On November 29th Chelsea will face off against arch-rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, with both sides in red hot form. The Blues are unbeaten in their last ten games in all competitions while Spurs showed their title aspirations in the win against Manchester City last time out.
Preview
The Blues invested heavily and went all-in during the summer transfer window and piece’s of the jigsaw are starting to settle on Frank Lampard’s team. Carrying on the momentum from clinching a spot in the Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, the London side are currently on an unbeaten streak of seven league games.
However, the competition will be intense this season and Sunday’s match is against someone who Chelsea and their fans know well; Jose Mourinho. Or the Special One.
Spurs have lost only one game so far this season in the league and sit at the top of the table alongside Liverpool on goal difference. Summer signings, Sergio Reguilon and Gareth Bale are starting to fall into a rhythm with Mourinho’s tactics and could give Spurs what they have always strived for, championships. Both triumphs against Manchester teams prove Tottenham have what it takes to break the wall but consistency will be key for Spurs moving forward.
Battle of Stamford Bridge
Whenever Chelsea and Tottenham meet, games tend to go down to the wire. Every game is frenetic and animated. The historic bad blood between both teams and fanbases give the match a reputation like no other and makes up for great entertainment for the spectator. Nobody will want to miss this game. The cherry at the top of the cake is that both clubs have a chance to go into a busy Christmas period sat at the top of the tree.
Last Encounters
Lampard and Mourinho have already met this season in the Carabao Cup. Spurs moved into the next round on penalties after the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. The away side on that occasion was Chelsea who stole an early lead inside the opening 20 minutes, with new signing, Timo Werner bagging his first goal for the club since his arrival from RB Leipzig.
Mourinho’s side did get the equaliser in the 83rd minute, thanks to Erik Lamela and came after an enthralling on-slaught from the North London side. English international, Mason Mount crucially missed his spot-kick which saw Spurs advance into the next round.
Chelsea are unbeaten in three on the head-to-head with Spurs, beating them home and away last season. Other than the recent Carabao Cup win, Tottenham’s last win in the league against Chelsea came when Antonio Conte was still in the hot-seat at Stamford Bridge in the Spring of 2018.
The Ones to Watch
Both teams have added some firepower to their teams and a host of star players are set to take the stage. Chelsea’s new acquisitions are well documented and will be put up for a stern test on Sunday. Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz will all experience their first taste of the London Derby and will see first hand the toughness and grind this game requires. Werner and Havertz did not have their best outing when hosting Liverpool earlier this season and will now try to show they are big-game players.
Inside battles and match-ups between positions is going to be hotly contested, with Ziyech going up against Reguilon who halted Riyad Mahrez last weekend which earned him a special treat from his manager. A £500 ham!
The former England midfielder has been trying to mould both his new signings and academy prospects together but for Lampard, his home-grown youth in Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James have been fundamental to this run his team have gone on.
Spurs’ most appealing players are their front-three, having Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane in great form and are looking more menacing as each game week comes along. The South-Korean tallies nine goals so far this season, whereas the English striker has netted seven. Not to be forgotten, but Kane has been instrumental connecting his side together, assisting nine times this season and got four in one game as they ran riot past a Southampton side. Gareth Bale continues his re-integration to White Hart Lane and is starting to pick up from where left off before his departure to Spain.
With a chance to sit at the top of the table at stake for both sides, will the master take all three points or will the apprentice spoil the party?
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