In-form Chelsea Crave for Three Points against Tottenham

In-form Chelsea Crave for Three Points against Tottenham

Having posted contrasting results in their opening European encounters, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea prepare for battle in an eye-catching London derby in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon

The hosts played out a 2-2 draw with Rennes in the Europa Conference League in midweek, whereas Chelsea started their Champions League defence with a 1-0 success over Zenit St Petersburg.

With a hefty amount of expected changes in tow, Spurs kicked off their Conference League group-stage campaign against French powerhouses Rennes on Thursday night, but they only had one point and two more injury problems to show for their efforts.

After Loic Bade’s own goal gave Tottenham the lead, Rennes responded through Flavien Tait and new signing Gaetan Laborde, but Tottenham lynchpin Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg came off the bench to rescue a point for his side at the Roazhon Park.
It may have been all sunshine and rainbows for Nuno Espirito Santo during his three-game winning run in the Premier League – which saw Spurs briefly top the rankings – but a humbling 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend has seen them drop to seventh amid a challenging seven days.

However, both of Spurs’ underwhelming results in that period have come on the road, with Santo’s side scoring five goals and conceding none in their three home victories so far this term, and they have won 11 of their last 13 games on familiar territory in all competitions.

Not since the 2002-03 campaign have the North London side taken nine points from their opening three fixtures on home soil, but any chances of the injury-hit hosts ending that 19-year streak appear slim against a Chelsea side with a glint in their eyes.

It may not have been a comprehensive drubbing that some fans would have hoped for, but in the end, Chelsea’s defence of their Champions League crown began with three points against Zenit St Petersburg, who were sunk by Romelu Lukaku’s 69th-minute header.

The Belgian’s prolific start to life back in blue continues after he had previously broken his Stamford Bridge duck against Aston Villa last weekend in a dominant 3-0 win and Chelsea are now one of four sides sitting level on 10 points at the top of the division.

Thomas Tuchel only just managed to scrape a top-four finish with this Chelsea side last term amid their run to Porto, but the German’s well-oiled machine firmly have the look of title contenders this time around, although clashes with Juventus and Manchester City before the end of the month will truly test their mettle.

The Blues travel across the capital having lost just one of their last 15 away matches in all competitions, while they have scored in each of their last six Premier League matches on the road – a streak that does not appear to be ending any time soon with Lukaku firing on all cylinders.

A Jorginho penalty propelled Chelsea to a 1-0 win in this fixture last term during the earliest days of Tuchel’s reign, and the Blues are unbeaten in their last five Premier League matches versus Tottenham – winning four of them and conceding just one goal in that run.

Meanwhile, Manchester City will be looking to record their fifth straight win in all competitions when they welcome Southampton to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Citizens have picked up nine points from their four league fixtures this term to occupy fifth spot in the table, while Southampton sit 14th, having collected three points from their four matches in 2021-22.

Man City’s 2021-22 campaign started in a disappointing fashion, as they lost to Leicester City in the Community Shield before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League opener, but Pep Guardiola’s side have won their last four matches in all competitions since the clash in North London.

Three of those victories have arrived in the Premier League, scoring 11 times and conceding zero in their domestic fixtures with Norwich City, Arsenal and Leicester, which has seen them rise into fifth position in the table, one point behind leaders Manchester United.

Guardiola’s side opened their 2021-22 Champions League group-stage campaign on Wednesday night and recorded a 6-3 win over RB Leipzig to move to the top of Group A.
Man City have a busy end to the month, as they will take on Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup on September 21 before the small matter of a trip to Chelsea in the Premier League four days later.

The Citizens will then end the month with an away game against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, and it is not as if it gets any easier, with a trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool following at the start of October.
Southampton, meanwhile, opened their Premier League season with a disappointing 3-1 loss at Everton, but the Saints are unbeaten in all competitions since then, including an 8-0 victory away to Newport County in the EFL Cup towards the end of August.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side held Man United to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League and have also shared the points with Newcastle United and West Ham United in their last two fixtures; a total of three points from four matches has left the team in 14th position in the table.

Southampton will also be in EFL Cup action next week, facing a trip to Sheffield United, before welcoming Wolverhampton Wanderers to St Mary’s next weekend.
The Saints recorded a 1-0 victory over Man City in July 20, but they suffered a 5-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in the corresponding match last season and have not actually been victorious away to the Citizens in England’s top flight since April 2004.

Hasenhuttl will be aware of the size of the task facing his side, as they travel to a Man City team that has scored 16 times in their three home matches in all competitions at the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
Man City will again be without the services of Zack Steffen this weekend, as the number two goalkeeper is still self-isolating following a positive coronavirus test.

John Stones and Aymeric Laporte both missed out against Leipzig on Wednesday through injury, but the former is being tipped to return to the squad and indeed the starting XI against the Saints.
Kevin De Bruyne should again start in midfield, while Ilkay Gundogan could replace Bernardo Silva, but Phil Foden should continue on the bench following a long spell on the sidelines.

Southampton boss Hasenhuttl revealed during his press conference that both Stuart Armstrong and Theo Walcott remain unavailable for selection through injury.
William Smallbone is back in full first-team training after eight months on the sidelines, but the midfielder is unlikely to be involved today.

Shane Long, though, is available after recovering from coronavirus, and the attacker is expected to start on the bench against the Citizens, and he could be joined by Che Adams, with Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo potentially supporting Adam Armstrong in the final third of the field.

Related Articles