Injury blow for John Terry

Chelsea v Spurs – the two meanest defences in the PL, but whose is more impressive? It was the fastest game I have played in a long time. Tomorrow it’ s important to play good football to win the game.

Chelsea drew 2-2 with Tottenham in the corresponding fixture back in May, a result which handed Leicester City the title. The midfielder has not featured this season.

It’s now six wins on the spin for the Blues following last Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium, a game in which Chelsea performed well and should probably have won by more.

Conte told Chelsea to channel their emotions in Saturday’s London derby, just as he does as an animated presence in the technical area. “It’s right to have passion, but to use it in the right way”, he explained.

Tottenham crashed out of the competition with a 2-1 defeat away in Monaco on Tuesday evening, but manager Mauricio Pochettino was keen to move on and pick his players up after the loss.

Spurs are winless in this corner of west London since February 1990, having played 25 times and losing on 17 occasions there since. But Conte is not interested in that statistic. If there is the possibility and the players ask me to play this type of game, then I’m happy. The club recruited accordingly, and Pochettino began a process of aggressive pragmatism that, at best, has produced uneven returns.

“It’s important to think of the present”.

Spurs received nine yellow cards – which is the most recorded by a single team in Premier League history – with Mousa Dembele picking up a six-game ban for poking Diego Costa in the eye, as tempers flared.

He spoke with Pochettino and Spurs’ then technical director Franco Baldini in a week which also saw him visit Sam Allardyce’s West Ham and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.

Chelsea’s form has been the polar opposite, with Antonio Conte’s side on a fantastic run at the moment.

Ideas were shared, but it was not full disclosure.

Last season his form was so good it prompted Pochettino to say that Spurs “do not exist” without him but, aside from a man-of-the-match display against Arsenal, he is yet to reach that level this term.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has confirmed that captain John Terry has picked up an injury in training and will be out of action for up to three weeks.

“For Chelsea fans, I’m sure they remember that day”.

The Nigeria global is rumoured to have been scouted by Barcelona this season, but Conte told him to focus on the here and now.

Spurs are yet to lose from their 12 Premier League games, but it looks like being unlucky no.13 at Stamford Bridge and I think [1.76] is not a bad price on the home side landing their seventh Premier League win in a row.