Premier League: Chelsea and Tottenham Enter the Thunderdome

Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur

We’ve reached the tail end of the 2024 Premier League season, and the table is so cramped that teams are still tussling to climb a few spots in the standings.

Chelsea, who are hoping for European contention next season, will host the struggling Tottenham Hotspur for a pivotal London Derby at Stamford Bridge. A crucial game, to say the least, as both teams have been without a win in their last two top-flight matches, and they simply can’t afford to go another matchweek without three whole points.

It’ll be an all-out war for both squads until the end of the season, and one slight misstep going forward will be detrimental to their campaign’s outcome. Welcome to the Thunderdome, gents.

Talking Points

Chelsea bid farewell to their captain

It’s the end of an era at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea’s skipper, Thiago Silva, is set to leave the club at the end of the season.

The Brazilian icon joined the Blues on a free transfer from Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and almost instantly became Chelsea’s heart and soul.

In 151 appearances for the Blues, Silva has won three trophies, including the 2020–21 Champions League title, the Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.

“Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year, and it ended up being four years,” the 39-year-old stated.

“It is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it’s even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue.”

Silva was sent off the pitch during their recent clash with Aston Villa, as he appeared to sustain a groyne injury, but Chelsea fans, this SBOTOP writer included, hope that that won’t be the last time we’ll see the centre-back in a Chelsea uniform.

It has been reported that Chelsea have already selected a different captain for their last game of the season. It will surely be a special moment for Silva and the fans in attendance, as long as the Brazilian is fit to play during that game.

Spurs’ top-four finish looks bleak after derby defeat

Elsewhere, despite a spirited effort to garner winning Premier League 2024 results at this stage of the season, Spurs have slowly reduced their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Thanks to their back-to-back defeats, Tottenham are now facing a seven-point deficit against fourth-placed Aston Villa.

They had a good opportunity to narrow their gap to the top four in style as they faced league-leading Arsenal in the illustrious North London derby. Ange and his outfit were down 0-3 early in the match thanks to the heroics of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Spurs’ very own Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.

Tottenham tried to mount a comeback in the second half, with Cristian Romero and Spurs Talisman Son both finding the back of the net. However, their efforts were not enough to at least level the match, ultimately conceding to their neighbouring rivals 2-3.

Fortunately for Spurs, they’re still very much in top-four contention, as they still have two games in hand. However, they’ll be facing formidable teams like Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle en route to the finish line.

Tottenham’s upcoming match against Chelsea will be the most pivotal among their remaining matches, as they simply can’t afford to lose three in a row if they want to catch the top-four bus before the season ends.

History

To state that these London-based clubs are well acquainted is an understatement. Across all competitions since 1995, Chelsea and Tottenham have faced each other a total of 69 times. Chelsea have bossed those matches, winning 39 of them, while Spurs have only managed to win 10 and tally 20 draws.

During their most recent head-to-head, Chelsea obliterated Spurs in a give-game thriller, finishing the match with a 4-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In recent form, both clubs are without a win in their last two Premier League matches. It’s safe to assume a spirited effort from both outfits, as they desperately need to garner as many points as possible to end their campaign.

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2024 betting odds suggest an all-out dog fight between these London rivals, as no outfit has been given a glaring advantage to win.

Chelsea are the slight favourites to win at 2.21, while the visiting Spurs are right there at 2.62 with a draw price of 3.71.

The Blues could have been given a slight nod due to their home advantage, but it’s still a toss of the coin to determine the victor in this bout.

Instead, my betting tip is total goals under 3.75 at 1.87. Despite having Cole Palmer, Chelsea have been struggling offensively as of late, tallying just two goals in their last three matches. Meanwhile, Tottenham are showing a bit of inconsistency in the goal-scoring department, going scoreless against Newcastle and then scoring two against Arsenal.

 

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