Chelsea v Tottenham: Premier League betting, tips, odds and preview

TV: BT Sport 1, 8pm Wednesday

The fallout from the substitution that never was has dominated headlines since Sunday’s League Cup final, overshadowing a decent performance from a Chelsea side who need to repeat it if they are to get anything off bitter rivals Tottenham in the Premier League.

Lessons learned from that chastening 6-0 humiliation at the Etihad a couple of weeks previous, Maurizio Sarri showed his tactical nous by turning it into a war of attrition against Manchester City at Wembley at the weekend – a war which his side lost only in the most galling of circumstances.

They’ve had just a couple of days to pick themselves up from that devastating heartache – and the accompanying furore following keeper Kepa’s stand-off with Sarri – and now they prepare to take on Tottenham in a London derby with massive implications for both clubs.

Dropped points are no good for either of them, Chelsea as they strive to stay in the top-four race, Tottenham as they stay in the title chase - even if Mauricio Pochettino says they are out of the running following Saturday’s loss at Burnley.

The timing of the match works in Tottenham’s favour. They played at Turf Moor on Saturday lunchtime, the final whistle on their 2-1 loss blown some 28 hours before Chelsea dragged themselves off the pitch at Wembley.

Now these are fit, young men but this is a stage of the season where fatigue sets in quicker than usual. And this fixture will be Chelsea’s sixth game in the last 17 days – it will be Tottenham’s fourth over the same period. That ought to be a factor.

It’s hard to know quite what impact the aftermath of Sunday’s final will have on proceedings though Sarri could be forgiven for not giving two hoots with his fate seemingly sealed long before his extraordinary stand-off with Kepa.

Sarri was on borrowed time anyway after seeing his side plunge out of the top four, embarrassed by City in the league and bundled out of the FA Cup by Manchester United.

But the Italian will have stayed professional and now just has to hope that a mutinous group of players, perhaps inspired by a solid anti-Spurs crowd, will give this fixture their all. That looks a big ask.

Spurs, of course, have their own setback to recoil from though they were basically bullied into defeat at Turf Moor, where Juan Foyth was targeted by a no-nonsense Burnley and the Londoners eventually gave in.

Foyth will presumably make way for Davinson Sanchez while Kieran Trippier also goes fresh. So too does top scorer Harry Kane, back with a goal at Burnley and chomping at the bit after a few weeks off.

Spurs have lost their last three away matches though having lost just one of their previous 15 road trips. And they did break a barren run at Stamford Bridge by winning 3-1 there in April.

In short, they look more of a team than Chelsea at the moment and at the prices merit a punt.

There have been some spicy dust-ups between these two most bitter of rivals in recent seasons and this will probably be fractious in front of a baying crowd.

That said, none of this season’s three meetings between these two – they also met in the League Cup semis – has produced more than the 4.5 cards which bet365 have the game in for.

Premier League standings

Recommendation
Tottenham
1pt 23-10 general

Bet on this match at Soccerbase.com

Key stat
Spurs are yet to draw a game in the Premier League – and this fixture is without a stalemate in eight.

Team news
Chelsea
It’s unclear if Kepa will start in goal. Marcos Alonso is available.

Tottenham
Dele Alli is injured, Eric Dier ill.

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