Chelsea's head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, is facing his former club, Tottenham, after witnessing his team rally from a two-goal deficit to draw against Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Tottenham's narrow loss to Arsenal in the North London derby left them regretting a sloppy first half.
Chelsea's game against Aston Villa seemed over at halftime, with a 2-0 scoreline against them, partly due to a blundered own goal and a strike from Morgan Rogers. However, Chelsea roared back with goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher to level the score. Fans erupted when Axel Disasi's apparent winning goal was disallowed due to a VAR review, leaving Chelsea players fuming and denying them a remarkable comeback.
Gallagher, who was disappointed after the match, noted that Chelsea's winless streak continued, but they remain ninth in the standings and within reach of European competition next season. Chelsea has had some strong performances at home recently, winning five of their last six games at Stamford Bridge while scoring multiple goals in each, although their defense has been shaky, letting in more than two goals in all but one of those matches.
Tottenham, on the other hand, comes into the game after a frustrating loss to Arsenal, where they scored twice but couldn't capitalize on a chaotic second half. Their manager, Ange Postecoglou, has seen his team struggle with set-pieces and inconsistency, leading to two consecutive losses. Spurs are currently seventh in the standings but need to make up ground to ensure a top-four finish.
Adding to Tottenham's troubles, their away record has been poor lately, with just two wins in the last 10 away games and only one goal scored in their previous three road matches. Their defense has been leaky, conceding 52 goals so far this season. The memory of their 4-0 thrashing by Chelsea earlier in the season lingers, and Spurs' record at Stamford Bridge is dismal, with just one win in 33 matches.
Thursday's match could be a goal-filled spectacle, given Chelsea's attacking success at home and Tottenham's recent defensive issues. Both teams are eager to make up for recent setbacks, and the stage is set for a thrilling London derby.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
During the final minutes of Chelsea's game against Aston Villa, Thiago Silva had to leave the field due to a groin injury. Silva, who announced in an emotional video that he's leaving Chelsea this summer, likely won't recover in time for Thursday's match.Chelsea's medical room is quite busy, with Silva joining a list of injured players that includes Wesley Fofana (knee), Reece James (thigh), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Lesley Ugochukwu (thigh), Malo Gusto (knee), Ben Chilwell (knee), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), and Enzo Fernandez, who recently had surgery for a hernia.
Raheem Sterling (back), Robert Sanchez (unspecified), Christopher Nkunku (thigh), and Levi Colwill (toe) are also questionable and will be re-evaluated soon. With Silva's absence, Axel Disasi might get another chance in defense.
Meanwhile, for Tottenham, former Chelsea player Timo Werner, currently on loan at RB Leipzig, suffered a hamstring injury during the defeat to Arsenal, so he's unlikely to face his old team this week.
He joins Tottenham's list of absentees alongside Destiny Udogie (thigh), Fraser Forster (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), and Manor Solomon (knee). Oliver Skipp might return from a minor knock, but he's not the first choice for a midfield substitution. Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma are the preferred options, while Brennan Johnson and Richarlison will compete to replace Werner in the attack.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea possible starting lineup:Petrovic; Chalobah, Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Richarlison
EXPERT PREDICTION
Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham
However, Chelsea's ruthless finishing hasn't been as sharp recently. On the other hand, Tottenham's away games haven't inspired much confidence either, so Chelsea could be the favorites. We expect Chelsea to get another win over Spurs, completing the Premier League double against them for the 10th time.
