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Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has backed Tottenham Hotspur to come out on top against the Blues in Sunday’s (August 14) Premier League clash. He predicted Spurs to come away with a 2-1 win from their trip to Stamford Bridge.
Both Chelsea and Tottenham picked up maximum points in their respective Premier League opening-day fixtures. The Blues secured a narrow 1-0 win at Everton last Saturday (August 6). Spurs ran circles around Southampton in a home fixture, bagging an emphatic 4-1 victory on the same day.
Sutton claimed that the way Thomas Tuchel’s side won at Goodison Park was not convincing, warning that they could suffer a setback if they slack off on Sunday (August 14).
In his BBC column, he wrote:
“Chelsea love playing Spurs - they beat them four times last season, and Tottenham have only beaten them once in the league at Stamford Bridge since February 1990. Spurs boss Antonio Conte was in charge of Chelsea for that defeat - in April 2018 - but I have a sneaky feeling he will enjoy this meeting a lot more.
“Chelsea got a good win at Everton, but the way they got it was not particularly pretty. If they are slightly off it again on Sunday, they won't get away with it.”
The Blues secured two convincing wins over Spurs in the 2021-22 Premier League season. They first beat them 3-0 away from home before completing the double with a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Sutton believes Spurs’ "devastating attack" could tip the scales in their favour against Chelsea
Tuchels’ team have history and recent track records in their favor, but Sutton doesn't think those will help them keep Tottenham’s bubbling attack at bay.
Conte’s side were at their flamboyant best against the Saints, with Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, and Dejan Kulusevski finding the back of the net. James Ward-Prowse scored one for the visitors, but Southampton’s Mohammed Salisu’s own goal undid his effort.
Sutton thinks Spurs' attack was truly devastating on matchday one and backed them to continue in the same vein on Sunday. He elaborated:
“Tottenham, meanwhile, were devastating in attack against Southampton and I am expecting more of the same from them here. Add in Conte going back to Stamford Bridge, and I am going to go with Spurs to take the points.
“They took the game to Saints anyway, but they also counter-attack so well when that turnover happens. When they get the ball into Kane with runners off him, they are so hard to stop.”
As for the Blues, Jorginho's first-half injury-time penalty sealed the deal in their favor against Everton last weekend.
