The New York Times

Tottenham Hotspur were twice beaten in comical circumstances on Chelsea’s previous visits to north London.

In November 2023, Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero were sent off in a chaotic 4-1 defeat. Last year, Spurs were leading 2-0 after 11 minutes but first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero suffered muscle injuries. Cole Palmer then inspired Chelsea to a 4-3 victory.

Both of those results were under Ange Postecoglou but the theory was that Thomas Frank would make Spurs much harder to beat. He might break the curse against Chelsea at the first attempt.

They only lost 1-0 on Saturday evening but it was the worst performance of Frank’s reign. If Spurs were guilty of being too cavalier during Postecoglou’s time in charge, then this was the total opposite. They made more substitutions (six) and racked up more yellow cards (four) than shots (three).

Spurs generated an xG, which measures the quality of their chances, of 0.05 compared to Chelsea who registered 3.03. It is the lowest amount they have produced in a Premier League game on record (since 2012-13). Guglielmo Vicario’s incredible saves from Joao Pedro, and a woeful miss from Jamie Gittens, were the only reasons why they did not lose by a bigger margin.

“That hurts massively,” Frank said. “I have never been in charge of a team that has created that little in one game. I will look into what we can do to make it better. That is one thing but I think everything is linked.”

Lots of supporters will argue that they went down fighting under Postecoglou even if they suffered some humiliating results. This meek performance prompted a furious reaction from the fanbase. In second-half stoppage time, they started booing when Vicario played a free-kick short to Djed Spence instead of lumping the ball into the box. Spence turned around and passed it straight back. Those boos continued at full-time.

Frank admitted that his side failed to match Chelsea’s energy and intensity. That is unacceptable in a derby against one of your biggest rivals. It felt like they pinned all of their hopes on scoring from a set piece but Robert Sanchez effortlessly claimed every corner. Pedro Porro kept trying to chip the ball over Marc Cucurella for Mohammed Kudus unsuccessfully. Xavi Simons, who replaced Lucas Bergvall in the fifth minute as a concussion substitute, was constantly shoved off the ball and made an awful back pass in the build-up to Chelsea’s winner.

Spurs have lost three games at home under Frank and only won once. This was the fourth home game in a row where they failed to register an xG above 1.0. Their home form has been dreadful for 12 months but he has found no solution to the problem. It is crucial that Spurs start winning in front of their supporters so Frank can build a positive connection with them.

To compound the feeling of anger and irritation, Micky van de Ven and Spence walked straight down the tunnel at full-time despite Frank and set-piece coach Andreas Georgson trying to stop them. It was only a week ago that Frank praised Van de Ven’s leadership after the centre-back scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Everton. Frank tried to downplay their actions by saying that it is “one of the small issues that we have” and “everyone is frustrated” but it was a concerning public display of dissent.

The strangest part of this situation is that Spurs are above Chelsea in the table on goal difference. Depending on how the rest of this weekend’s games go, Spurs might still be in the top four on Monday. They finished 17th last season and lost 22 games. Surely finishing in the top six would represent a successful season? Especially when you consider the new signings Frank is trying to bed in, injuries to key players and all of the change at executive level.

The problem is that it is becoming difficult to ignore the parallels between Frank and Nuno Espirito Santo. Nuno was appointed as Tottenham’s head coach in June 2021 after a protracted search which saw them rejected by multiple candidates. He earned his move to north London after guiding Wolverhampton Wanderers to promotion and stabilising them in the top-flight. Frank followed the exact same path with Brentford but, crucially, was the club’s first-choice following Postecoglou’s dismissal two weeks after winning the Europa League final.

Nuno won his first three games in charge and was named the manager of the month for August. Spurs lost five of their next seven fixtures and Nuno was sacked on November 1 — exactly four years ago. Nuno’s style of play during his brief tenure was pragmatic. That is not necessarily a bad thing but Tottenham supporters demand entertainment. They were pleased Frank tightened up the defence but want to be inspired and see the next stage of his evolution. He needs to find an attacking spark from somewhere to avoid being permanently viewed in the same way as Nuno.

