[Tottenham Hotspur](https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com) enters Sunday with a frustrating recent form of 1-3-2 across all competitions, sitting 10th in the Premier League and six behind the top four. With the lineup a far cry from full strength, there are somehow still _seven_ matches left this month, and Chelsea (who is now second in the table) is up next on Sunday. The vibes are in the danger zone.
Despite this, Spurs have shown a knack for stepping up against strong opponents; the lone win in this six-match funk was of course at the Etihad. Whether this pattern will continue remains to be seen, but maybe Chelsea’s return to the new Lane will un-Freaky Friday the torment that began after its last visit. Probably not, but this club has defied logic all season — and besides, rationality is not an ally in this one anyway.
### Tottenham Hotspur (t-10th, 20pts) vs. Chelsea (t-2nd, 28pts)
**Date**: Sunday, December 8
**Time**: 11:30 am ET, 4:30 pm UK
**Location**: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
**TV**: USA Network (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
The Blues are suddenly up to (joint) second place after wins over Leicester, Villa, and Southampton. They were actually undefeated across all competitions in the month of November and currently lead the Premier League in goals scored and xG. Betting markets still prefer both Arsenal and City, but Chelsea is easily one of the four best clubs in the league at this point.
Spurs lost both derbies last season after taking four points in 2022/23. Since that infamous nine-man effort the last time these clubs met in North London, Ange Postecoglou’s side has gone just 18-6-18 in the league, which is a 54-point pace. It would be so fitting for Tottenham’s fortunes to do another 180 after a home match with Chelsea, but obviously that is just wishful thinking.
### All hands on deck
The talking point is clear for this one. Though Tottenham has conceded the third-fewest goals this season, its xGA is now just 11th and is likely to keep dropping due to the change in keeper. Spurs were lucky not to suffer more against Bournemouth and now face the league’s best attack, which is coming off a five-goal outburst at Southampton on Wednesday.
Nicolas Jackson is the biggest fear after his four goals against Tottenham last season. He already has scored eight times in the league this season, one behind teammate Cole Palmer, and both players will enjoy going at this back line, even if Cristian Romero returns. Not to sound too doom-and-gloom, but Spurs will need Chelsea to have a very poor day finishing to win this one.
### The brightest lights
It remains puzzling that Tottenham looked so good against City, United, and Villa while looking mediocre against...nearly everyone else. Tactically, playing an open opponent who wants to control the ball seems to fit Postecoglou’s style best, but there has to be a mental component to this as well given how drastically different this team can look match to match.
I do recognize that Tottenham lost the North London Derby at home already, but it just feels like there is some extra effort in the more high-profile fixtures. That makes sense too when considering the number of reserves forced into the lineup and the sheer fatigue of this squad. Spurs are clear underdogs on Sunday, but would anyone be surprised to see a heroic effort seemingly defying the numbers? If anything, that essentially is the hallmark of the Postecoglou tenure so far.