Tottenham v Chelsea predictions: Visitors can make fast start to London derby

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

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Chelsea to lead at half-time
2pts 8-5 Hills

Team news

Tottenham
Japhet Tanganga is banned and Eric Dier, Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura are doubts. Giovani Lo Celso, Cristian Romero and Davinson Sanchez will be assessed after quarantine but Steven Bergwijn is likely to join Ryan Sessegnon on the sidelines.

Chelsea
Reece James returns from suspension and N'Golo Kante should be fit but Christian Pulisic is still out.

Match preview

Tottenham beat Premier League champions Manchester City in Nuno Espirito Santo's first match in charge but they could be blitzed early by Champions League winners Chelsea on Sunday.

Spurs are just a point behind Chelsea after four league games as Nuno led them to the top of the table, briefly, thanks to 1-0 wins over City, Wolves and Watford.

They came down to earth with a bump last weekend, losing 3-0 at Crystal Palace, who scored three times in the final 15 minutes after Spurs centre-back Japhet Tanganga was sent off.

Tanganga is suspended for the clash with Chelsea's star striker Romelu Lukaku and Nuno has several injury concerns after Thursday's 2-2 draw with Rennes in the Europa Conference League.

While Spurs endured a frustrating midweek start to their campaign in the third-tier European trophy, Lukaku scored the only goal of the game for Champions League holders Chelsea against Zenit St Petersburg.

The brilliant Belgian also scored with his only two chances in last weekend's 3-0 home win over Aston Villa and he will be eager to outshine Harry Kane at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

So much rests on Kane's shoulders at Spurs, particularly if Heung-Min Son is not fit enough to start, and Nuno may well cast an envious glance at the strength of the Chelsea bench.

Thomas Tuchel should be able to welcome back N'Golo Kante to the Chelsea midfield although Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic are an excellent partnership in their own right and Atletico Madrid loanee Saul Niguez will undoubtedly improve on his tough debut against Villa.

Chelsea eased to wins over Crystal Palace and Arsenal in their first two outings and were 1-0 up at Liverpool before Reece James's goal-line handball resulted in a red card and a penalty, converted by Mohamed Salah.

The Blues defended superbly with ten men at Anfield and they have maintained last season's high standards under Tuchel, conceding only once from open play in six competitive games this term.

Fast starts have been a feature of their success as they have taken the lead in all four Premier League matches this season, scoring in the 27th, 15th, 22nd and 15th minutes.

Spurs, like Nuno's former club Wolves, have struggled to spring out of the traps and the odds on offer about Chelsea to be leading at half-time are appealing.

A Dele Alli penalty gave Tottenham a ninth-minute lead at Molineux but their only other league goals have come in the 55th and 42nd minutes and Chelsea are well capable of punishing a sluggish start from their hosts.

Key stat

Chelsea have scored the first goal in their last seven matches in all competitions.

Inside info

Tottenham

Penalty taker Harry Kane
Free-kick wizard Harry Kane
Aerial set piece threat Harry Kane
Card magnet Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho
Free-kick wizard Mason Mount
Aerial set piece threat Romelu Lukaku
Card magnet Antonio Rudiger

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