Chelsea are the one remaining existing Premier League side against whom we have failed to achieve a League "double". Spurs have lost nine of their past 12 Premier League clashes with Chelsea, drawing two and winning one. Ange Postecoglou is at risk of becoming the first Spurs manager to lose his first four Premier League games against Chelsea.
Our 4-3 home defeat in December was the first time that Chelsea had trailed by two goals after 11 minutes of a game in the Premier League since a 2-0 loss at Leeds United on 1 December 1996.
Cole Palmer became the first player to score from all of the first 12 penalties he had taken in the Premier League; previously 11 by Yaya Toure of Manchester City.
That home defeat was the seventh of our 15 Premier League defeats of the season. We've lost 8 of the last 14 league games. Chelsea scored four goals in consecutive away games against Tottenham for the first time.
Chelsea are yet to win a trophy under the ownership that took control of the club in 2022. They've spent £1.1bn and made 39 permanent signings during this time. They are however, hot favourites to win the Europa Conference League, which would give them a Europa League place next season. Chelsea are well placed to earn a Champions League place next season, but Opta suggests their most likely finishing position will be sixth, behind both Manchester City and Newcastle.
Even during the March international break Chelsea signed Geovany Quenda (18 this month)and Dario Essugo from Sporting. That's a €74m total package for both players with Quenda to join in summer 2026, and Essugo (already 18) to join in summer 2025.
It's hard for ardent Chelsea fans too keep up with their club's transfer and loan business, let alone a casual observer!
Ange Postecoglou has reported that both Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso are "progressing well". Richarlison is back in training, but I suspect not to be seen tomorrow. All those who left on international duty returned unscathed, including Lucas Bergvall, who missed Sweden's games due to illness.
As always, Spurs will need to be at their best tomorrow (8pm - SKY). Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke are all on course to return from injury. The best I can hope for is a cheeky draw.
Our match referee (for the 35th time) will be Craig Pawson. His last Spurs game was our 4-0 Carabao Cup defeat at Anfield two months ago.
Did you know? (1) - Spurs, and four of the five other ever-present Premier League members (Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United) have never been involved in play-offs. Chelsea are the exception, having been relegated in 1988 after finishing 18th in Division One, before losing 2-1 on aggregate to Division Two Middlesbrough. Chelsea became the first and only club to be relegated from the top tier in the play-offs. Division One clubs were only involved in 1986-87 and 1987-88. Middlesbrough had finished third in Division Two.
Chelsea made an immediate return and won Division Two with 99 points, 17 points above second-placed Manchester City!
Did you know? (2) - Jimmy Greaves, whose career began at Chelsea, topped the English scoring charts no less than 6 times, twice with Chelsea and four times with Spurs. When at Chelsea in our Double season of 1960-61, Jimmy was the last player to score more than 40 top flight goals in a season. His tally was 41, one of which was against Spurs at Stamford Bridge on Easter Monday 1961. Spurs won that game 3-2, having won 4-2 at White Hart Lane on Good Friday.
. Spurs record in recent London Derby League matches
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