Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday for a London derby as Spurs fight to secure their first Premier League win this season. Roberto De Zerbi’s men have only managed to record 3 points from 6 league games and now sit 20th, having netted 3 goals and conceded 9.
The summer spending of around £312m saw the likes of Sandro Tonali arrive from Newcastle United in a club-record transfer. Mateus Fernandes, Savio, Jan Paul van Hecke and Omar Marmoush all joined up. However, the Italian coach has struggled to implement his philosophy.
De Zerbi, who kept Tottenham in the top flight on the final day of last season, prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is built on patience from the back. Tonali is the anchor of the double pivot, alongside the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall or Fernandes, with Savio providing width from the flank. Dominic Solanke often leads the line for De Zerbi.
While Spurs have the ball under control, the end product has been severely lacking. They out-created Manchester United at Old Trafford with 1.56 xG to 0.77 and 4 big chances to 1. However, they needed a stoppage-time header from Solanke to rescue a 1-1 draw. They also controlled the games against Nottingham Forest and Everton, but both ended as goalless draws.
The transition defending is the most obvious weakness in De Zerbi’s team so far. Newcastle United and Aston Villa both punished Spurs on the counter as they recorded wins against the Lilywhites this season. United also won the battle of tackles with 28 to 16, as Spurs are vulnerable when their rhythm is broken.
Tonali has arguably been the player of the season for Spurs, earning an assist against United and a team-high 52 accurate passes in the midfield third. However, Bentancur is expected to miss the trip to Stamford Bridge after he was shown a straight red card for violent conduct. Tottenham host Coventry City on Monday night, meaning that either a win or even a draw could uplift them ahead of their Chelsea visit.
Chelsea’s Recent Dominance Over Tottenham in the Premier League
Chelsea enter the derby as overwhelming favourites, after recording a commanding run against their London rivals in recent months. The Blues beat Spurs 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on May 19, 2026, courtesy of goals from Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos, before Richarlison pulled one back late on.
The win was Chelsea’s sixth straight in the league against Tottenham, which is the first time that they have enjoyed such a run since March 2002. Besides, Blues have recorded 7 wins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is the most by any visitor. The sides have not drawn any of their last 7 meetings, with Xabi Alonso’s side currently fourth in the table and set to be huge favourites on Saturday.