Key Events 12 min: Tonali grabs Henderson’s shirt and then hits Quenda. Free kick in a central position, 30 meters away. Before it can be taken, Xabi Alonso takes the opportunity to call his goalkeeper Penders and give him some useful advice. What did you see? Share 11 min: Palmer looks for Neto on the right. Robertson does very well to keep up in a foot race, and his eventual sliding challenge backs up the Chelsea man for a goal kick. Robertson smiles broadly, although you wouldn’t back him to win many more of those races, not these days. Share9 min: Spurs have started with relative confidence given their track record in this field: in the Premier League era, they have won here just once, losing on 22 occasions and drawing the other 11. Only one win in 36 years! “I’ve been working non-stop since 1pm and I’m exhausted,” begins Kieran McKintosh. “A football match between two teams that are questionable defensively, and where Spurs are likely to lose, is just the trend. Let’s get to it! I would also ask for a red card, but tomorrow’s match at 8 pm between Barcelona and Real Madrid has a good chance of achieving that too.” Share7 min: This match is played at 101 miles per hour on a very wet and slippery surface. The shenanigans could be in the post. Chelsea’s Geovany Quenda is defeated by Archie Gray. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images/ReutersShareUpdated at 17.42 BST6 mins: Kinsky’s poor clearance is intercepted and sent to Palmer on the right. Palmer crosses low; Quenda does not run towards the far post. If I had, I might have had a touch. Share 5 min: … Tonali tries to take the ball to the edge of the D, but can’t control it. The Spurs waste a lot with their set pieces. Share 4 min: Palmer cuts Maddison on the left flank. Robertson takes the free kick and smashes it into a one-man wall, clearly trying to surprise Penders at his near post. Robertson’s teammates, who had charged the area waiting for the cross ball, might want to talk. But Spurs manage to settle for the first corner of the game. From where…Share2 min: Chelsea are kicking towards Matthew Harding’s end in this first half. That’s not their usual preference, so it’s 1-0 to Spurs by the slimmest of margins. They take each other’s knees (there is no room for racism) and then Chelsea start the game. Stamford Bridge is noisy. Stamford Bridge awaits.ShareThe teams take to the pitch. Chelsea in blue, Spurs in white, and it won’t be long before all the shirts are soaked. Has Harry J All Stars’ signature work ever been so appropriate? We’ll leave in a couple of minutes. ShareRoberto De Zerbi also speaks with Sky. “James Maddison is a very important player… he brings personality, qualities, experience… a different position on the field… he is a different player to Conor Gallagher or [Omar] Marmoush as number ten… we have to find him at the right time in the best position… [Dominic Solanke] I felt fatigue after Coventry… I’m lucky to have a big team with a lot of different solutions… so I made the decision. [to rest him] but the game is 90 minutes.”ShareXabi Alonso speaks to Sky Sports. “João Pedro felt something in training… it’s a disappointment… [Geovany] Quenda has a lot of qualities… attacks space… goal threat… has been training well… has been patient… this is a great game to make his debut as a starter… we want mobility… for him to be fluid… he has those qualities.” Arsenal beat Everton 2-0, while Fulham won 1-0 at Coventry City. Fourth-placed Chelsea can’t go anywhere tonight, up or down, unless they win by 14 goals; 11th if they win by five goals. Some of these entries have gone a bit silly, yes. Share Autumn Almanac It’s falling at Stamford Bridge, it’s cold and windy tonight, yes, yes, yes. ShareTottenham also make two changes to their starting line-up, after the 3-1 win over Coventry on Monday Night Football Mathys Tel and Mateus Fernandes are on the bench while Tosin Adarabioyo is out. absent.ShareChelsea make two changes to their starting XI following their 2-0 win against Everton last weekend Geovany Quenda replaces the missing João Pedro up front, while Mike Penders replaces the injured Emi Martínez Share Chelsea teams: Penders, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Hato, Henderson, Caicedo, Quenda, Rogers, Pedro Neto, Palmer Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Palestra, Fofana, Barco, Welbeck, Gusto, Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao, Lavia. Tottenham Hotspur: Kinsky, Gray, van Hecke, van de. Ven, Robertson, Fernandes, Tonali, Kudus, Maddison, Tel, Marmoush Subs: Dubravka, Senesi, Gallagher, Solanke, Kulusevski, Porro, Davies, Olusesi, Williams-Barnet. Referee: Chris Kavanagh VAR: John BrooksShareUpdated at 16:29 BSTPreambleChelsea have won their last six Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur. It is a streak that stretches back to February 2023. They are also unbeaten in this particular match since 2018. They also have 83 wins over Tottenham, in total, while Spurs have just 55 wins in the time. sure about this Chelsea season, and when you consider everything in the round, it’s a little difficult to see anything more than a mostly off-the-park home win here a fortnight ago, then recorded their first Premier League win of the season last Monday over Coventry, so there’s finally some wind in Tottenham? Perhaps a cross-city tussle, in which they’re not saddled with too many expectations, is exactly what Roberto De Zerbi and his men need at the moment? Xabi Alonso will simply have too much in attack? It could be fun to know BST.
