Premier London derbies (PLDs) matches are back this weekend in the F.A. Premier League (FAPL) with the first of 7 games between now and the end of the year. No spectators yet but sooner or later there may be a lucky 4,000! For some this is “the big one” between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 29 November 2020. In last season’s blog for this match we alluded to the “Battle of Stamford Bridge” in the 2015-16 season when Spurs lost a 2 goallead and with it their remaining title hopes and had 9 players booked.
This season they both come into this their 10th match of the FAPL campaign riding high: Spurs top of the table ahead of defending Champions Liverpool with 20 points and the Blues ( or is it “Pensioners”) 2 points back in 3rd ahead on goals to Leicester City of 2015-16 fame.Tottenham Hotspur have won all their 4 away matches so far in the FAPL, but Chelseahave lost 1 of their 4 at home.
Form in this fixture is with the home Club with scores in the last 4 seasons being: 2-1 in 2016-17; 1-3 in 2017-18; 2-0 in 2018-19; and 2-1 in 2019-20. Spurs goal scorers in these matches, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli, are either not with the Club or out of favour. Then of course there is the question of rivalry between the Managers/Head Coaches! FrankLampard, full of ambition and with expensive reinforcements coming into form, will want to start to repeat the “double wins” he had over Jose Mourinho last season. Mourinho himself has a spring in his step again and has been seen with a smile on his face more than once. With 43 goals for between them and 19 against a goal-less draw seems unlikely, and the betting…….? We shall see on Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile keep safe, and remember “Hands, Face, Space”, Andrew at PLDS.