Although a London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur is always a special occasion, Monday’s fixture is particularly significant. The Blues will aim to end Spurs’ title challenge at Stamford Bridge, with Mauricio Pochettino’s men needing a win to keep alive their slim hopes of Premier League glory.
The equation for Tottenham on Monday is simple: they must win at Stamford Bridge. Any other result will see Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City side crowned as champions of England.
While a win against Chelsea will give them some hope, Mauricio Pochettino’s men are now rank outsiders to lift the trophy come the end of the season. Not only do Spurs need to win all their remaining matches, they also have to rely on Leicester losing at least one of their remaining two games.
While two draws will do the trick for Leicester, the Foxes have two relatively difficult fixtures to finish their season. Ranieri’s side travel to Goodison Park to face Everton in their penultimate game, before bringing down the curtain on one of the most remarkable campaigns in league history at the home of last season’s champions Chelsea.
Team News
Chelsea FC
The biggest news for Chelsea fans ahead of the Spurs game is that captain John Terry is set to return to action. The centre-half was unable to play 10 of Chelsea’s last 12 matches after suffering from a hamstring issue initially, and then an Achilles problem.
There could be more good news for the Blues as centre-back Gary Cahill has also recovered from his injury. While a stomach bug had kept him out of action against Bournemouth last week, the England international has reportedly recovered from the ailment and is ready to be picked against Spurs. However, there is a high likelihood that manager Guus Hiddink will play Terry and Branislav Ivanovic in the heart of the defence.
One worry for the Blues is that no.1 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is still serving out his two-match ban. Former Stoke City custodian Asmir Begovic is set to continue in goal for this game.
Possible Starting XI (4-3-2-1): Begovic; Baba Rahman, Terry, Ivanovic, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Mikel; Hazard, Willian, Pedro; D.Costa.
Tottenham Hotspur
The midfield is a huge worry for Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, with 20-year-old sensation Dele Alli serving his three-game suspension for violent conduct in Spurs’ draw with West Brom.
To add to their misery, defensive midfielder Eric Dier is doubtful for the game after suffering a concussion against the Baggies last week. Dier’s role in midfield has been key to Tottenham’s success this season and his absence could give Chelsea’s creative players the space they need in midfield.
Ryan Mason is all but guaranteed to start given the injury to Alli, meaning that Dier’s presence will also be important in the sense that it will allow Belgium international Mousa Dembele to venture forward with more freedom.
Possible Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Rose, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Walker; Mason, Dier; Eriksen, Dembele, Lamela; Kane
Players to watch out for
Willian
The Brazilian midfielder has been Chelsea’s best player in an otherwise disastrous season. While all the other departments were crumbling around him, Willian was the one guiding light who was still trying to pull the team through in dark times.
Willian has scored 10 goals for Chelsea so far this season, having netted five times each in the Premier League and the Champions League. He has even provided five assists in the Premier League and has provided much more tangible end product in comparison to last season.
If Dier does not pass his late fitness test, Willian could be the the one who finds space in midfield and dictates the play.
Harry Kane
The Englishman has been simply phenomenal for Spurs over the last couple of seasons. While he did face some criticism during an early season drought last year, Kane has silenced all his critics by scoring 24 goals in the Premier League. The 22-year-old is well on his way to becoming the Premier League’s latest golden boot winner.
Kane is an indispensable member of Pochettino’s starting XI, scoring almost 37% of Tottenham’s goals in the league this season. The England international will be instrumental in breaking down Chelsea’s defence to keep Tottenham’s chances of winning the league alive.
Prediction
Chelsea 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
This result will probably break a lot of ‘White Harts’, but it seems unlikely that Tottenham will be able to win the title even if they do pick up all three points at Stamford Bridge. Also, Chelsea are not as poor as they were in the earlier parts of the season, and playing in front of their home crowd, they are unlikely to let rivals Tottenham run away with a victory.
