Notebook – Chelsea vs Spurs

Ahead of the game, here are all the key points of note...

1 - The perfect start

This Sunday, we’ll be looking to build on our great start to the season – that 4-1 win over Southampton on opening day – by bagging another three points as we make the trip to Chelsea. However, it must be noted that we have rarely maintained a 100 per cent record in the Premier League following our first two games of a season.

Only twice in our last seven campaigns have we won each of our first two matches (2018/19 and 2021/22) while in two others, we have remained unbeaten. If we are going to add this season to that record though, we know we will face quite the test at Stamford Bridge.

2 - Chelsea’s opener

While we will be looking to maintain our 100 per cent start to the season, so will our opponents Chelsea. On opening day, the Blues also got off to a positive start in the league as they defeated Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park, but it wasn’t perhaps as convincing as a result as Thomas Tuchel’s side would have hoped for.

3 - An uneasy spell

From the end of last season, it would be fair to say Chelsea have had an inconsistent run of form in the Premier League. Despite having enjoyed a strong start to 2021/22, losing just two of their first 21 fixtures, when the season reached April, they won just four of their final 10 matches, losing three of them.

4 - An unwanted record

It goes without saying that we haven’t much enjoyed our visits to the Bridge in the Premier League. As the competition hits 30 years of age, our record stands at just one win in 29 attempts. That victory though came famously in April, 2018, as a Dele brace as well as a superb strike from Christian Eriksen saw us 3-1 winners in west London.

5 - A strong away run

Although, while we have endured difficult times at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, it is worth noting that we are currently enjoying a fine run away from home – our best in nearly two years. Not since March have we lost away from home in the league – a run of five games (three wins, two draws). The last time we went on a longer unbeaten run away from home was between July and December, 2020, as we went nine undefeated.

6 - Goals galore

We are also currently enjoying quite a hot streak in front of goal. In a run stretching back to last season, we have found the target at least three times in 11 of our last 17 matches. In 2022, we have scored 51 league goals in total – ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, no side had scored more than us in that time.

7 - Four on the bounce

While we have been scoring plenty of goals over the past few months, we have also enjoyed a fine run of wins in the Premier League. Heading into Sunday’s clash, we have won each of our last four outings in the top flight (3-0 vs Arsenal, 1-0  vs Burnley, 5-0 vs Norwich and 4-1 vs Southampton) – the current longest such run in the competition.

8 - London derby difficulties

Neither side in this fixture has particularly revelled in London derbies as of late. Firstly, at the start of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure at the Bridge, our hosts had enjoyed a strong record in capital clashes with just one defeat suffered in his first nine such games as Head Coach. However, in the most recent six, the Blues have fell three times. We meanwhile have also been unable to take many points in these fixtures in recent times, losing seven of our last 12 London derbies (W1 D4). That sole win came 17 months ago as we defeated Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage in March, 2021. If we were to win this game though, it would be our 100^th win against a fellow London side in the Premier League.

9 - New Blues

While we have had a busy summer in terms of arrivals, so have our London rivals. So far this transfer window, Chelsea have brought in four new faces for their first team as defenders Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella have joined from Napoli and Brighton respectively while midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka has signed from Aston Villa and forward Raheem Sterling has arrived from Manchester City.

10 - Richarlison in contention

Having missed our opening day win over Southampton through suspension, Richarlison is in contention to make his competitive debut for the Club at Stamford Bridge. While our summer arrival from Everton will be available to Antonio Conte this Sunday though, both Clement Lenglet and Oliver Skipp will miss the trip to west London through injury.