Premier League analysis: Chelsea vs Tottenham - Five key battles and score prediction

Chelsea welcome London rivals Tottenham to Stamford Bridge on Thursday, April 3, in the latest meeting of this fierce rivalry.

Enzo Maresca’s side will be looking to pick up three valuable points in their hunt for Champions League qualification.

Tottenham, however, who currently sit in 14th, will be playing for London bragging rights with any chance of European qualification looking very unlikely.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer Tom Nichols takes a look at five battles which could prove decisive in the match.

Pedro Neto vs Djed Spence

Pedro Neto has had a good first season in Blue, scoring three goals and registering four assists in just 16 starts.

Neto has had a slight drop in form recently - the winger has not recorded a goal contribution in either of his last four games.

The Portugal international is a top player, and despite his recent form, Tottenham’s defence will need to be on top form to stop him.

Djed Spence has kept Pedro Porro out of the team recently with his impressive performances.

Spence arrived from Championship side Middlesbrough in 2022. He has since gone on multiple loans to Rennes, Leeds United and most recently, Genoa.

The right-back broke into the Spurs team in December 2024, becoming a mainstay in the side.

Spence will be hoping he can help Tottenham earn their first clean sheet since February 16, when they beat Manchester United 1-0.

Heung-Min Son vs Reece James

Heung-Min Son is having yet another outstanding Premier League season, despite Tottenham’s poor league position.

Son has scored seven goals and bagged nine assists, begging the question, where would Ange Postecoglou’s side be without their main man?

He has been in fine form of late, helping Spurs reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League before linking up with his country, South Korea, for games against Oman and Jordan in the World Cup qualifiers.

Son will be looking to score his fourth goal against the Blues since his arrival in England in 2015.

Reece James has had a horrid time through injury over the last couple of years, missing over 100 games for Chelsea.

The right-back seems to be getting over his injury problems, though, with 14 appearances across all competitions so far this season.

James even made his first appearances for England since September 2022 in World Cup qualifiers against Latvia and Albania, scoring a thunderous free kick against the latter.

Despite his attacking capabilities, James is also very strong defensively.

He will need to be at the top of his game against Son in what should be an exciting battle between two talented players.

Cole Palmer vs Destiny Udogie

Cole Palmer has not recorded a goal contribution in any of his last ten games and missed Chelsea’s last game against Arsenal with a muscle problem.

Despite his recent poor form, Palmer’s quality is undeniable. A short break might be just what the winger needed as he looks to add to his impressive 14-goal tally.

Palmer scored two penalties in the previous meeting between the two sides, when Chelsea ran out 4-3 winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Destiny Udogie signed for Tottenham in 2022 for £20 million before returning to Udinese on loan.

The Italian played 28 games last season, establishing himself as a solid Premier League defender.

Udogie has bags of pace and strength, which could prove vital when he comes up against Palmer.

Udogie has a hard task on his hands to keep Palmer from scoring against Tottenham for the third time this season.

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Yves Bissouma vs Enzo Fernandez

Yves Bissouma has an impressive 1.8 tackles per game and 3.1 recoveries per game to his name this season, highlighting how important he is to the Spurs side.

Bissouma had a hard start to the season when he was suspended by Ange Postecoglou. The midfielder has only made 14 Premier League appearances this season, however, he has started in Tottenham’s last two league games.

The Malian international will be hoping to keep his counterpart, Enzo Fernandez, quiet in the middle of the park.

Fernandez has enjoyed a successful season in Chelsea colours.

The Argentine has scored four goals and registered five assists in the Premier League alongside an impressive four assists and one goal in the Conference League.

Fernandez will be hoping for a good result in this rivalry in Chelsea’s hunt for Champions League football, something they haven’t had since the 2022/2023 season.

Enzo Maresca vs Ange Postecoglou

Maresca and Postecoglou have met just once before, when Chelsea won a thrilling game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 4-3.

Maresca has his Chelsea side currently sitting in fourth place on 49 points. Manchester City and Newcastle United are on 48 and 47 points, respectively, narrowly behind Maresca’s side.

Since Postecoglou’s arrival in England, he has faced Chelsea three times, losing all three. The Australian will be hoping this is the game where he finally gets the better of the Blues.

Tottenham have had a poor season, sitting 14th in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa in the fourth round before losing 4-1 on aggregate to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Postecoglou will be looking to prevent Chelsea from doing the double over Spurs at all costs.

Score prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Tottenham

Chelsea’s attacking prowess, paired with Tottenham’s defensive injuries points towards a comfortable Chelsea win.

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