Chelsea v Tottenham predictions: Blues can continue fine record against Spurs

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Tottenham in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Sunday

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Chelsea
2pts 13-10 Betfred

Over 6.5 Chelsea corners
2pts 31-20Betfair

Team news

Chelsea
Mateo Kovacic is out while wantaway wing-back Marcos Alonso won't be involved.

Tottenham
Clement Lenglet won't be involved after picking up a knock. Olly Skipp was already out.

Match preview

Tottenham came through last week's training run-out against Southampton in style but now the heat will be on when they visit steamy Stamford Bridge.

Spurs have been well backed over the summer following improvements on the pitch under Antonio Conte and astute business in the transfer window.

And you couldn't fault them as they clicked nicely into gear coming from one down to club a seriously sorry Southampton 4-1 on Saturday.

Some will be getting carried away but it's probably best to keep a lid on expectations because now comes a test – and a proper test at that.

Chelsea have not won quite the same plaudits for their seasonal opener, a workmanlike 1-0 win at Everton, but this is the side who finished third in the Premier League last term and beat Tottenham not once but four times, without conceding a goal.

And have they been strengthened in the window? Recruiting Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling surely has to go down as business of the top level and with the rust out of their system expect them to gleam against their bitter London rivals at a blisteringly hot Bridge.

The raging heat may take some of the fire out of a game that has produced plenty of passion over the years, but Chelsea look well worth backing to produce a trademark display of rock-solid professionalism and get the job done.

Forget the hype, that this match is somehow critical in the grand scheme of things, of where these two might finish and how it impacts their roles as potential title challengers. It's way too early in the schedule for that.

What is for sure is that Conte is right, Spurs are better than last season, but Chelsea are the bet.

Defensively they were very good last season and were super strong at Everton with Koulibaly seamlessly slotting in alongside Thiago Silva. With the protection on offer from Ngolo Kante, they remain such a solid unit.

And up front they remain lively. None of Sterling, Mount, Havertz, Ziyech, Pulisic or others looks like q natural centre-forward yet they still carved out chances at Goodison against a massed Everton back line. They also piled up 16 corners, and although they never looked like scoring from most of them, Betfair's 31-20 that they amass over 6.5 has to be enticing.

Spurs are sharper going forward with that frontline of Dejan Kulusevski, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son now set in stone but with options on the bench which Conte felt he never had last year.

Defensively there are still questions and that's what Chelsea's pace in their attack can exploit.

Key stat

Tottenham have won on one of their 30 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge.

Inside info

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho
Assist aces Mason Mount, Reece James
Set-piece aerial threat Kalidou Koulibaly
Card magnet Jorginho

Tottenham

Penalty taker Harry Kane
Assist ace Dejan Kulusevski, Heung-Min Son
Set-piece aerial threat Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Card magnet Eric Dier

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