Will Spurs remain unbeaten under Conte?
This is the third time this season that Chelsea have faced Tottenham. The last two meetings took place in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup this month and the Blues came out on top each time. The reigning Champions League champions also won the first-leg clash 3-0.
Thanks to these successes, the Lilywhites have now lost their past four encounters with Chelsea and have been without another win in league play for six matches (0-1-5). For the match at Stamford Bridge, which will be officiated by referee Paul Tierney, between Chelsea and Tottenham, the prediction nevertheless includes the double chance in favour of the visitors.
Chelsea – Statistics & current form
The Blues continue to boast the most clean sheets (9) in the Premier League after Manchester City and Liverpool, along with Arsenal, but their defensive strength has suffered in recent weeks. They have conceded at least one goal in each of their last eight competitive games.
Edouard Mendy will also be unable to play in goal. The Senegalese is currently at the Africa Cup, which is why his predecessor Kepa is back in action. The Seagulls also managed to strike at least once in last Tuesday’s replay against Brighton and Chelsea had to settle for a 1-1 draw on the south coast in the end.
Chelsea have little realistic chance of winning the title
It was also the fourth league game in a row that they failed to win. Due to this dry spell, the Blues have lost a lot of ground in the championship race. The gap to the parallel well-oiled winning machine called Manchester City has grown to an impressive twelve points and the Citizens have even played one match less.
The lack of success is also beginning to show on the team of coach Thomas Tuchel, who was named “Coach of the Year” by FIFA this week, thus continuing the German streak in this category after Jürgen Klopp had previously claimed the title twice in a row.
With only a very slim chance of winning the title, the squad’s motivation seems weakened.
The Lukaku case is still having an effect
Furthermore, the interim turmoil surrounding Romelu Lukaku has obviously not done the chemistry within the eleven any good.
Although the Belgian, who was suspended after publicly expressing his still strong sympathy for his former employer Inter Milan, was quickly pardoned by coach Tuchel, the discord has apparently left its mark on both the team and “Big Rome”.
The top scorer in the history of the Belgian national team has scored in only one of five games since his return. For the normally extremely efficient striker, who was runner-up in Serie A last year, this yield is naturally a disappointment.
Due to his slump, the offensive output also dropped sharply, scoring only two goals in the past three competitive matches in the EFL Cup and the Premier League. Against this background, the odds on a maximum of one goal by the home side in the Chelsea-Tottenham clash are equally attractive.
Predicted Chelsea line-up:
Kepa – Silva – Azpilicueta – Rudiger – Alonso – Jorginho – Kante – Mount – Ziyech – Hudson-Odoi – Lukaku
Last Chelsea games:
Premier League
01/18 2022 – Brighton 1 – 1 Chelsea London
01/15 2022 – Manchester City 1 – 0 Chelsea London
Carabao Cup
01/12 2022 – Tottenham 0 – 1 Chelsea London
FA Cup
01/08 2022 – Chelsea London 5 – 1 Chesterfield
Carabao Cup
01/05 2022 – Chelsea London 2 – 0 Tottenham
Tottenham – Statistics & current form
For Tottenham coach Antonio Conte, this game is of course a special one: as manager of the upcoming opponents, he celebrated the title in 2017 and the FA Cup win a year later.
Teasingly, he was also coaching the Blues when Tottenham won at Stamford Bridge in April 2018. Looking back at Tottenham’s last 31 away games, that was the visitors’ only win (1-10-20)! However, Conte has made the best of introductions with his current employers.
In the nine league games under his stewardship so far, the Lilywhites have yet to lose and have instead won two-thirds of their games. The change of coach has therefore paid off from Tottenham’s point of view and the dismal footballing “fado” period under his Portuguese predecessor Nuno Espirito has now been forgotten.
Bergwijn make an impressive comeback
However, the series was almost broken last Wednesday. Only a double from Steven Bergwijn in injury time at Leicester prevented a defeat. Thanks to the two goals of the Dutchman, who had only just been substituted, the match with the Foxes could even be won!
Bergwijn celebrated a very successful return after his injury break and with him on board, the visitors’ offensive can be considered even more powerful. But Conte has also revived this part of the team anyway.
During his predecessor’s reign, the average yield was less than one goal, while under him it has more than doubled to 1.88 goals per game in league play.
Kane scores again
A credit to Conte in this context is that he was able to free Harry Kane from his scoring drought. The striker has scored in five of the last nine league games and in the London derbies he is always on target.
So far he has scored 39 goals in his 65 city duels in the Premier League – Thierry Henry alone tops this tally in the history of the PL with 43 goals. In view of this and his improved condition, as described above, bets on a goal by him in the match between Chelsea and Tottenham are also interesting.
The prediction is underpinned by the absence of top scorer Son Heung-min, who is currently out with a muscle injury, which means the visitors’ attacking play is particularly tailored to Kane.
Predicted line-up of Tottenham:
Lloris – Sanchez – Tanganga – Davies – Reguilon – Hojberg – Winks – Skipp – Emerson – Lucas Moura – Kane
Last matches played by Tottenham:
Premier League
01/19 2022 – Leicester 2 – 3 Tottenham
Carabao Cup
01/12 2022 – Tottenham 0 – 1 Chelsea London
FA Cup
01/09 2022 – Tottenham 3 – 1 Morecambe
Carabao Cup
01/05 2022 – Chelsea London 2 – 0 Tottenham
Premier League
01/01 2022 – Watford 0 – 1 Tottenham
Chelsea – Tottenham bet
The kickers from north London have stabilised considerably under Antonio Conte and will be very motivated. Under all circumstances, the Lilywhites do not want to be defeated by their city rivals for the fourth time this season. For the London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham, the tip is therefore on the double chance in favour of the visitors.
The Blues’ shaky form also speaks in favour of the prediction. The Tuchel squad has not won for four matchdays and the now very large gap between them and league leaders Manchester City is obviously leading to motivation problems.
The visitors, on the other hand, currently look stronger and have not lost a single match in the Premier League under Conte. As a result, they have worked their way up to fifth place, and the jump to fourth place, which would be enough for the Champions League, is only a formality.
The Lilywhites are just one point behind the Hammers, who, however, have already played three games more! Unibet offers betting odds of 2.23 on the Chelsea-Tottenham clash for the prediction
