It may be the early stages of the EPL campaign, but soccer fans have a mouth-watering clash to look forward to on Sunday when Tottenham visits Chelsea. This is usually an explosive London derby and there is certainly no love lost between these two sides. It is also one of the most storied English Premier League fixtures, and it is never short on drama.
Key stats ahead of the game
To whet your appetite for this game, we have picked out a few illuminating stats for you to digest:
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their past seven league games against Tottenham after losing consecutive clashes in 2018.
- Tottenham’s record at Stamford Bridge is woeful, winning just one of their past 37 matches against the Blues in all competitions.
- Harry Kane has netted 41 EPL derby goals, but he’s failed to net in any of his past five appearances against Chelsea.
- Only Aston Villa (31) completed more crosses than Chelsea (25) in the opening round of EPL games.
US online betting sites will be brimming with some brilliant lines for bettors to explore. And ahead of this eagerly-anticipated match, we have picked out a few tips for you to ponder.
Bridge of sighs for Tottenham
Stamford Bridge has been far from a happy hunting ground for Tottenham. For some reason or another, they seem to suffer a mental block, and Chelsea have this hold over them. For example, we can trace back to that frenetic clash in May 2016 when Tottenham surged into a 2-0 lead before the break. But they were pegged back after second-half goals from Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard which earned the Blues a draw, and Tottenham saw the title slip from their grasp.
Antonio Conte’s men, who kickstarted their campaign with a 4-1 win over Southampton last weekend, will be put under pressure from the first whistle, and they will have to stay compact. Tottenham have plenty of weapons. The likes of Son Heung-Min and Kane will provide the biggest attacking threats, but they will have to patient and bide their time as they might not see the ball for long periods. Although Chelsea’s Achilles’ heel can be pointed to the dearth of out-and-out strikers, especially after offloading Romelu Lukaku and selling Timo Werner back to RB Leipzig, they will rely on the likes of Raheem Sterling to probe and unlock Tottenham’s defense. What lies in store could be an entertaining game, but one that Chelsea might just edge.
Although they labored to victory over Everton last weekend, Chelsea should provide a strong reaction in front of the home supporters. If you wish to delve into the match result market, then BetMGM is offering a tempting price of +320 for Chelsea to win and both teams to score which could be worth following up on.
Kai Havertz to get in on the act
While he’s not a natural No.9, Kai Havertz seemed to audition for the role quite well last season, especially when Thomas Tuchel had lingering doubts over Lukaku. Last term, Havertz helped himself to eight goals in the EPL, and he may well be targeting double figures this time around. The German linchpin has an uncanny habit of popping up in the right place at the right time. With excellent service likely from Mason Mount and Reece James powering down the flank, Chelsea could bombard Tottenham. Havertz will want to get in on the act and he could hit the target. If you are tempted by Havertz to net during the 90 minutes, then SugarHouse is serving an intriguing price of +260 for him to do so which could be worth exploring.
Referee could be in for a busy afternoon
As is customary for London derbies, there could well be some rash challenges flying around the pitch and Anthony Taylor, who will be officiating, will have to keep his wits about him. In the 314 EPL matches he has overseen to date, Taylor has brandished 44 red cards and 1,067 yellows. He is likely to be in for a busy afternoon, and if you like a good special, then SugarHouse is offering a price of -275 for there to be Over 3.5 cards during the 90 minutes.
