Premier League high-flyers Chelsea will be looking to get back to winning ways in the league when they welcome Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur side to Stamford Bridge this weekend. The Blues are coming into this tie on the back of a disappointing 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Manchester United. With just a point separating Spurs from Lampard’s side on the league table, Chelsea will surely have to be at their absolute best on the night.
Spurs, on the other hand, suffered a gutting home defeat at the hands of German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig in midweek. They have been on a decent run of form since Mourinho’s takeover at the helm at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and a win will be enough to hoist Spurs back into the top four. Although the last clash between the two sides ended in a Chelsea win, Mourinho will be hoping to make things right when they face off this time around.
Team News
Frank Lampard’s biggest selection concern at this point comes in the form of an adductor injury to Christian Pulisic, while the recent knock picked up by N’Golo Kante is also a pretty big blow. Tammy Abraham missed the fixture against United due to an ankle problem but could return for the weekend tie. Midfield stars Marco Van Ginkel and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are both unavailable for selection as well. Andreas Christensen suffered a facial problem in the last league outing and was forced to come off prematurely. The Dane could retain his place in the team despite this minor setback.
Predicted 4-3-3 Chelsea Lineup Vs Tottenham Hotspur
Formation: 4-3-3
Defence
Having missed out on the last two fixtures, Spanish shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga could make his return to the starting eleven against Spurs, with Argentine veteran Willy Caballero set to drop down to the bench. Ahead of him, Antonio Rudiger will continue in the heart of the defence, partnered at the back by Danish international Andreas Christensen. Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta are likely to continue as the full-backs for the Blues.
Midfield
The injury to N’Golo Kante couldn’t have come at a worse time for Chelsea, who are going into what is sure to be their hardest phase of the season so far. Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho should both continue in the middle of the park, with former Everton star Ross Barkley expected to replace the injured Frenchman in the first-team. Overloading the midfield could be the best way for Lampard to out-do Jose Mourinho’s pragmatic defensive setup.
Attack
Tammy Abraham missed the visit by United due to a lingering ankle problem, but he should come back into the side for this fixture. Michy Batshuayi struggled against Eric Bailly last time out, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him fall below Olivier Giroud in the Chelsea pecking order. Callum Hudson-Odoi also missed the United game and could come back into the team, with Pedro set to drop out. Willian should operate down the Chelsea left.
