And we go again! The second half of the Premier League season kicks off with a cracking fixture – a London derby between Tottenham and Chelsea!
Spurs are on a strong run winning four of their last games in a row, and are determined to stop the scintillating Chelsea side from claiming their 15th successive league victory tonight.
Antonio Conte has made up his mind on the imminent changes for the starting line-up ahead of tonight’s game in the middle of the busy New Year schedule, making a total of two changes to the previous starting XI against Stoke City last Saturday.
Cesc Fabregas, who completed a milestone of a 100 Premier League assists to his name last weekend, is dropped to the bench and replaced by Nemanja Matic to partner N’Golo Kante deep in midfield. Marcos Alonso is fit to play and will naturally play on the left wing-back’s position, with Victor Moses on the right.
Willian, who scored a brace against Stoke last time out to secure Chelsea a terrific 4-2 win at the Bridge, remains on the right-hand side of the attacking trio with Pedro starting from the bench despite his recent two-goal performance against Bournemouth a week back. The Spaniard scored a sublime goal against Spurs in late November when the Blues climbed from behind to overcome the fellow Londoners 2-1. Diego Costa and Eden Hazard resume on their natural positions.
In the defence – nothing’s switched, as Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and captain Gary Cahill remain in the heart of the defence with Thibaut Courtois guarding between the sticks.
Here are the full team line-ups from both sides…
Tottenham
#THFC: Lloris (C), Walker, Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Kane. #COYS pic.twitter.com/c9Y0EESDIL
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 4, 2017
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Trippier, Wimmer, Sissoko, Winks, Son. #COYS
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 4, 2017
Chelsea
Chelsea team tonight: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c); Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard. #TOTCHE
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 4, 2017
Chelsea subs this evening: Begovic, Ivanovic, Zouma, Chalobah, Fabregas, Willian, Batshuayi. #TOTCHE
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 4, 2017
