An always-fierce London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur hits Stamford Bridge on Thursday, as both Enzo Maresca and Ange Postecoglou seek morale-boosting wins.
The two sides staged an engaging seven-goal thriller on Dec. 8, as Chelsea erased a 2-nil halftime lead with a four-goal second half that included a pair of Cole Palmer penalties.
WATCH – Chelsea vs Spurs
Both teams have seen better days, with once title-fighting Chelsea in fourth place and without a win over a current top-half side since toppling Aston Villa on December 1 in the middle of a five-match Premier League winning streak.
For Postecoglou, Spurs have lost all the good vibes from a three-match winning streak that coincided with a return of several long-injured players.
They’ve taken just one point from their last nine in the Premier League and have only one win in five matches across all competitions — a home defeat of AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League Round of 16.
How to watch Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Thursday
Venue: Stamford Bridge — West London
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Chelsea team news, focus
OUT: Nicolas Jackson (thigh), Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension), Omari Kellyman (hamstring – out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Cole Palmer (thigh), Noni Madueke (thigh), Marc Guiu (groin)
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
OUT: Dejan Kulusevski (foot), Richarlison (lower leg), Radu Dragusin (torn ACL – out for season), Kevin Danso (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Lucas Bergvall (illness)
Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction
Predicting Spurs outcomes is an infuriating endeavor, as Postecoglou’s men are capable of the sublime and the sleepy. Chelsea are still missing some key attacking pieces with a few others not at 100 percent. Dejan Kulusevski’s absence swings our prediction, and we’ll tip the Blues for three points at home. Chelsea 2-1 Spurs.
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