Maybe the frustration that poured out from the players was positive. Bergvall was desperate to stay on the pitch after suffering a concussion and argued with the medical staff (who deserve praise for prioritising his health). Frank booted a water bottle when Joao Pedro scored. Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur threw their weight around in a few firm challenges. Spurs were emotional and erratic but nobody could accuse them of not caring.

This was always going to be a tricky period of the season. After a relatively kind fixture list, including Wolves, West Ham United and two of the promoted teams, Spurs play four of last season’s top six between mid-October and the start of December. Throw in Champions League away ties at Monaco and the holders Paris Saint-Germain too.

It has been a punishing couple of weeks with two defeats in the top flight and a premature exit from the Carabao Cup. The optimism about Frank’s project is quickly draining away, perhaps slightly unfairly, but this was a shocking performance and a brutal reality check.

Chelsea moved level on points with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday evening, defeating their rivals 1-0 in north London.

Enzo Maresca’s side dominated the first half, his players’ pressing repeatedly causing problems for Spurs. Joao Pedro almost profited from a high turnover after 31 minutes, only to see his shot saved by Guglielmo Vicario. Three minutes later, the Brazilian put his side into the lead after some ferocious and effective tackling from the impressive Moises Caicedo once again robbed the hosts in a dangerous location.

A fixture that rarely sees a lack of incident also saw a flashpoint in first-half stoppage time, with a foul on Reece James earning Rodrigo Bentancur a booking, plus another for Trevoh Chalobah for his reaction.

Spurs continued to toil after the break, but picked up more yellow cards than they had shots, and it was Chelsea who came closest to adding another goal, with both Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro missing big chances in injury time — both chances coming after a free kick from the home side had been wasted. Thomas Frank’s evening concluded with loud boos from the home supporters.

Elias Burke, Simon Johnson and Mark Carey analyse the key moments from an intense encounter.

What does this result mean for Spurs?

Tottenham appeared to make strides in boosting their threat from open play over the last two games, with last week’s 3-0 win over Everton in the Premier League one of their most complete performances of the season.

And while they did not get on the scoresheet against Newcastle United in midweek, they appeared more fluid and dangerous with a rotated side than they have done for most of Frank’s tenure. Unfortunately, they lacked any of that inspiration this evening.

Randal Kolo Muani has impressed in recent weeks but failed to make anything from the poor service he received. Xavi Simons was substituted on the 73rd minute after replacing the concussed Lucas Bergvall. Kudus, who has been Tottenham’s most consistent attacking outlet this term, was largely anonymous. In one of their biggest matches of the season — a fixture that tends to lead to fireworks — Spurs barely turned up.

Even their set pieces were easily dealt with by Chelsea, a side that has looked fragile from dead-ball situations this season. With 10 minutes left, Spurs fans filtered out of the stadium with no sign of improvement.

Tottenham have won just four home league matches in a year. To realise their ambitions of fighting for a Champions League place, their form must improve. For that to happen, early evidence under Frank suggests that something must change — either tactically or personnel-wise — in their approach.

Elias Burke

How big a result is this for Chelsea?

Chelsea have made a habit of beating Tottenham away from home and it was important they carried on the trend this evening. When the game kicked off, Chelsea were sitting 11th in the table and in danger of coming under some negative scrutiny over how the campaign has begun.

There is something about Spurs that consistently gets the best out of them — well, certainly for the best part of the past four decades.

Chelsea fans used to affectionately call Tottenham’s former ground ‘three-point lane’ due to the regularity with which they won there.

The club have made the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium their second home, too. This is their sixth victory here in seven attempts, which is the best record of any team in the Premier League.

More importantly, it has lifted them level with their fierce London rivals and into the top four — and given a major injection of belief into the dressing room.

The manner in which they dominated Frank’s side for long periods surely made pleasant viewing for Maresca. The only negative was that they scored just once and had a nervous finish before securing the three points.

Simon Johnson

In praise of Caicedo’s tenacity

There is quite a debate going on right now about who the best midfielder in the Premier League is, and Caicedo is very much at the centre of it.

His role in Chelsea’s goal 11 minutes before half-time is why his candidacy has to be taken seriously. The Ecuador international showed the hunger and tenacity you need to win a derby against a fierce rival.

It is not as if Tottenham were not warned. Danso was the first to get caught in possession just outside the area, but the home side got away with it.

