The 23rd matchday in the English Premier League brings us the top match Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday at 17:30. Here, the third meets the fifth at London’s Stamford Bridge. The city rivals took 45 and 36 points so far, but Spurs played four games less than the Blues.
This is the third Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur duel within a few weeks. For: the two opponents faced each other in the Carabao Cup in the first half of the month. This time, the home side, with Thomas Tuchel on the sidelines, beat the team of their former coach Antonio Conte by a total score of 3-0.
On the other hand, in the EPL, the Blues have been waiting for a full success for four championship games. Here, they recorded three draws and one away defeat against the leaders Manchester City. Most recently, they experienced their second 1-1 within a few weeks against Brighton on Tuesday in an away match that was prescheduled due to the Club World Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur played a postponed match against Leicester City a day later and won 3-2. This was the Spurs’ sixth win in eight championship games. Furthermore, this represented the second league appearance of the year, which started with a 1-0 at Watford. Paul Tierney directs the match.
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What speaks for Chelsea?
- Prevailed in the Carabao Cup against the Spurs
- Won their first Premier League match of the season, even though Conte was not yet on the Spurs sidelines.
- Netted in all the last eight championship home matches so far
What speaks for Tottenham Hotspur?
- Won six of its last eight league games so far
- Upcoming opponents took just three points in recent four league appearances
- Conte is eager for a first win against his ex-club after the Carabao Cup defeats
Our betting tip:
- Tip: Under 2.5 goals
- Bookmaker: Betway
- Odds: 1.87
Expert analysis Chelsea
For the home side, this represents their final appearance in the Premier League before the Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. There, Chelsea will compete in the semi-finals on 9 February. A few days earlier, the Blues will host Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, in all likelihood with a much-changed starting line-up.
Consequently, Thomas Tuchel’s team played their match in the 24th matchday at Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday. Here, Chelsea gritted their teeth against the Seagulls for the second time in three weeks. As in the away game, the ninth-placed team drew 1-1, with the home side equalizing in the 60th minute and not immediately before the final whistle.
Thus, Chelsea has been waiting for a victory in the Premier League for four appearances now. Between the draws against Brighton & Hove Albion, the Blues experienced a 2-2 at home to second-placed Liverpool and a 0-1 defeat at leaders Manchester City.
Consequently, in their last six games against championship rivals, Chelsea won only the Carabao Cup against Tottenham Hotspur. The Blues beat their former coach Antonio Conte 2-0 at home and 1-0 away. Since both teams started with very different starting formations, these games represent only a limited yardstick. However, less than 2.5 goals were scored in all the most recent four competitive matches against Premier League clubs.
Tuchel is without five players for the Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur derby. Edouard Mendy is taking part in the Africa Cup with Senegal. Additionally, the injured Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James and Ben Chilwell miss out. Furthermore, Andreas Christensen is in doubt after a COVID-19 infection.
Expert analysis Tottenham Hotspur
For Tottenham Hotspur, the away game against Chelsea comes four days after a game of the 17th matchday against Leicester City. The Spurs, where Conte has been on the sidelines since the beginning of November, celebrated their sixth win in eight league games with a 3-2 at the tenth-placed Foxes.
In addition, this time visitors played their first Premier League match in three and a half weeks. Tottenham Hotspur, whose away game against Arsenal on Sunday had to be postponed, started the new year with a 1-0 at fourth-last Watford. In this, after a 1-1 draw at twelfth-placed Southampton, less than 2.5 goals were scored for the second time in a row.
And the same event occurred in the two duels Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup. Moreover, the three goals at Leicester City are not necessarily meaningful, as the Foxes have conceded 18 ones in their most recent eight championship games.
As it stands today, Conte must do without three players for the Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur derby. We are talking about Heung-Min Son, Eric Dier and Cristian Romero. They should make their comeback in early February.
Head-to-head comparison Chelsea – Tottenham Hotspur
In their first Premier League clash of the season, Chelsea celebrated a 3-0 away win over Tottenham Hotspur in mid-September. At that time, Nuno Espírito Santo stood on the sidelines at Spurs. Afterwards, these clubs from London met in the Carabao Cup in the first half of the month. Here, the Blues celebrated a 2-0 home success and a 1-0 away victory against their former coach Conte.
Our betting tip and the best odds
Before the Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur clash, the form curves in the Premier League would actually speak for the guests. However, the Spurs had to admit defeat against the Blues in the Carabao in January with scores of 0-2 and 0-1. Even if Tuchel and Conte sent very different teams onto the pitch in the cup, we prefer to be on the safe side.
However, in all of Chelsea’s last four competitive games against league rivals so far, less than 2.5 goals have been scored. Tottenham Hotspur did prevail 3-2 at Leicester on Wednesday, but the Foxes don’t really have a rock-solid defence. We would use the matches around the turn of the year at Southampton (1-1) and Watford (1-0) rather as yardsticks.
Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur – betting tip: Under 2.5 goals, odds 1.87 at bookmaker Betway
