Chelsea’s tricky run of fixtures continues this weekend with a derby clash against Tottenham Hotspur in Matchweek 27 of the 2019/20 English Premier League season.
Chelsea’s tricky run of fixtures continues this weekend with a derby clash against Tottenham Hotspur in Matchweek 27 of the 2019/20 English Premier League season.
Chelsea vs Tottenham HotspurEPL Odds & Match Info |
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EPL betting | Chelsea -133.33 at Bovada | Draw +300 at Bovada | Spurs +320 at Bovada |
When | Saturday, February 22 at 12:30pm GMT |
Where | Stamford Bridge – Fulham, London |
Watch Live | BT Sport (UK), NBC SN (US), Optus Sport (AU) |
Chelsea’s tricky run of fixtures continues this weekend with a derby clash against Tottenham Hotspur in Matchweek 27 of the 2019/20 English Premier League season.
Monday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United made it four EPL games without a win for Frank Lampard’s Blues. That run of results has loosened their once-firm grip on fourth place, as Spurs need only a draw at Stamford Bridge to overtake them in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.
For Tottenham, Saturday’s jaunt across town poses several challenges. The short turnaround from Wednesday’s UCL loss to Red Bull Leipzig is less than ideal, while another injury to a star player means their depth will be tested.
Can Jose Mourinho snatch a win at his old hunting ground? Or will Chelsea find a way to flip their form line and consolidate their place in the top four?
N’Golo Kante will miss Tottenham’s visit with an adductor injury sustained in the loss to Man United. Andreas Christensen was also subbed off in that game after copping a stray elbow to the face, but the Danish defender is a chance to play on Saturday.
Tammy Abraham was left out on Monday night to give his troublesome ankle a rest, but the striker is expected to start this weekend. Ruben Loftus-Cheek played with the under-23 team during the week and could slide into the matchday squad to face Spurs.
The news is less promising for star playmaker Christian Pulisic, who remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Callum Hudson-Odoi is still working back from a hamstring issue, while Marco van Ginkel is some ways off a return to action.
Willy Caballero was a surprise selection in goal against Man United. Chelsea management confirmed the decision to pick the Argentine over Kepa Arrizabalaga was purely tactical, so it will be interesting to see who gets the nod this weekend.
Tottenham’s injury woes were compounded this week with the news that Son Heung-min will miss several key fixtures after undergoing surgery on a fractured arm. With Harry Kane sidelined until April, we can expect to see Dele Alli and Lucas Moura spend plenty of time in the forward third.
Ben Davies and Erik Lamela were minor doubts for Wednesday’s clash with RB Leipzig, but both players featured over the course of the 1-0 defeat. Lamela came off the bench in that game but could start ahead of Gedson Fernandes this weekend.
Moussa Sissoko is still out with a knee problem, while Juan Foyth is yet to shake off his groin complaint.
Spurs need goals, and so does Dele Alli. A prolific scorer when up and about, the England midfielder has found the back of the net in only one of his last seven EPL appearances. The absence of Kane and Son means Alli will play further forward than usual this week, so he should find a few opportunities. It is also worth noting the 23-year-old star has already scored six times against Chelsea in the EPL.
Both sides are missing key players, so it comes down to who can better cover their losses. Kane and Son are hard to replace, but you could say the same of Kante and Pulisic. Tottenham’s lack of attacking options – and the presence of Mourinho at the helm – points to a defensive approach from the visitors, meaning there could be value in taking unders on the goal line.