Tottenham have tended to reserve their very best performances for the other big teams in the Premier League.
Already this season, Manchester rivals United and City have been vanquished by Ange Postecoglou's side, while they showed a lot of resolve when going down 1-0 to Arsenal in September.
Though one could argue that their sternest test yet will come on Sunday when they welcome Enzo Maresca's rejuvenated and bullish young side to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And following a demoralising defeat by Bournemouth on Thursday night, Postecoglou will be desperate to see a reaction from his troops.
The depth Tottenham fans' anger towards the Australian was on full display at the Vitality Stadium when the former Celtic manager became embroiled in a heated exchange with his own supporters. Last term, a thrilling and often bizarre edition of this fixture marked the end of Postecoglou's honeymoon, with goals from Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer downing a depleted Spurs.
Another loss in that vein could spell the end of the Postcoglou era all together. This time around the home outfit will be without the likes of Micky van de Ven, Christian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario and their absence from the matchday squad excludes them from consideration from a combined XI with Sunday's opponents.
But which other Spurs stars have shown enough this season to force their way into a starting line up comprising of stars from the London rivals?
Filip Jorgensen
Yes, Enzo Maresca defiantly claimed that the only player in his squad sure to start against Tottenham will be Robert Sanchez but I can't deny what I see with my own eyes. One of his goalkeeping options is a 22-year-old, increasingly reliable, shot stopper and the other is Robert Sanchez.
In fairness to the Spaniard, his form has marginally improved of late but Jorgensen surely deserves a run in the team after his impressive performance in the Conference League. This point also requires qualification because are competing in a competition they have no right to be in. But against Heidenheim, one of the favourites for the trophy, The Dane proved his quality with some outstanding stops.
He was also given the nod by Maresca in their emphatic 5-1 win over Southampton on Wednesday night as the Chelsea boss finally rewarded some of his European squad with a taste of Premier League action.
Had Vicario been fit he would have given Jorgensen a run for his money but the former Villarreal stopper is well worth an inclusion in this squad. Maresca ought to promote him to No 1 already.
Malo Gusto
Chelsea skipper Reece James has only made four appearances for the Blues this season but the reason no one is really concerned is because of the development of Gusto.
Brought in from Lyon for £26million last January, the 21-year-old has turned skeptics into believers with a string of impressive performances at the back for the west London outfit.
The French international's displays even prompted Maresca to play James in an unfamiliar left-back to ensure that Gusto continued in his preferred position. Tottenham's Pedro Porro makes a decent claim to be included but the Spaniard lacks the completeness that is found in Gusto's game.
Levi Colwill
'I would be scared to play against us,' Colwill boldly stated ahead of Chelsea's clash against Aston Villa. It was a claim that looked sure to backfire at the earliest opportunity but the two matches that have followed have proved the 21-year-old right.
Maresca's side have only lost two games this season; at home to Manchester City on the opening day and away to Liverpool. And they are the league's highest scorers and boast its joint-fourth best defence.
Colwill can take particular credit for the last point, as his partnership with the now injured Wesley Fofana providing the side the perfect platform to build on. The defender is far from the finished product, nor should he be at his tender age. But he is gradually maturing in a fine centre back who could anchor defences for club and country for many years to come.
Radu Dragusin
Fortunate to get the nod due to the absences of the aforementioned Fofana, Van de Ven and Romero, Dragusin has nonetheless done okay for Postecoglou's side.
Admittedly, that is not the most glowing appraisal of his performances, perhaps the point is better explained by saying that the Romanian has shown that he is not responsible for Tottenham's failings.
The 22-year-old has played all 90 minutes in each of Spurs' last four matches, games that include big wins over Aston Villa and Manchester City. However, he was similarly involved as the side failed to beat Fulham and lost at home to Ipswich.
Still, he has deputised well in the absence of Tottenham's first-choice pairing and may even be able to make a case to keep his place when Postecoglou has a fully-fit squad, that's if he can keep improving.
Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella might be the best left-back in the Premier League right now. Few players change minds after being brandished a flop but thanks to his exploits with his country and domestic performances, the 26-year-old is starting to get the recognition he deserves.
The former Brighton star has featured in all of Chelsea's league fixtures this term, save for their 2-1 defeat at Anfield and he has done a better job than any defender martialing Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.
Another well-rounded Blues defender, Cucurella is in the form of his life and showing no signs of slowing down.
Moises Caicedo
Few players change minds after being brandished a flop and that statement hold greater weight for the Colombian than even his team-mate above. At the centre of well-publicised tug-of-war last season, Caicedo eventually completed a £115million move to Stamford Bridge and it's fair to say, collapsed under the weight of expectation.
Things did improve for the 23-year-old as the season went on but now with 2023-24 firmly in the rear-view mirror, Caicedo is finally showing Chelsea fans what their club paid for. Caicedo has been ever present for Maresca in the league this year, while zero Conference League minutes show he is just as important to the Chelsea boss as Cole Palmer.
The combative midfielder has even started to add goal contributions to his game, with him currently having one goal and two assists to his name from 14 games, which is just one assist shy of what he managed during the entirety of last season.
Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea spent big on the midfield pairing they have been running with in recent weeks and they are finally starting to convince in tandem. Fernandez has had to bide his time in the Conference League squad for the first couple of months of the season as Romeo Lavia impressed, but the youngsters injury has opened the door to the Argentinian and he has responded with some of his best performances in a Chelsea shirt.
The 23-year-old appears to finally be liberated of the pressure that came with his big-money signing almost two years ago and the emergence of Cole Palmer has removed the pressure to provide match-winning contributions.
Fernandez has started each of Chelsea's last three games as captain and has five goal contributions in his last four Premier League matches for the club.
His return to form has given Maresca a selection headache but its one the Italian will be thrilled to try and figure out.
Cole Palmer
It's fair to say that this has been a slightly more testing campaign for the reigning PFA Young Player of the Year, as Premier League defences have focused even more of their attention on stopping the 22-year-old.
And he is forced to perform under the weight of expectation his remarkable debut campaign in Stamford Bridge produced. Despite that, Palmer still has nine goals and six assists from 14 league games.
He has every chance of bettering improving on his number last term and in a more complete Blues roster, who knows how far that could take them?
Son Heung-min
The Tottenham skipper may not be the vintage version of himself anymore but he remains a danger in and around the area. The 32-year-old has a decent return of three goals and four assists from his 10 Premier League matches, which, when compared to the likes of Mo Salah and Bukayo Saka, does not appear to be overly impressive but given his age, his contribution has been valuable.
Son has chipped in with vital moments in recent Spurs wins against City and Villa but he has been forced to play down the middle of late with the injury to Dominic Solanke.
Back in his preferred left wing position, Son still has plenty to offer this Tottenham team.
Dejan Kulusevski
The Swedish winger has arguably been Tottenham's best player this season and has shown a previously unseen versatility that has aided his side during their injury problems.
Kulusevski may only have two goals and three assists from his 14 Premier League appearances but a lot of his best work is done before the ball hits the back of the net or the final pass is made.
The 24-year-old is an exceptional ball carrier and, like many of his team-mates, has reserved his best displays for the big boys of the division.
Nicolas Jackson
The 23-year-old is the third Chelsea player on this list to have radically altered public perception in the last few months. In fairness to Jackson, his performances have tended upwards for some time now, with a positive run at the end of the last campaign seeing him end an impressive debut season with 14 goals.
This term he has already netted eight times in the Premier League and he has provided three assists for the Blues who are the league's top scorers.
Jackson's form and relationship with talisman Palmer has been so impressive that Maresca has been unable to bring in Christian Nkunku who is actually the club's top scorer thanks to his exploits in the Conference League.
The Senegalese bagged one of the least impressive hat-tricks in this fixture last season. His transformation above all has been a sight to behold.