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Tottenham v Chelsea Betting Tips, Preview and Predictions
The rivalry between Chelsea and Tottenham has grown every bit stronger in recent years as Mauricio Pochettino’s team have began to compete at the very top of English football.
It had been bitterly intense previously, but with silverware now being contested for, the passion is bigger than ever. The last time these two teams met was at Wembley, where Chelsea came out on top 4-2 in their highly contested FA Cup semi final match.
In truth, Spurs had dominated much of the match, but their lack of game management saw them concede two late goals to Antonio Conte’s side. The two met twice previously in the Premier League last season, with each taking a win. Dele Alli’s brace in January ended Chelsea’s near record breaking winning run, while Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in November was crucial to the rhythm of said winning run.
As ever with a new season, personnel has changed and the game is approached differently. For Chelsea, gone are John Terry, Nathan Ake, Kurt Zouma, Nathaniel Chalobah and FA Cup goalscorer Nemanja Matic, likely to be followed by Diego Costa. In are Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger and club record signing Alvaro Morata, the likely replacement for his compatriot Costa.
For Tottenham, it’s mostly the same. Kyle Walker has departed for Man City in a £50m deal, with Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker-Peters (yes, he’s a different player) set to battle for that right back spot.
The team news for this game is that Tiemoue Bakayoko misses out in Chelsea’s midfield, with Cesc Fabregas also suspended. Victor Moses returns to the fold following his suspension, but Chelsea captain Gary Cahill is suspended for his dismissal against Burnley. Eden Hazard and Pedro are set to remain sidelined and Diego Costa will not be in the squad, meaning Chelsea are far from full strength.
Victor Wanyama and Son Heung-Min look set to feature for Spurs following their return to fitness, but Danny Rose is still sidelined. Kieran Trippier is still recovering his preseason injury, so Walker-Peters will get another chance at right back following his Man of the Match display in their 2-0 win over Newcastle.
Spurs dominated that match against St James’s Park for long periods but couldn’t get the goal they deserved until Jonjo Shelvey was sent off in the second half. Harry Kane had an unusually off day, and Dele Alli and Ben Davies were left to pick up the pieces on the attack.
Chelsea will be desperate for a positive result following their shameful 2-3 loss to Burnley on the opening day, but with so many gaping holes in their side, it’s very hard to see it happening.
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David Luiz will likely step into the midfield, with Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger playing at the back. On the offence, Jeremie Boga and Willian will likely step in for Hazard and Pedro again, with Morata leading the line. It’s not the worst side in the world, but it’s a side who haven’t played together against a side who have clicked and gelled over time and have been near unstoppable throughout 2017.
Spurs have been backed in from 7/5 to 10/11 for this game, but there’s not a great deal of value in the odds on price alone. He did the business on Sunday and also did the business in this fixture last year, so we are backing Dele Alli to get on the scoresheet in this match. Back the two combined at 5/2 with SkyBet.
