Sat 22 January 2022, 22:00
Tottenham HotspurWe are set for a huge game in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon as we make the trip to Chelsea (4.30pm kick-off).
Here in the Notebook, take a look at the key points of note ahead of the game…
1 - Familiar foes
Bizarrely, this will be our third meeting with Chelsea in just 18 days. Having faced them over two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-finals at the start of the month, the first on 5 January at Stamford Bridge before the second a week later at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we will now make a quick return to the Bridge in the Premier League, for our second and final league meeting of the season.
It will be the first time in our history that we have ever faced the Blues three times in a single calendar month, however we have played them three times within a 28-day period twice before – firstly between 4 January and 1 February, 1964, and then again between 11 March and 7 April, 2007. Across those two sequences, we remained unbeaten, drawing the first meeting of each before going on to take victory in the following two.
The last side we faced at least three times in a single month was Manchester City back in the 2018/19 season. Drawing the Citizens in the Champions League quarter-finals, we played out our two-legged tie on 9 and 17 April, 2019, before returning to the Etihad in the Premier League three days after the second leg on 20 April. In that set of three games, we came out on top in the first, before losing the next two – albeit, despite defeat in the second encounter, we did enough to progress to the Champions League semi-finals via the away goals rule.
2 - Blues’ backline strength
In recent years, we have struggled in front of goal when facing Chelsea. In just two of our last nine meetings in all competitions with the Blues have we found the back of the net, while in five of our last six Premier League encounters our west London rivals have managed to keep a clean sheet.
It is now five games (457 minutes in total) since we last scored against Chelsea in any competition. In our history, we have never gone six games against a single opponent without scoring a goal.
3 - Bridge difficulties
As well as our struggles in front of goal against Chelsea, our Premier League record at Stamford Bridge is well documented. Just once in our last 31 trips to the Blues’ west London home have we come away with all three points (D10 L20) – that came in April, 2018, as we cantered to a 3-1 win over a side then managed by Antonio Conte.
4 - Chelsea’s league struggles
Thomas Tuchel’s side began the season like a train but, since the winter months have come upon us, their league campaign has started to come off the rails. Having lost just one of their opening 14 Premier League games - winning 10 of those - they have since managed just two more victories (D5 L2).
At Stamford Bridge, they have also drawn each of their last three Premier League games with their last home league win coming over a month ago on 11 December, a last-minute Jorginho penalty seeing the Blues edge Leeds United 3-2. They have not gone four home league games without a win since going on a run of five between March and May, 2016.
5 - Unbeaten run to continue?
After the first nine Premier League games of his Spurs managerial career, Antonio Conte remains undefeated – and he’ll want that run to continue against his former club on Sunday. The Italian made history back in December as he became our first manager in the Premier League era to remain unbeaten after his first seven league games. Now, after two dramatic late, late winners against Watford and Leicester City, he leads us into battle against Chelsea hoping for a 10th consecutive Premier League game without defeat.
In that time, Antonio has collected 21 points (W6 D3) – the most any Spurs manager has accumulated from their first nine league games in charge in the Premier League era.
6 - The Late, Late Show
As aforementioned, we have scored very late winners in each of our last two Premier League games to see us take maximum points. Against Watford on New Year’s Day, Davinson Sanchez rose highest to head home in the sixth minute of injury time as we earned a 1-0 win at Vicarage Road before Steven Bergwijn then incredibly hit a brace in the final two minutes of play at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday to see us edge Leicester 3-2.
We last won back-to-back away games in the league with winners in the 90th minute plus in November, 2014, as we defeated Aston Villa 2-1 on 2 November – Harry Kane scoring with a memorable free-kick at Villa Park on 90 minutes – and then Hull City by the same scoreline on 23 November, Christian Eriksen with the late strike. Coincidentally, our next away league game that term came against Chelsea – we went on to suffer a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge that day.
7 - Coming from behind
Our late win over Leicester last time out was the fourth time we have come from behind to pick up a least a point and the third time we’ve come from behind to win during Antonio Conte’s tenure to date. In fact, since the Italian was appointed, every time we have fallen behind in the Premier League, we have gone on to get something out of the game. First doing so against Leeds United in November as we claimed a 2-1 win, we then drew with Liverpool and Southampton after conceding first before going on to defeat Leicester after twice going behind. Across those matches, we have picked up eight points from losing positions – the joint-highest in the competition since Antonio’s arrival.
8 - Patience is a virtue
Late goals in general have been a notable part of our play under Antonio. Since he arrived in north London back in November, we have scored nine goals in the final 30 minutes of games – only Liverpool and Manchester City have scored more in that time. Those goals have come across eight of our nine league games under the Italian, with only our 1-1 draw with Southampton on 28 December not seeing a goal after the 60th minute.
9 - London derby resurgence
We are currently in fine form in Premier League London derbies. Having lost five on the spin between March and October, 2021, we have since won back-to-back league games against our city rivals (Brentford and Crystal Palace). Chelsea, meanwhile, were beaten in their last such game, falling 3-2 to West Ham at the start of December.
10 - Team news – Dier to return
After over three weeks out, Antonio Conte confirmed that Eric Dier is set to return to our matchday squad for Sunday’s game. The defender, who has missed our last four games with illness and a muscular problem, returned to training this week and is now expected to re-join the team for the trip to Stamford Bridge. Heung-Min Son and Cristian Romero, however, remain out.
