Tottenham travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking to end a miserable run that has seen them win just once in their last 41 visits to Chelsea's home ground. The fixture comes less than a week after Spurs recorded their first league win of the season, a 2-1 victory over Coventry, but they now face a Chelsea side that sit fourth in the table and have scored freely this term.
De Zerbi's Motivation
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi acknowledged the weight of history but framed it as a challenge rather than a burden. "There are many, many negative records, but for me it's one motivation more," he said in his pre-match press conference. "Yes, it's a derby against one very good team, very good coach, they have a clear style of play, great players, but also Tottenham players are very good."
Spurs were not at their best against Coventry, but they showed a newfound cutting edge to get over the line and fend off a second-half fightback from Frank Lampard's side. Their performances have been better than their results suggest, and they have the pace and physicality in wide positions to exploit the spaces between Chelsea's wing-backs and outside centre-backs.
Maddison's Fitness Concern
De Zerbi will be disappointed that James Maddison, scorer of Spurs' opening goal against Coventry with a whipped effort, has again not been able to train fully in the build-up to the match. Maddison made an impact off the bench in May's meeting, his quick feet and sharp movement nearly leading to a late equaliser, but after nearly a year out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, he was not sharp enough to take advantage.
Five months on, not much has changed for Maddison. He is still struggling for fitness and is unlikely to start, with De Zerbi once again scrambling for midfield options. "In the first three days Maddison didn't work with us, I don't know if he's ready for tomorrow," the manager added. "I don't know if [Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski] will start on the pitch or on the bench but they are both available to play. We have to manage both in the best way we can because they are different players, in qualities, in personality in experience, and we need them."
Midfield Options and Chelsea's Vulnerabilities
Sandro Tonali could fill the void left by Maddison. His physicality dragged Spurs back into the ascendancy after Coventry's equaliser, and he came close with a couple of efforts that lacked accuracy. Conor Gallagher, who could stand in for Maddison in the No10 role, also has an eye for a third-man run and would surely love to get one against his former club.
Chelsea are equal parts brilliant and brittle, and if Spurs match their intensity, they can startle a team that have already shipped 13 goals this term and will place their faith in 21-year-old goalkeeper Mike Penders after first-choice shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez suffered a fractured jaw against Everton last weekend.
Spurs are beginning to look like a team, and while expectations are low that they will get a result against Chelsea, they are quietly building an identity under De Zerbi. Fast starts and three-at-the-back, Chelsea and Spurs are more similar than they would like to admit. It might be 17th vs 4th, but derbies are rarely contested on the form book alone.
