Game Week 11 Predictions: Tottenham to beat Chelsea to return to the top

 

Tottenham Hotspur will return to the summit of the Premier League with a win over visiting Chelsea on Monday, will Chelsea let them? (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Tottenham vs. Chelsea

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

9:00pm

Tottenham will return to the top of the Premier League table with a win over Chelsea on Monday night, and after seeing the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Villa drop points, there’s no greater motivation for Ange Postecoglou’s men.

Tottenham remains the only team in the Premier League this season yet to taste defeat after Arsenal suffered a contentious 1-0 loss at Newcastle on Saturday. With Manchester City winning their game emphatically against Bournemouth, only a win will keep Spurs on top.

It’s been a yo-yo season for Chelsea, and their fans must be worried. They went to a party after earning a point against Arsenal but collapsed badly at home against Brentford last weekend. It’s looking like another frustrating season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Speaking of the Argentine manager, he will return to Tottenham for the first time since leaving the club in 2020. He never won a trophy with Spurs, but he got them into the Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool, and was a consistent top-four finisher.

While Spurs remain clear favorites for this fixture, Chelsea has a great record at the Tottenham Stadium, where they have only lost once in the last four seasons. The Blues beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 in midweek to advance to the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup; that could be the fuel they need to face Spurs.

Tottenham will hand a start to Destiny Udogie if he passes a late fitness test, but they can be excited for their attacking options. Brennan Johnson is fit again, and he joins Heung Min Son, James Maddison, Richarlison, and Dejan Kulusevski in attack.

Chelsea will still be without a host of names, but the injury table is shedding some weight. Benoit Badiashile is fit again and was on target in midweek. Armando Broja could be available, but Mykhailo Mudryk is good to go.

How will Chelsea approach this? With caution, they won’t win if they don’t dare to dream. With Cole Palmer picking pockets in the final third and Raheem Sterling doing his bits, Chelsea could profit from Spurs’ high line.

The midfield battle will be key. Moises Caicedo is yet to show the Brighton form that got him wanted by top clubs, and Enzo Fernandez missed the last league game. Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr have proven to be tough customers to teams, so Chelsea must find a way to limit their fluidity.

Verdict: Tottenham to win