Tottenham vs Chelsea - as it happened: Dele Alli headed brace brings Blues' winning run to an end
Re-live all the action from White Hart Lane
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KICK-OFF: 20:00, Wednesday 3rd January 2017
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1
Teams...
Tottenham: Lloris; Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Walker, Wanyama, Dembele, Rose; Eriksen, Alli; Kane.
Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Hazard, Costa.
Follow the live action below...
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It’s a big game for…
Gary Cahill. Chelsea have the best defence in the league, conceding just 13 goals in 19 games. However their back-line lapsed in concentration twice in their last outing against Stoke. Cahill, the leader in that defence can’t afford to let that happen here, especially against a free-scoring Spurs side who have netted 13 goals in their last four games.
Best stat…
26. During the period between December 1990 until January 2002, Chelsea managed to remain unbeaten against their London rivals for 26 games - 17 wins and nine draws.
Remember when…
The last time Spurs beat Chelsea was in a 5-3 thriller at White Hart Lane. Diego Costa gave the visitors the lead, but goals from Harry Kane, Danny Rose and Andros Townsend turned it around before the break. Kane added another, Hazard pulled one back for Chelsea but then Chadli made it 5-2 to Spurs. John Terry scored a late consolation goal for the Blues.
Player to watch…
Dele Alli. The 20-year-old attacking-midfielder has been in scintillating goalscoring form of late netting five goals in just three games. The Spurs youngster has been their stand-out performer this year and he’ll want to carry on that red hot form against the table-toppers here.
Past three meetings…
Chelsea 2 (Pedro, Moses) Tottenham 1 (Eriksen), Premier League, November 2016
Chelsea 2 (Cahill, Hazard) Tottenham 2 (Kane, Son), Premier League, May 2016
Tottenham 0 Chelsea 0, Premier League, November 2015
Form guide…
Tottenham: WLWWWW
Chelsea: WWWWWW
Odds…
Tottenham to win: 9/5
Chelsea to win: 9/5
Draw: 23/10
(Odds provided by Betfair)
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Wednesday night’s match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham v Chelsea - 8pm
With seven goals in his last nine appearances and 17 for the season, Chelsea striker Diego Costa has put last season's demons fully behind. Sam Lovett explains how the arrival of a new manager at Stamford Bridge has had a positive effect on both Costa and the team.
Costa's inclusion in the Chelsea side this evening is a given, but who will join the Spanish international?
Team news from North London is imminent.
Here are the teams from White Hart Lane...
...and Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has made three changes to the side that swept Watford aside on New Year's Day. Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen are back from suspension and return to the side while eye-gouger Mousa Dembele returns in midfield. Kieran Trippier, Kevin Wimmer and Son Heung-Min drop to the bench.
It's two changes for runaway leaders Chelsea. Antonio Conte rotates his pack by bringing in Nemanja Matic after he was rested against Stoke on New Year's Eve. The Serbian replaces Cesc Fabregas who is benched. Up top, Pedro is back after a ban and takes over from Willian.
Tottenham: Lloris, Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Walker, Rose, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Kane
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Trippier, Wimmer, Sissoko, Winks, Son
Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso, Pedro, Hazard, Costa,
Subs: Begovic, Ivanovic, Zouma, Chalobah, Fabregas, Willian, Batshuayi
Referee: Martin Atkinson
This is an incredible revelation.
I can't believe Jose Mourinho's rabble managed to pick up 20 points in the first half of last season's debacle.
Chelsea have had almost one whole day extra (22 and a half hours, to be exact) to recuperate after their last outing than tonight's opponents, and the unfairness of the festive fixture list hasn't escaped the attention of an eagle-eyed Arsene Wenger. The Arsenal boss does not miss a thing these days.
There are several records on the line this evening, but one Tottenham player in particular will be hoping to keep up his own sensational strike rate in Premier League London derbies.
And on the subject of records, will this one - set in May's meeting between the two clubs at Stamford Bridge - ever be beaten?
Unsure who to support this evening?
Don't know whether to cheer on the setting of a new Premier League record or a result that would open up the title race?
Mauricio Pochettino has the answer for you.
So now we've established that we all want Spurs to win, how exactly can they defeat a side that have won 13 straight Premier League matches, keeping ten clean sheets in the process?
The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke thinks he may have found the answer in a pair of Tottenham flankers...
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