Spursvs.Chelsea

The Blues slaughtered Southampton 5-1 on Wednesday evening to rise to second in the Premier League table, above Arsenal on goal difference and seven points behind leaders Liverpool.

Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Omari Kellyman - all of whom are nursing thigh injuries - were Chelsea's only absentees against the Saints, and Maresca should be working with an identical team for Sunday's derby.

The Blues boss did not shy away from shuffling his pack at St Mary's, and every member of his attacking quartet - Cole Palmer, Joao Felix, Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku - was directly involved in at least one goal.

However, only Palmer may be retained at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Nicolas Jackson - scorer of a hat-trick in this fixture last season - should come back into the first XI.

Enzo Fernandez has hit a rich vein of form since bumping Romeo Lavia down to the bench, though, and the Argentine ought to be retained alongside Moises Caicedo in the double pivot.

Axel Disasi has also made his case to deputise for Fofana regularly, but Tosin Adarabioyo and Filip Jorgensen can expect to cede their places to Levi Colwill and Robert Sanchez respectively.

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Sancho, Palmer, Neto; Jackson

Written by

Ben Knapton