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The Premier League will return to action following the international break on Saturday and the weekend promises to be nothing short of spectacular with Chelsea making the trip to Wembley as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur.
Both teams are separated by just a single point at the moment and a win would help them keep up with the likes of leaders Manchester City and Liverpool, who are the closest to the defending champions. However, this fixture is hardly ever about other teams as two fierce rivals battle it out for supremacy and bragging rights in London.
Mauricio Pochettino will be without a number of key players, who miss out due to injury, while Maurizio Sarri is expected to name his strongest playing eleven since Chelsea are not fazed by any fitness concerns whatsoever.
The visitors snatched a late win over Tottenham during the corresponding fixture last season, but Spurs have emerged victorious during three of their last seven league games against Chelsea.
In this segment, we formulate a combined eleven of players from both teams based on their availability for the game and run of form so far this season. Without further delay, let's take a closer look at who gets the pick from the rich vein of talent available at our disposal for selection:
GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)
Kepa Arrizabalaga is almost an automatic selection between the sticks in our combined eleven due to his stellar showing for Chelsea and the lack thereof of his counterpart Hugo Lloris.
The two shot-stoppers have had contrasting fortunes in the Premier League this season and while Kepa has gone from a relatively unknown quantity to a regular at Chelsea for the average fan, Lloris has been curtailed by his antics both on and off the pitch.
Chelsea, who paid a record fee to replace Thibaut Courtois with Kepa in the summer, have not been disappointed as the Spaniard has kept six clean sheets until now in the Premier League.
Lloris, who was found guilty of drunk driving earlier this season, has struggled to build on his success with France in the World Cup and is yet to hit the lofty standards set by him in the past.
RB: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Kieran Trippier would have been a guaranteed starter in our combined eleven if he had not picked up the groin problem that will rule him out of Saturday's clash against Chelsea. However, one man's loss is another's gain and Cesar Azpilicueta is an assured option at full-back ahead of Serge Aurier, although he is yet to recapture his best form under Maurizio Sarri.
The Spaniard has played every single minute of Chelsea's Premier League campaign so far this season, but he has not entirely been convincing on a number of occasions this term.
CB: Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea)
Antonio Rudiger has been a regular at Chelsea under Maurizio Sarri and will add some much needed steel to the rearguard of our combined eleven. The German has made 14 appearances across all competitions for the Blues this season and scored during the Premier League clash against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
The 25-year-old is dependable in defence and a serious threat from set-pieces while also being adept in playing the ball out from the back, which makes him an invaluable asset to any team.
CB: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur)
Toby Alderweireld gets the nod ahead of the other obvious contender David Luiz due to his astute awareness and better reading of the game. The Belgian has had to take the fair share of responsibility in defence for Tottenham this season after Jan Vertonghen's injury and has led by example despite the uncertainty surrounding his future at the club.
The 29-year-old, who has made 15 appearances across all competitions this season, is a regular for both club and country and also a guaranteed starter in our eleven.
LB: Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)
Marcos Alonso bagged a brace during the corresponding fixture last season when Chelsea snatched a late 2-1 win over Tottenham at Wembley. The Spaniard had been an ever-present under Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge and has enjoyed an extended run under Maurizio Sarri despite Chelsea shifting to a back-four this season.
The full-back has been directly involved in six goals in the Premier League until now and is an alarming threat while going forward. Alonso does not have many competitors in terms of making it to our combined eleven as he has been head and shoulders above his compatriots this term.
CM: Jorginho (Chelsea)
Jorginho has been nothing short of a revelation at Chelsea after following Maurizio Sarri to west London from Napoli in the summer. The Brazilian-born Italy international has quickly established himself as the fulcrum in midfield for Chelsea to function at their optimum level this season and is leading the charts for his unparalleled passing and accuracy.
The midfielder has played in every single league game for Chelsea so far this season and will be deployed as the deepest of the three midfielders in our combined eleven.
LCM: Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea)
Mateo Kovacic, who joined Chelsea on a season-long deal in the summer, is undoubtedly a guaranteed starter in our combined eleven. The Croatian has been an integral member of the dynamic Chelsea side under Maurizio Sarri this term and will probably walk into most teams in the division considering his abilities and exquisite skill-set.
The 24-year-old has registered 15 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea this season and is increasingly looking like an indispensable member at Stamford Bridge with every passing game.
RCM: Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Christian Eriksen might not be at his influential best for Tottenham this season, but we believe he is better suited to play this role in a midfield-three compared to N'Golo Kante. Kante has enjoyed unparalleled success for both club and country while playing as a defensive midfielder and is probably the best in the world in his natural position.
However, the right-sided central midfield role is still relatively unfamiliar territory to the Frenchman and he is still only finding his groove for Chelsea in his new role. Eriksen, on the other hand, is the ideal candidate to take up the mantle in that position due to his attacking flair and creativity with the ball in addition to his keen eye for goal.
The Dane has been severely restricted to just under 600 minutes of playing time in the Premier League due to a few injuries, but still has enough merit at his disposal to find a place in our eleven.
LW: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Eden Hazard is arguably the best player in the Premier League when he is in the groove and has already netted seven goals so far this term for Chelsea. The Belgian is enjoying the freedom under Maurizio Sarri and has been nothing short of spectacular for both club and country starting from the World Cup in Russia during the summer.
Furthermore, Hazard's unbelievable ability single-handedly change the outcome of a game makes him an indispensable part of our combined eleven.
ST: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
There is no real contender who can usurp Harry Kane from his natural position in our combined eleven. The striker has been a consistent performer for Tottenham in recent years and is leading by example for both club and country.
The 25-year-old has netted 10 goals across all competitions this season and is still in the race for his third Premier League golden boot award.
RW: Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur)
The inclusion of Erik Lamela might come as a surprise to a few people at least, but the Argentinean winger deserves to be on our combined eleven on his merit. The Spurs star has recently reignited his career at the club owing to a number of commendable performances for Mauricio Pochettino's men.
The 26-year-old, who has scored 6 goals and registered 2 assists from his 13 appearances this term, has been a real boost to Tottenham during their crisis with injuries. Lamela has scored more goals than both Willian and Pedro so far this season and was deservedly called up to represent Argentina during the international break last week.
Manager: Maurizio Sarri (Chelsea)
Maurizio Sarri has taken the Premier League by storm during his first season in charge of Chelsea. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City continue to set the benchmark in the division, but undoubtedly Sarri has been a huge success at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian is yet to lose a single game in charge of Chelsea if you count out the Community Shield loss in August, and recently broke the record for the highest number of games unbeaten for a new manager in the Premier League. Furthermore, Sarri has revitalized Chelsea with his dynamic brand of football and it is safe to say that they are reaping the rewards so far this season.
Pochettino deserves credit for his contribution towards the project in north London and it is indeed a commendable feat to keep them within touching distance of their rivals despite the lack of any summer signings. However, Sarri wins the battle and is the ideal candidate to guide our eleven from the touchline due to his tactical superiority and infectious attention to detail.
Formation: 4-3-3
