{"id":11045,"date":"2026-05-20T00:25:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T00:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=11045"},"modified":"2026-05-20T00:25:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T00:25:37","slug":"chelsea-v-tottenham-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=11045","title":{"rendered":"CHELSEA v Tottenham: Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Date:<\/strong> Tuesday 19th<\/sup>
\nMay 2026<\/p>\n

Venue<\/strong>: Stamford Bridge<\/p>\n

Kick-off:<\/strong> 20:15 BST<\/p>\n

From
\na blatantly carved out title for action man, some of the poorest games we\u2019ve
\never had the misfortune to watch and certainly the worst officiating, we\u2019re finally
\non the home stretch of a Premier League season that\u2019s been about as enjoyable
\nas a trip to the dentist for a root canal.<\/p>\n

Tonight\u2019s penultimate game, we\u2019re treated to our final home outing, just in time for Sp*rs to rock up with their new miracle-working manager. Honestly, the timing couldn\u2019t be worse\u2014Lavia\u2019s managed to injure himself (again!) by daring to touch a blade of grass, Colwill\u2019s probably being rested, and Joao Pedro is unlikely to make it after limping off at the weekend. And the cherry on our misfortune cake? Delap\u2019s fit to start.<\/p>\n

Still,
\ndon\u2019t pack away your passports just yet! There\u2019s a sliver\u2014no, a glimmer\u2014of hope
\nfor European football if the stars, planets and several results all align.
\nMeanwhile, Sp*rs are desperately trying not to get relegated, which, with their
\nluck, probably means they\u2019ll fluke a win off someone\u2019s knee in the 97th minute.\n<\/p>\n

Of
\ncourse, we enter tonight\u2019s spectacle straight from our fourth FA Cup final
\ndefeat in a row\u2014yes, that\u2019s right, four. Stranger things have happened\u2014like
\nVAR, which continues to deliver decisions so baffling they could be used as
\nMensa entry tests. At least our defence looked solid, even if our attack
\ncouldn\u2019t have scored in an empty net. Still, the appointment of Xavi Alonso
\nsoftened the blow a little \u2013 because that was the intention of the timely leak
\nafter all, right?<\/p>\n

As for Sp*rs, they haven\u2019t lost in four games (don\u2019t laugh\u2014it\u2019s true), thanks to Roberto De Zerbi pulling off more escapes than Houdini. They\u2019re two points clear of West Ham, so a result here and they\u2019ll avoid the drop. Imagine the agony if they actually manage it at the Bridge\u2014the shame! <\/p>\n

At
\nleast it\u2019ll be over soon\u2014unless they introduce extra time for sheer punishment.\n<\/p>\n

MANAGER\u2019S VIEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Going
\ninto tonight\u2019s game, Calum McFarlane, says \u201cI think the players have shown
\nin the last two games that their fight and their heart has been questioned at
\ntimes. I think they\u2019ve shown in the last two games that for me that\u2019s not an
\nissue. Everyone knows the rivalry between Chelsea and Tottenham, but ultimately
\nboth teams have got a lot to play for. So I don\u2019t think we\u2019re going to have to
\ndo anything extra special to motivate the lads. We need six points from our
\nnext two games. I think they need a point to almost guarantee safety. Both
\nteams are fighting at different parts of the table, but both teams are fighting
\nfor the points, so we shouldn\u2019t need to add any extra motivation, but it will
\nnaturally be there with a London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Tottenham
\nmanager, Roberto De Zerbi, meanwhile says, \u201cStamford Bridge is difficult.
\nIt\u2019s a tough stadium because the players of Chelsea in the last 30 to 25
\nseasons have been fantastic. Fantastic players, fantastic managers, but
\ntomorrow is a new game. They played three days ago, two days ago very well. Maybe
\nthey didn\u2019t deserve to lose the game. I know very well a lot of players and
\ntheir style is clear. It is a tough game for us for sure.<\/em><\/p>\n

We
\nhave to play with confidence because in the last four games, the last five
\ngames with me, because we didn\u2019t deserve to lose the game in Sunderland, but in
\nthe last four we made eight points. And if you analyse the performance, I think
\nwe could make more points than eight, and for that we have to be confident, be
\npositive. Anyway, we can\u2019t forget one month ago what was the situation. We are
\nnot safe yet, it\u2019s tough in the Premier League. Making one point is tough
\nbecause all teams fight on the pitch, all teams are very tough to beat, but we
\nhave the quality enough and we have to show the quality with the right
\nmentality, the right spirit. I want to see courage on the pitch, try (to have)
\nthe condition to win the game, like in the last period.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

SQUAD NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Chelsea, Jamie Gittens (thigh), Jesse
\nDerry (head), Estevao Willian (knee) are all injured. Mykhaylo Mudryk continues
\nto serve a 4-year ban pending appeal. Romeo Lavia (knock) and Joao Pedro (leg) are
\ndoubtful, whilst Levi Colwill may be rested. <\/p>\n

For Tottenham, Xavi Simons (knee),
\nDominic Solanke (hamstring), Ben Davies (ankle), Wilson Odobert (knee), Dejan
\nKulusevski (knee), Mohammed Kudus (thigh) and Cristian Romero (knee) are all
\nout. Guglielmo Vicario (hernia) returns.<\/p>\n

TEAMS <\/strong><\/p>\n

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; Fofana, Chalobah, Hato; Gusto, Caicedo, Fernandez, Cucurella; Palmer, Neto; Delap<\/p>\n

TOTTENHAM (Possible line-up): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison<\/p>\n

LAST SEASON<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham (3rd<\/sup>
\nApril 2025)<\/p>\n

CURRENT FORM (PL)<\/strong><\/p>\n

CHELSEA: LLLLLD<\/p>\n

TOTTENHAM: LONDON<\/p>\n

OTHER STUFF<\/strong><\/p>\n