Tottenham will face Chelsea in the Premier League on Monday night (6 November) at home, and they will be looking to maintain their winning run.
Chris Sutton believes “everything points” to a home win for high-flying Tottenham Hotspur, but with Chelsea boss, Mauricio Pochettino going back to familiar ground for the first time since they sacked him in 2019, there’s a bit of uncertainty about the outcome.
The BBC columnist previews that while Spurs are top of the table and haven’t lost under new head coach, Ange Postecoglou, Chelsea have been erratic this season.
However, after strong performances from the Blues against top opponents this season such as Liverpool, Arsenal, and Brighton in the Carabao Cup, the former Premier League striker has a “nagging doubt” about the London derby on Monday and predicts a 2-0 win for the home side.
Sutton said: “I’ve gone with Tottenham to win this one but, at the back of my mind, I have a nagging doubt about that.
“On paper, it’s pretty easy to predict how the game will go – Spurs are top of the table and haven’t lost under Ange Postecoglou, while Chelsea are so erratic.
“Pretty much everything points to a home win, but with Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino going back to Spurs for the first time since they sacked him in 2019, I am not so sure.
“I am still going to go with my instinct and back Tottenham, because I think they are a better team than Chelsea are – but the Pochettino factor makes me think that, somehow, his side will find a way to win, and he will be the one who bursts Postecoglou’s bubble.
“On top of that, Chelsea are the team who I can’t ever seem to pick the right result for.
“I’ve actually managed it twice this season – when they beat Luton and drew with Bournemouth – but it feels like I had a better strike rate when I played up front for them.”
Is Chris Sutton’s derby prediction spot on?
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur are in great form in the league, having won eight of their 10 games and drawn two, which places them at the top of the standings after 10 matches.
In their most recent league outing, Spurs secured a 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.
On the other hand, Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino are facing challenges in the league, having won only three of their 10 games and currently sitting in 11th place. They are 14 points behind Spurs and are coming off a 2-0 home defeat to Brentford in their last match.
Meanwhile, Tottenham will head to this fixture at the back of a four-game winning streak since their 2-2 draw with Arsenal and will be looking for a second successive victory against Chelsea on Monday. This sets the stage for an intriguing clash between the two London rivals.