Perhaps that lulled them into a false sense of security because Caicedo was at it again just seconds later. Simons was guilty of a slow pass back to Micky van de Ven, but the Spurs captain seemed to be blissfully unaware of the threat as Caicedo closed in rapidly.

The 23-year-old took the ball off him like a child trick-or-treating last night.

Caicedo was not satisfied with that, bursting into the area to half tackle/half square the ball for Joao Pedro to convert. No wonder the latter made an issue of giving Caicedo some credit as he celebrated.

Simon Johnson

Why did Bergvall have to come off so early?

As Bergvall established himself in the Tottenham side last season, it became evident that he’s not just an elite talent but a warrior.

So, when Enzo Fernandez unintentionally kicked the ball off the back of his head inside the first few minutes, knocking him to the ground, his reaction naturally caused concern among the Tottenham medical staff.

After the ball hit his head, Bergvall was knocked off balance, stumbling in a circle until he eventually appeared to fall to the floor. Even after Bergvall had got back to his feet, he continued holding his head, appearing dazed.

Having noticed his condition, referee Jarred Gillett waved on Tottenham’s medical staff, who quickly ran onto the pitch and performed a medical examination on the 20-year-old. Having clearly sustained a head injury, the medical staff signalled Bergvall should be replaced, but the Sweden international was reluctant to leave the pitch.

While his replacement, Simons, was preparing himself on the sidelines, Bergvall continued protesting — appearing to wrestle with one member of the medical staff. Frank intervened with Bergvall in the technical area, sending his player down the tunnel. Given Bergvall’s condition, the decision to remove him from the game to receive medical attention appeared correct and sensible, especially with how dangerous concussions can be.

Elias Burke

Are Spurs still searching for an attacking identity?

Tottenham’s issues with ball progression are well-established this season, and little changed on Saturday evening.

Chelsea pressed Spurs well at times, but there were all too many occasions where the ball was being predictably circulated with few options ahead, forcing Spurs’ midfielders or full-backs to turn back and start again. Cue groans from the home fans.

Stitching the defence and forward line together continues to plague Frank’s side, but the alternative method of attack did not prove to be much better. Kolo Muani started as the central striker, and Spurs did occasionally bypass Chelsea’s press by playing the ball directly up to the French international, but the ball rarely — if ever — stuck in the opposition half.

Chelsea’s centre-backs would often win the first aerial duel against Kolo Muani, but the second balls — becoming an increasingly important part of the Premier League this season — were also won by the away side more often than not.

Pape Matar Sarr’s role behind Kolo Muani did provide athleticism through the centre of the pitch, but the two rarely had the opportunity to connect with each other via aerial flick-ons or neat link-up play.

With Joao Palhinha and Bentancur acting as protecting midfielders, the pair were too deep when Kolo Muani was contesting any aerial duels — making the disconnect between midfield and attack even more pronounced.

Frank’s side are caught between a rock and a hard place at times. They struggle to work the ball through the thirds, but they were equally poor when going direct.

Mark Carey

How impressive was Chelsea’s press?

You could argue that Tottenham’s build-up play was a little laboured at times, but equal credit must go to Chelsea’s aggressive pressing high up the field.

Caicedo’s tenacity was key to Chelsea’s opener in the first half as Spurs failed to clear their lines, with intelligent positioning from all of Maresca’s players to lock off the passing options and force the home side into mistakes.

Chelsea won possession in the attacking third on several occasions on Saturday evening, the second-highest tally of their Premier League campaign behind their season opener against Crystal Palace. It was not only the possession regains, but the purposeful attacking approach when they did win it back — going straight for the jugular in creating a further chance rather than recirculating the ball.

In the end, it was that proactive approach that won them the game — but it was a constant theme throughout.

Mark Carey

What did Frank say?

We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.

What did Maresca say?

We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.

What next for Spurs?

Tuesday, November 4: Copenhagen (home), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET

What next for Chelsea?

Tottenham Hotspur host Chelsea in the Premier League today as they look to maintain their strong start to the season.

Spurs come into the weekend in the Champions League having won 3-0 away to Everton last weekend. Chelsea, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 at home by newly promoted Sunderland and could finish the day in the bottom half.

Kick-off: 5.30pm UK, 1.30pm ET, 10.30am PT

Watch: Sky Sports (UK); Peacock (U.S.)

