Match points: Tottenham v Chelsea

Last season it was Chelsea, who had a championship nearly solidified by Christmas.

“We have to make sure we don’t make any mistakes, keep ourselves in the game for as long as possible, keep it tight and then assert our own game plan”. Having said that, a team that has players such as Diego Cost, Eden Hazard, Willian and Cesc Fabregas should be able to win any match against any opposition.

Their hopes of gaining revenge for the 5-3 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season will be enhanced if they can prevent Kane from extending a scoring streak that has brought the Tottenham striker nine goals in his last six club games.

Chelsea have come away as victors against Tottenham in 25 of their 46 Premier League meetings, with 10 wins in the 23 encounters at The Lane. You could go into every match after that knowing you can lose.

But Spurs will be hugely motivated for the clash as they could potentially move to within two points of the top of the table with a win, as league-leaders Leicester City play second-placed Manchester United on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho’s champions have had a shambolic start to their title defence.

“If that wasn’t a problem for Chelsea, why is it a problem now for Tottenham?”

The Blues, meanwhile, halted a worrying three-match losing streak with their 1-0 victory over Norwich last time out – just their fourth win of the top-flight campaign.

“You just don’t get involved with him”, he added. As absurd as genuinely celebrating a Chelsea victory over Norwich seems, it better than the alternative for Chelsea supporters.

Should Chelsea beat Porto by two goals or more on the final night of the group stage, or by a single goal with a score-line of 2-1 or greater, they will finish in first place in Group G.

The Premier League champions have linked linked with a host of strikers ahead of the winter transfer window including Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, Harry Kane and the Premier League’s current top scorer Jamie Vardy. “You could tell they had a lot of experienced players who have played a lot of games and won a lot of trophies, and they knew how to win and grind out a result”. I want to stay in the club, the club wants me to stay. “This is his challenge”.