager or club before.
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is looking to score in three consecutive
Premier League games for the first time since September 2019. He has scored
18 Premier League goals since the start of last season, twice as many as any
other player for the Blues.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane has been involved in 16 Premier League goals
this season (seven goals, nine assists), more than any other player. He is
averaging a goal or assist every 50 minutes so far in the competition this
term.
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