It's back to Premier League duty after Chelsea's chaotic cup exploits.
For what feels like the 30th time this season (it’s actually the 4th), Chelsea prepare to face Spurs – this time after an eventful Carabao Cup final, which saw the home side eventually fall to Manchester City.
Chelsea have a great big Kepa Arrizabalaga-shaped cloud hanging over Stamford Bridge, and as much as Maurizio Sarri would like to put ‘substitution-gate’ behind him, that cloud simply refuses to budge.
It’s the biggest talking point ahead of this huge clash between bitter London rivals, and Sunday’s events have overshadowed the fact that Spurs blew their (slim) title hopes at Turf Moor the previous day, succumbing 3-1 to Burnley and condemning the rest of their domestic season to fighting for Champions League football, rather than the top prize.
It’s looking like a tough ask for Spurs to return to winning ways against Chelsea; The Blues are unbeaten in 23 or their last 24 home games against Spurs, but considering a 120-minute cup final was played just three days prior to this match, it’s a good opportunity for Mauricio Pochettino’s men to exploit some tired legs.
My first tip is for over 2.5 goals. While Chelsea’s matches are genially bereft of too many goals, eight of the last nine meetings between these two at Stamford Bridge have seen over 2.5 goals, and the added intensity always plays a part when goals are concerned.
Next up I have a cheeky RAB: Eden Hazard and Harry Kane to each have at least one shot on target.
This is fairly self-explanatory. Kane celebrated his return to Spurs’ starting XI against Burnley with a goal (and three shots on target). Hazard has registered shots on target against three of the four ‘big six’ sides he’s faced at Stamford Bridge, and he’ll be keen to add to his six goals against Spurs.
I’m confident about this one.
My final tip is a 2pt-er: the first goal to be scored between 26 minutes and full-time.
Though I’m expecting a fairly entertaining affair, it could well be a slow burner.
Chelsea have conceded just one home goal in the first half-hour of matches this season, and with Spurs shipping a whopping 73% of their away goals in the second half, we may be kept waiting before seeing the our first goal.
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