Get in touch: live@theathletic.com

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Thomas Frank reserved special praise for the job done by his opposite number at Stamford Bridge,

💬 “Enzo's done an amazing job at Chelsea. First season, qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Conference League, so competing in definitely more than one front.

“They won the Club World Cup and had a decent start to the season — very impressive. It was very clear what he and his staff want to achieve, how they want to play.

“It's going to be a nice, good challenge, another nice, good challenge in the Premier League against a very good manager and a very good team.”

Enzo Maresca has decided to make 10 changes to his starting line-up again with Malo Gusto the only one to keep his place from the victory over Wolves in midweek.

Given the way that Jamie Gittens and Estevao impressed at Molineux, it is a little surprising that the Italian has not gone with the two widemen in better form. In saying that, Pedro Neto's reliability to help track back is surely a factor why he has been included again, while Alejandro Garnacho did get his first goal for Chelsea versus Sunderland last week.

Joao Pedro is expected to start up front, with recent back-up options Tyrique George and Marc Guiu on the bench. Liam Delap is not an option of course due to suspension. Meanwhile Wesley Fofana starts his first game in three having been an unused substitute in the previous two fixtures.

We are only moments away from both line-ups being revealed.

Will Thomas Frank pack the midfield to contain the visitors? Has Estevao's recent form warranted a start?

Just a couple of minutes until we find out — don't go anywhere!

For the past two seasons, Chelsea supporters have worried where the flair will come from if Cole Palmer was not in the side.

Palmer has been the difference-maker since joining from Manchester City in 2023 but is currently sidelined with a troublesome groin injury that is expected to keep him out for another five weeks.

But Estevao has kept everyone enthralled. This is the kind of player that gets people out of their seats. Scoring the late winner against Liverpool earlier this month did wonders to cement his popularity.

You can now hear chants of “Estevao, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh” to the tune of the 1975 hit That’s the Way (I like it) by KC and the Sunshine Band.

Thomas Frank and his coaching staff deserve a lot of credit for tightening up the defence, but the supporters are becoming frustrated with the side’s struggles to create chances from open play.

Mohammed Kudus has made an immediate impact, but it is taking Xavi Simons longer to settle.

The biggest issue is the pairing of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur in central midfield. Fans want to see Frank be more adventurous by dropping one of them and regularly starting Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr instead.

The half-time whistle has gone in all five of today's 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League and we have had a goal in each of them.

Arsenal look to maintaining their lead at the top of the table as they are two goals ahead against Burnley, while the good times keep rolling for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United as they lead away to Nottingham Forest.

Elsewhere, Brighton and Crystal Palace are a goal to the good at home, as are Fulham against 10-man Wolves.

HT: Brighton 1-0 Leeds (Welbeck)

HT: Burnley 0-2 Arsenal (Gyokeres, Rice)

HT: Crystal Palace 1-0 Brentford (Mateta)

HT: Fulham 1-0 Wolves (Sessegnon)

HT: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Manchester United (Casemiro)

That is the big question, with Enzo Maresca’s side putting in a good display in big matches like the win against Liverpool earlier in October but struggling against newly promoted Sunderland last time out.

The best and worst of Chelsea has been on show of late. They consistently struggle against teams using the low block and looking for the counter.

But they are also motivated by their ‘underdog’ status and are capable of outfighting their opponent.

They could need plenty of fight in today's clash of two London rivals.

It is difficult, when you look at the Premier League table, to argue with Thomas Frank’s record at Tottenham Hotspur so far.

Nine games into the new season, they sat in third place. Even if you think it is too early to glean clear lessons from the table, the evidence of those nine games is promising.

But there have arguably been as many bad performances as good ones. Their home league games have been miserable since the Burnley win on opening day.

Football is not just about numbers and outcomes. Fans want to enjoy the process too.

One of the biggest questions at the start of Chelsea’s season was how they would cope without Levi Colwill. Nine games into the Premier League campaign, that is still the case.

After nine games of this campaign, Chelsea are one of two clubs to have used five different starting centre-back combinations in the Premier League (also Burnley). Chelsea have used seven in all competitions.

Enzo Maresca is trying to create a Chelsea team that balances experience with youth, confidence and flair with reliability — ideally, the centre of defence would be one of the first bricks laid.

