Chelsea host bitter London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday with European football, Premier League survival and bragging rights all at stake.
Defeat in the FA Cup final means Chelsea must now regather themselves in the league if they are to have any hope of European football next season. Two wins are likely be enough to clinch eighth and a spot in the Conference League.
The Blues have gone seven games without a top-flight victory (D1, L6) – their worst period of form since a 10-match winless run between December 1994 and February 1995 under former Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle. Incidentally, the final game of that slump was a 1-1 home draw with Tottenham.
An opportunity to play a leading role in the potential relegation of their north London rivals would provide an exciting conclusion to Chelsea’s sub-standard season and help banish memories of Saturday’s Wembley defeat.
This fixture has been so one-sided down the years that Chelsea fans referred to Tottenham’s old ground as ‘Three Point Lane’ and they have racked up a club record 38 Premier League wins – both home and away – over Tottenham.
They have also not lost a final home league game for 24 years (W16, D7) and that formidable end-of-season record, combined with their head-to-head dominance, suggests the Blues will still be vying for eighth place on the final day of the season.
Spurs almost safe
Spurs are on a timely four-match unbeaten run (W2, D2) and require three more points on Tuesday to guarantee top-flight survival. A draw would also swing the balance heavily in their favour given their superior goal difference when compared to West Ham.
However, the Lilywhites have won just once in 33 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge. That sole victory occurred during Mauricio Pochettino’s reign in April 2018.
But if there is a time to play their London rivals then it could be now. Only title chasing sides Arsenal and Manchester City have taken more points on the road that Tottenham’s 26 this season and Chelsea have lost four successive Premier League home games.
Paying the penalty
Spurs have not received a Premier League penalty since the final day of last season. That’s almost a year without a spot-kick and that barren, 36-game run appears unlikely to end on Tuesday.
The last time a referee felt inclined to award Tottenham one in a top-flight match at Chelsea was more than 32 years ago, in February 1994. The man in the middle that day awarded them two and in typical ‘Spurs at Stamford Bridge’ fashion they converted the first and missed the second, allowing Chelsea to score a last-minute penalty of their own to clinch a 4-3 victory.