Chelsea, buoyed by their positive turn of fortunes in recent matches, face a monstrous Tottenham Hotspur side on Monday, November 6, 2023.
The Blues have won 4 out of their last six matches across all competitions, drawing 1 and losing 1.
Their last league fixture ended in a 2-0 defeat, served to them by Brentford, but they bounced back in midweek, recording a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Despite still languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table as Chelsea sit 11th on the log, they appear to be getting back their rhythm.
Pochettino takes Chelsea to face former club Tottenham Hotspur
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have also fared better against bigger oppositions this season, sharing the spoils, 2-2, with unbeaten Arsenal and settling for a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in their first game of the season.
For Tottenham Hotspur, after 10 matches played in the Premier League, they remain unbeaten and at the summit of the Premier League table.
They defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 in their last league encounter, with an own goal from Joel Ward and a perfectly taken strike by Son Heung-Min handing them the victory.
Jordan Ayew scored a consolation goal late in the 4th minute of additional time in the second 45 to halve the deficit.
However, having fully rested with no mid-week exertion, they look poised for the 3 points at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Having played teams like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool, their unbeaten status remains intact, but Monday, November 6, 2023, will be another opportunity to test their mettle.
Ange Postecoglou’s side haven’t firmly expressed their desire for the Premier League title, but with what they have shown thus far, they are looking like worthy challengers and not pretenders.
Monday provides another avenue to assess the capabilities of both clubs, for Chelsea it is about their rejuvenation, while for Spurs it is about their title credentials.
Tottenham Hotspur picked up 4 points out of a possible 6 from the Blues last season, winning 2-0 at their 1 billion pound ground, and drawing 2-2 at Stamford Bridge.
Team News For Tottenham Hotspur
Ben Davies is a doubt for the clash, as he exited the game against Crystal Palace at half-time due to a knock.
Destiny Udogie is also battling a muscle issue incurred in their 2-0 win over Fulham on October 23, 2023.
Emerson Royal could be called to deputize at left back in place of Davies and Udogie, with Ivan Perisic also sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon remain sidelined long-term, but Rodrigo Bentancur is expected to possibly feature for an extended period, having returned from an ACL injury against Palace.
Team News For Chelsea
Armando Broja and Mykhailo Mudryk are doubts for the visit to North London, with Christopher Nkunku also hoping to return fully from injury before the closing stages in November 2023.
Romeo Lavia and Ben Chilwell are also battling injuries, alongside Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, and Carney Chukwuemeka, who are all nursing long-term injuries.
Predicted Tottenham XI (4-3-3): Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison, Kulusevski, Johnson, and Son
Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez, Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Gallagher, Madueke, Palmer, Sterling, and Jackson
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Chelsea
Spurs are in a rich vein of form, tearing teams apart with reckless abandon, and Chelsea shouldn’t be much of a worry for them, although form goes out of the window in most derbies as such.
This is a London derby and Mauricio Pochettino’s side have also fared well against top opposition this campaign.
They might ruffle feathers, but Tottenham Hotspur have enough within them to secure a comfortable victory on their turf.
Kick-Off Time: 08:00 PM (BST)
