Only twice in the last 100 years have Tottenham and Chelsea both finished in the top four of the top flight. On Sunday afternoon they meet at Stamford Bridge, with former colleagues vying to prove their team has serious title credentials.
Here are five questions that will decide the match…
Is this a match between two title rivals?
There is no doubt that this is a fixture between London’s top two clubs; it is four years since Arsenal finished above either of them. But Chelsea and Tottenham have rarely simultaneously had it so good. The uniqueness of this Premier League season, the obvious flaws of their rivals, and the sense that momentum may be everything presents both clubs as potential title challengers.
The mood can change quickly. Between now and the end of the year, Chelsea face Spurs, Everton, Leeds, West Ham, Wolves and Arsenal. Tottenham’s run is even more daunting: Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Leicester and Wolves. With 15 clubs separated by just nine points, there is no time to step back and enjoy the view. One defeat pricks the bubble of heightened ambitions.
Has Mourinho solved his away day issues?
It was the biggest barrier to Jose Mourinho’s success as Manchester United manager. He took his team to the homes of Big Six rivals 13 times in the Premier League and won only two of those matches. Mourinho’s United were comfortable against the Premier League rest but were often too defensive against their peers. That suggested Mourinho had lost some of his big-game distinction.
Those doubts haven’t quite evaporated at Tottenham. Mourinho’s side dismantled a shambolic Manchester United at Old Trafford in early October but last season they lost both of their Big Six away games under his management. In the 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge, Spurs looked devoid of all energy and spark.
But that was then. Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane were both injured, the pair now in rude health individually and as a duo. This is the chance for Mourinho to state his intent, letting Tottenham attack Chelsea’s weaknesses rather than merely protecting his own.
Is Kane afforded a man marker?
The rise of Kane the roaming creator is the individual story of this Premier League season to date. No opposition manager has yet found a way to thwart him – Manchester City’s defenders looked scared to go near him for fear of looking foolish.
Kane has nine league assists, more than 30 percent of his top-flight career total in the space of nine matches. He has created a chance every 42.3 minutes in the Premier League, more than double his rate in any other season and comfortably the most prolific of any centre forward in the division.
Perhaps one answer is therefore to treat him like a creative influence and assign a player to mark him. N’Golo Kante would be the perfect candidate, snapping and pressing at Kane as soon as he leaves the forward line and leaving Jorginho to keep guard in front of the centre-backs.
Does Lampard change his attacking plan?
Choice can be suffocating as well as liberating. With Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz absent against Newcastle and Sheffield United, Lampard’s front three picked itself: Timo Werner wide left, Hakim Ziyech on the right and Tammy Abraham through the middle. Abraham in particular took his chance to cement a place in the starting XI before his competition returned.
Sunday gives Lampard a couple of selection headaches. The return of Havertz on Tuesday could mean Werner moving central – his best position – at Abraham’s expense, but there’s also the question of whether Lampard can afford to pick four attacking players (the front three plus Mason Mount) against a Big Six rival. Chelsea’s manager used a back three against Manchester United in a similar fixture last month.
A back three would leave one man spare to look after Kane if he feels the man-marking role is unnecessary. But Lampard will be aware that Chelsea managed only one shot on target at Old Trafford. He must find a balance between attacking endeavour and naivety.
Who replaces Alderweireld’s presence?
Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier have established themselves as Mourinho’s first-choice central defensive pair, but it’s Alderweireld who is the commanding figure between them. Since football’s return in June, the Belgian has started 16 matches; Tottenham have won 11 of those and drawn four.
But Alderweireld has a groin problem and will miss the trip to Stamford Bridge. Does Mourinho pick Davinson Sanchez, prone to mistakes but with the recovery pace that might help against a fluid Chelsea attack? Does he trust new signing Joe Rodon enough to throw him in at the deep end? Or does he use Ben Davies as a central defender with Sergio Reguilon at left-back?
Sanchez seems the most likely starter, but Mourinho bases much of his teams’ defensive solidity on consistency of selection. This is a big test of whoever steps into the breach and Dier’s ability to flourish without Alderweireld next to him.
More on the Premier League
- Sam Johnstone tells Sam Cunningham why he is finally ready to become a Premier League star
- The making of Timo Werner: How his father’s motivation and ‘scary’ power meant Chelsea star was always destined for the top
- Eric Dier reveals why he stormed into the stands to confront an abusive Spurs fan
- Daniel Storey: How to lose supporters and alienate Messi, by FC Barcelona
- An apology to Man Utd’s Jesse Lingard
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2JlodSb
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