Chelsea Face Tottenham in a High-Stakes London Derby: Bold Predictions and Expected Lineups Revealed

A fixture that once filled Tottenham Hotspur fans with dread no longer seems quite so intimidating, and the away side have the opportunity to celebrate in west London on Tuesday.

While 10th-place Chelsea have only a slim chance of salvaging their season and securing a Champions League berth, Spurs need just a single point from their remaining two matches to preserve their Premier League status.

West Ham United remain two points adrift following their 3–1 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday. Their significantly worse goal difference means Spurs need just one positive result over the coming week to avoid a fate that once seemed unthinkable.

That said, visits to Stamford Bridge have rarely gone well for the Lilywhites, regardless of the hosts' form. This Chelsea side has struggled for months, though news of Xavi Alonso's imminent appointment should at least inject some optimism into what has been a subdued Stamford Bridge atmosphere on Tuesday.

The Blues fell to defeat in the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday, courtesy of Antoine Semenyo's precise flick — a goal that has drawn comparisons to Danny Welbeck's similarly-styled effort for England against Sweden at Euro 2012.

Chelsea vs. Tottenham Score Prediction

Spurs Get Their Point

There was a feeling of mixed emotions in N17 after Spurs were held to a draw by Leeds United on Monday night, yet that result could prove vital in securing their top-flight survival. Few Spurs fans ever travel to the Bridge with high expectations, but Sunday's outcome on Tyneside has significantly boosted their chances of staying up.

Chelsea will be eager to drag the relegation battle into the final day, yet they continue to put in uninspired performances. They showed some fight in recent outings against Liverpool and Man City, but there's little to suggest anything will change dramatically before Alonso takes charge.

Spurs will back themselves to claim that all-important point.

Prediction: Chelsea 1–1 Tottenham

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham

Levi Colwill's impressive displays since returning from a long-term knee injury may well earn him a place in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad, but Chelsea will be cautious about overloading him. Having played consecutive full 90 minutes, he could be given a breather here.

The same applies to skipper Reece James, who has only recently bounced back from yet another hamstring problem.

Estêvão's hamstring injury will rule him out of the World Cup, and there are no indications that Jamie Gittens will be fit before the season concludes. Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are both pushing for selection after shaking off their respective injuries, with Marc Cucurella expected to slot back into Chelsea's defensive line.

Young midfielder Jesse Derry is sidelined until the summer after suffering a serious head injury in the 3–0 loss to Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernández, Neto; Pedro.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea

De Zerbi has confirmed that Guglielmo Vicario is available for Tuesday's clash following his recovery from hernia surgery, though Antonín Kinsky has done enough to merit keeping his starting spot. Kinsky's superb stop from Sean Longstaff deep into stoppage time secured a crucial point against Leeds United last Monday.

With Dominic Solanke still sidelined by a hamstring injury, Richarlison will lead the line for the visitors. Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani are expected to feature on the flanks once more, though Djed Spence could be in the frame to fill in on the right side.

James Maddison missed several training sessions after making his first appearance of the campaign last time out, and is unlikely to start in west London. Nevertheless, the England international should again be available to come off the bench.

Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Ben Davies are all sidelined through injury for the away side.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison.

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