Tottenham, currently at the top of the league, secured their position with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace two Fridays ago. Meanwhile, Chelsea reached the EFL Cup quarter-finals by defeating Blackburn Rovers 2-0 in midweek. Tottenham's head coach, Ange Postecoglou, has warned Pochettino that he shouldn't expect a warm welcome from the home fans. However, if Tottenham continues their impressive performances, they might receive applause from other teams at the end of the season.
The recent match against Crystal Palace was a tough one for Tottenham. They struggled to break through the defensive lines, but an own goal by Joel Ward and a goal by Son Heung-min turned the game in their favor. Jordan Ayew's late goal for Crystal Palace was just a consolation. Postecoglou has set a remarkable record by earning 26 points from his first 10 games as a Premier League manager, a feat none of his predecessors achieved.
Currently leading the league by two points, Tottenham's top spot could be in jeopardy if Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool win over the weekend, potentially dropping Tottenham to fourth place by Monday. Postecoglou aims to become only the third Premier League head coach to remain unbeaten in his first 11 games, following Frank Clark and Maurizio Sarri.
Tottenham will also aim to secure a five-game winning streak in the Premier League, a feat they haven't accomplished since December 2018 when Pochettino was in charge. Pochettino's departure from the club may have had mixed feelings, but his homecoming should be welcomed warmly by the fans.
On the other hand, Chelsea has had some disappointing results in recent matches against London rivals. They squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Arsenal and had a frustrating match against Brentford, losing 2-0. However, they managed to restore some pride with a win in the EFL Cup last-16 against Blackburn.
Chelsea has struggled at Stamford Bridge recently, but they've performed better on the road, earning seven points in their last three away fixtures, albeit against lower-tier teams. However, their previous visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended in a 2-0 defeat, and it will be interesting to see how Pochettino approaches this match as he faces his former club.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Tottenham's manager, Ange Postecoglou, is facing a dilemma regarding his left-back position in the upcoming capital showdown on Monday. Destiny Udogie missed the last match against Palace due to a knock he suffered in the game against Fulham.His replacement, Ben Davies, also had to come off at halftime due to an ankle injury. Postecoglou has admitted that Davies is unlikely to be available for the upcoming match, but Udogie is making progress in his recovery and has a chance of being included in the lineup. In case neither of them passes their late fitness tests, Emerson Royal might step in as a makeshift left-back.
Several players are currently sidelined due to injuries, including Ivan Perisic (knee), Manor Solomon (knee), Alfie Whiteman (ankle), and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring). Postecoglou also faces a decision in the attack, with Brennan Johnson impressively setting up Son's goal against Palace shortly after replacing Richarlison.
Mauricio Pochettino, the Chelsea manager, can sympathize with Postecoglou's left-back concerns as Ben Chilwell will need a few more weeks to recover from a thigh injury. Chelsea will also be without Romeo Lavia (ankle), Wesley Fofana (knee), Christopher Nkunku (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh), and Carney Chukwuemeka (knee).
There is hope that Mykhaylo Mudryk will recover from his minor ailment in time for the match, but Pochettino has indicated that Armando Broja (knee) may only make the bench at best, despite having trained for a few days.
In addition, Chelsea's head coach has urged caution regarding Reece James, who was able to play for 61 minutes in the win over Blackburn. Axel Disasi might be deployed at right-back while Benoit Badiashile retains his central spot alongside the returning Thiago Silva.
POSSIBLE LINE UPS
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison, Johnson; Son
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher; Palmer, Jackson, Sterling
EXPERT PREDICTION
Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea
Historically, Tottenham tends to score multiple goals when playing at home, and Postecoglou's team has some scores to settle with their former head coach. Pochettino's reunion with the Lilywhites could turn out to be less than pleasant for him.
