Key events
Roberto De Zerbi also speaks to Sky. “James Maddison is a very important player … he brings personality, qualities, experience … a different position on the pitch … he’s a different player to Conor Gallagher or [Omar] Marmoush as a number ten … we have to find him in the right moment in the best position … [Dominic Solanke] felt fatigue after Coventry … I am lucky to have a big squad with many different solutions … so I took the decision [to rest him] but the game is 90 minutes.”
Xabi Alonso speaks to Sky Sports. “João Pedro felt something in training … it’s a disappointment … [Geovany] Quenda has many qualities … he attacks the space … a goal threat … he has been training well … he has been patient … this is a big game to make his debut as a starter … we want mobility … to be fluid … he has those qualities.”
The Talk. Some more scene-setting, courtesy of our fancy new(ish) column, which this week touches on Roberto De Zerbi’s confidence in Tottenham’s medical staff, and the Zen of Xabi.
The two 3pm kick-offs have finished. Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 while Fulham won 1-0 at Coventry City. Fourth-placed Chelsea can’t go anywhere tonight, up or down, unless they win by 14 goals; Fulham’s victory, coupled with Nottingham Forest’s point at Ipswich last night, has dumped Tottenham back in the bottom three, but a draw would take Spurs up to 15th, while a win would take them into 12th, or maybe even 11th if they go large to the tune of five goals. Some of this entry has got a bit silly, yes.
Autumn almanac. It’s tipping down at Stamford Bridge; it’s cold and windy; the clocks fall back tonight. Yes yes yes. Apologies for alluding to the work of a famous Arsenal fan in a Chelsea-Spurs live blog, but what can you do? The summer’s all gone.
Tottenham also make two changes to their starting line-up, after the 3-1 win over Coventry in the Monday Night Football. Mathys Tel and Mateus Fernandes are in; Dominic Solanke drops to the bench while Tosin Adarabioyo is absent altogether.
Chelsea make two changes to their starting XI following their 2-0 win at Everton last weekend. Geovany Quenda replaces the missing João Pedro up front, while in goal Mike Penders stands in for the stricken Emi Martinez.
The teams
Chelsea: Penders, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Hato, Henderson, Caicedo, Quenda, Rogers, Pedro Neto, Palmer.
Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Palestra, Fofana, Barco, Welbeck, Gusto, Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao, Lavia.
Tottenham Hotspur: Kinsky, Gray, van Hecke, van de Ven, Robertson, Fernandes, Tonali, Kudus, Maddison, Tel, Marmoush.
Subs: Dubravka, Senesi, Gallagher, Solanke, Kulusevski, Porro, Davies, Olusesi, Williams-Barnet.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
VAR: John Brooks
Preamble
Chelsea have won their last six Premier League matches against Tottenham Hotspur. It’s a run that goes back to February 2023. They’re also unbeaten in this particular fixture since 2018. They also have 83 wins over Tottenham, all in all, while Spurs boast just 55 victories in time. Throw in Chelsea’s far more assured start to this season, and when everything’s considered in the round, it’s kind of hard to see anything other than a home win here. Then again, Spurs played Manchester United off the park for the most part a fortnight ago, then registered their first Premier League win of the season last Monday over Coventry, so is there finally a little bit of wind in the Tottenham sail? Perhaps a crosstown stramash, in which they’re unburdened by too much expectation, is exactly what Roberto De Zerbi and his men need right now. Or will Xabi Alonso’s entertainers simply have too much in attack? It could be fun finding out. Kick-off is at 5.30pm BST. It’s on!
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