2 weeks ago
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A immense game, this, for astatine slightest 3 clubs, and astir apt biggest of each for nan 1 that isn’t playing. If Tottenham triumph tonight, West Ham will beryllium relegated. If Tottenham tie tonight, West Ham will besides beryllium relegated – but not until Sunday (because it wouldn’t beryllium mathematically definite this evening, location still being a chance that Spurs will suffer their past crippled by six goals while West Ham triumph theirs by 7 and enactment up connected goals scored). If Tottenham suffer nan full business will rotation done to nan weekend, and if they suffer by tons things really get absorbing down towards nan bottommost of nan table.
Chelsea though are importantly incentivised. Having missed nan chance of securing a spot successful Europe by winning nan FA Cup, they spell into nan crippled successful 10th place, presently extracurricular nan qualifying places. But if they triumph coming they’d move into eighth place, supra Brentford connected extremity difference, and beryllium backmost connected way for astatine slightest a spot successful nan Conference League. They could past make judge of a spot successful nan Europa League by winning astatine Sunderland connected nan last day, truthful agelong arsenic Brighton don’t simultaneously hit Manchester United, aliases if Bournemouth – who big Manchester City successful tonight’s earlier kick-off – don’t get immoderate much points, while assuming Brentford neglect to hit Liverpool truthful convincingly they spell backmost supra them connected extremity difference. This is, to beryllium sure, each a spot analyzable but nan elemental type is this: Chelsea really request to triumph this game, and truthful do Spurs.
Add nan truth that Chelsea’s caller location grounds is appalling – they’re 1 bad nighttime distant from losing 5 successive convention games astatine Stamford Bridge for nan first clip ever – and nan truth that their grounds against Tottenham (who person won 1 of their past 35 convention games here) is extraordinary, and you’ve sewage each nan ingredients for an intriguing evening.
Pre-match reading: Here’s David Hytner connected Spurs and Roberto De Zerbi, who thinks “everyone wants Tottenham relegated”:
De Zerbi has spoken to his squad astir nan Stamford Bridge hoodoo but chiefly to show them it is not thing to interest about. He has been each astir nan powerfulness of affirmative thought since he came to nan nine 5 matches agone and he leaned into it erstwhile he addressed those who would revel successful Spurs’s demise.
“I americium Italian and successful Italy it’s nan same,” De Zerbi said. “For nan biggest teams, it’s nan same. We person to judge nan pressure. We person to bask this pressure. We person to find caller information from this pressure. It’s a bully point for us. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it’s a large information for maine and I dream for my players arsenic well.”
Much much here:
