By the time Chelsea kick off against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday, the chances are that the Blues will have been provisionally usurped in top spot.

It’s a factor that’ll add another extra dynamic to what has become one of the most ferocious fixtures in English football in recent years. The 2-2 draw between the two sides last season, a match that ended Spurs’ title chances, was full of aggression, purpose and quality on the part of both teams.

While all those factors will be at play again on Saturday, expect a very different game between the two London clubs. Indeed, Chelsea are a force of nature under new manager Antonio Conte and lead the way at the start of the Premier League weekend; Spurs, by contrast, are finding it difficult to kindle the spark that was so prominent in their play last term.

Tottenham may have been far from their best in recent weeks, although they could thrust themselves back into the title reckoning if they were to take three points here. They’re in fifth, but still unbeaten and still just four points back on the Blues.

Halting the Chelsea juggernaut will take some effort, though. Conte has the players that toiled for so long last term purring in his 3-4-3 setup, while the man himself has invigorated a fanbase that fell into a malaise under a downtrodden Jose Mourinho last season.

It’s poised to be the standout clash of another absorbing weekend in the Premier League and a game that’ll reveal plenty about the ambitions of both clubs in the months to come.

 

Where to find the game on TV and streaming

Date: Saturday, November 26, 2016
Time: 12:30 p.m. (ET) and 9:30 a.m. (PT)
TV: NBC and NBC Universo
Streaming: NBC Sports App and Sling Blue (in select cities) (free trial)

 

Chelsea

The 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Sunday wasn’t the most free-flowing Chelsea have been in recent weeks, but it was a performance that epitomized their positive improvements under Conte.

The Italian evidently knows the minutiae of a three-at-the-back system. The Blues were in total control of the contest at the Riverside, restricting an in-form side to scraps, dominating possession and bullying their opponents in key areas. A lack of sharpness in the final third ultimately saved Boro from a hiding.

On home soil the Blues have been especially impressive as of late, winning their last three games in the league at Stamford Bridge 3-0, 4-0 and 5-0 against Leicester City, Manchester United and Everton, respectively. Spurs, clearly, are going to be in for a tough afternoon.

Game: Chelsea vs. Spurs
League: Premier League, gameweek 13
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The intuitive nature of their play all over the field is indicative of a side that’s well recovered. Indeed, the lack of European football at the Bridge this season is a blow, but Chelsea have preserved a sky high intensity in recent weeks and Conte has clearly instilled a thorough tactical understanding into the psyche of his players.

When tweaking a formation, typically some players benefit and others are shoehorned into uncomfortable positions. But the 3-4-3 has enriched all of the XI, with the defense, midfield and attack all functioning in unison. As of yet, no Premier League team have found a way of disrupting their rhythm.

With spirits high and the carrot of potentially moving back to the summit of the table dangling in front of them, it’d be a major surprise if we were to witness anything other than another thrilling Chelsea display. The key question is whether Spurs can cope with this attacking swagger and find a foothold in the match for themselves.

 

Tottenham

A trip to Stamford Bridge will be a huge test of Tottenham’s mental strength after they were dumped out of the UEFA Champions League in midweek, losing 2-1 to Monaco.

That game revealed some issues that have been bubbling below the surface for Spurs in recent weeks. Manager Mauricio Pochettino seems unsure on his best XI for starters, while key men who made such an impact last term have begun this campaign a little jaded; the extra workload of the Champions League looks to have taken its toll.

Yet despite the doom and gloom that’s engulfed White Hart Lane in the wake of the team’s Champions League exit, in the Premier League they’ve got reasons to be positive. Spurs, after all, are the division’s only unbeaten team and they still possess the best defensive record of all 20 sides.

Tottenham also secured a huge confidence boost in their last domestic outing. Harry Kane’s late double salvo turned a 2-1 loss into a 3-2 win over West Ham United, while youngster Harry Winks also grabbed his first goal for the club.

Additionally, having Kane back in contention again is a huge boost to the north Londoners. While the striker is still searching for his best form following his injury layoff, already he’s scored four times since his return, with a trio coming the penalty spot. The 23-year-old relishes the big occasion too, having scored 17 in his last 16 London derby matches.

Still, the worry for those Spurs fans traveling across the capital will be the momentum accrued from that memorable win over the Hammers has been lost and confidence, subsequently, could be fragile. This irresistible Chelsea team are not an ideal opponent to face if spirits are low.

 

Predicted lineups:

 

Key Battle: David Luiz vs. Harry Kane

Admit it, when Chelsea decided to re-sign David Luiz, you let out a little guffaw, didn’t you? But in his second stint with the Blues, the formerly erratic Brazilian has been a colossal presence at the nexus of the back three.

The extra discipline and consistency showed by the 29-year-old is a testament to the work being done by Conte on the training pitch. No longer is Luiz a cavalier defender who bursts forward and pings risky long passes; he’s assured, aggressive and extremely attuned to the movements of opposition forwards.

The man that’ll be tasked with troubling the former Paris Saint-Germain defender will be Kane. After getting more minutes under his belt in midweek, the striker is beginning to look a lot more like his normal self; aside from his predatory instincts, the forward relishes physical battles and will feel confident of unsettling the so far unflappable Luiz.

For a lone striker, playing against a back three can often be difficult. But Kane has relished these types of challenges in the past and given his record in matches against Tottenham’s local rivals, Luiz will need to preserve his high standards to halt him.