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Tottenham v Chelsea – Preview & Your Predictions

By Billy -

Chelsea will look to welcome in the new year with a victory away at rivals Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow evening. 

Date: Thursday, Jan 1st  Venue: White Hart Lane  KO: 17:30 GMT  TV: Sky

Chelsea continue their tricky run of festive fixtures away to Tottenham on Thursday.

Both sides come into the game on the back of draws over the weekend, with Tottenham drawing at home to Man Utd and Chelsea labouring to a point away to Southampton.

The Blues somehow still top the table, after Manchester City were shocked by Burnley as the minnows came back from two goals down at the Etihad to take away a point.

Chelsea’s hosts on Thursday meanwhile sit in seventh place, but are just two points away from the top four that has eluded them so often, so will be looking for a victory to push them up the table.

Mourinho’s men are, however, expected to extend their brilliant first half to the season over the remainder of the campaign, particularly as they have won the league whenever they’ve been top at New Year, as they currently are.

Chelsea will be encouraged by their recent form against Tottenham; unbeaten in their last nine league meetings with their North London rivals.

However, they have dropped points in three of their last four away games, including their first loss of the season away to Newcastle.

The Blues had no trouble disposing of Tottenham in the reverse fixture though, comfortably beating Pochettino’s men 3-0 at the Bridge in early December.

At the Lane, Chelsea don’t have a brilliant record, winning just one of their last eight games in the white half of North London.

They were unbeaten against Spurs last season also, with a massive 4-0 victory at home after a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, where Chelsea came from behind to frustrate their opponents.

Team News

Both sides are likely to make changes from the respective draws over the weekend, with Oscar, Willian and Azpilicueta set to return to the Chelsea lineup.

Meanwhile, Tottenham may welcome back Lamela, Lennon and Kyle Walker after they missed the stalemate against Man United.

Both sides have a clean bill of health in their first team and should be fresh after a few days rest since their games over the weekend, so it’s lined up to be an intriguing game.

Match Facts

  • Chelsea have won 25 Premier League games against Tottenham, only Man United with 29 wins have a better record against them
  • Cesc Fabregas has registered 10 assists v Tottenham Hotspur; the most he has managed against an opponent in the PL
  • After winning 2-0 on his first two trips to Tottenham, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is without a win in his last two visits to White Hart Lane
  • Spurs have conceded five penalties in the league this season, the most in the top flight
  • Chelsea have lost just one of their last 13 Premier League away matches (W8, D4, L1)
  • Didier Drogba has scored four goals and assisted five more in his last nine league games against Spurs

Source: Opta/BBC

Your Predictions

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