Right now, while he does have promising options to call on, his go-to partnership remains unclear.

We are 24 per cent of the way through the 2025-26 Premier League season and one team look to be a cut above the rest so far.

Spurs fans in particular will be hoping that current leaders and biggest rivals Arsenal can still be reigned in. Could it be Thomas Frank’s side?

Or how about second-placed Bournemouth or anyone in the top half of the table, including Chelsea?

We got our writers to make a case for each team up to ninth place (after match week nine results) who could stop Mikel Arteta’s men from lifting the title.

Read more below.

No early kick-off for us to enjoy in the Premier League today, but it's a busy afternoon.

Five matches started a few minutes ago and there are another two later on.

No goals just yet, but we'll keep you updated with the scores over the next couple of hours.

All times GMT

Tottenham became the first Premier League side to come away from Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium with three points with victory last time out in the league.

Micky van de Ven scored twice to put them in a commanding position in the match and Pape Matar Sarr secured the win late on as Spurs went third in the table.

A decent start to life in north London for Thomas Frank.

We want to hear from you, be it a comment, question, observation or something else.

Can Spurs finish in the top four this season? Is Enzo Maresca on borrowed time if Chelsea’s league form does not improve? And who do you think is going to win today?

Let us know at our email: live@theathletic.com and we may feature what we receive in our coverage.

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Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Lauded as one of the best stadia in Europe since its completion in 2019, the stadium has a capacity of 62,850.

Also a home for NFL games in the UK, Spurs’ stadium has also been used as a concert venue as well as hosting all of their home matches.

Tottenham Hotspur host Chelsea on Saturday in the pick of the Premier League games from the weekend.

They are fierce rivals and will be hoping to compete at the top end of the Premier League as the season wears on. After nine games, Spurs are third while Chelsea are in ninth.

But how does each club view the season so far? What are the expectations? How do fans feel about the manager? What does each team have to fear about the other? And just how intense does the rivalry feel right now?

Here, The Athletic’s experts Jay Harris and Simon Johnson answer a series of questions ahead of the game.

How has the season gone so far?

Jay Harris: It has been an encouraging start despite Wednesday night’s defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup. Spurs are third in the table and look far more compact than they did under former head coach Ange Postecoglou. They have a newfound resilience, demonstrated by scoring late equalisers against Bodo/Glimt, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Thomas Frank has done a solid job so far, especially when you consider James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and first-choice striker Dominic Solanke are all injured.

Simon Johnson: It can perhaps be best summed up by their best performance of the season against Liverpool, followed by the worst in their next home league game against Sunderland. Chelsea have been consistently inconsistent so far, with even performances during the 90 minutes fluctuating from one extreme to another. The latest example of this came just three days ago when they led 3-0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at half-time and hung on to win 4-3. Chelsea’s poor disciplinary record — they have had six red cards in the past nine games — has been a major negative. But one of the things that makes going to a Chelsea game so interesting is you never know what is going to happen, for better or worse.

What’s the mood like at the club?

Jay Harris: Frank and his coaching staff deserve a lot of credit for tightening up the defence, but the supporters are becoming frustrated with the side’s struggles to create chances from open play. Mohammed Kudus has made an immediate impact, but it is taking Xavi Simons longer to settle. The biggest issue is the pairing of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur in central midfield. Fans want to see Frank be more adventurous by dropping one of them and regularly starting Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr instead.

Simon Johnson: Neither too high nor too low. Chelsea have won five of their last six games in all competitions, which is not a bad run at all. The manner of their 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland was really disappointing, though. It was their last league game, so that has put them under even more pressure to get a good result at Spurs, especially as they have dropped to ninth in the table.

How do the fans feel about the manager?

Jay Harris: Postecoglou was a divisive figure towards the end of his reign, but a significant section of the fanbase wanted him to stay after their Europa League success. Fans quickly warmed to Frank because of his clever tactical approach in different games. Defeats to Bournemouth and Aston Villa upset the supporters, as they have only won three of their last 18 home games, but they recognise this squad is still a work in progress.

Simon Johnson: It still feels like a potpourri of opinions. There is a contingent that sees recent results and worrying defensive displays as more evidence that Chelsea are not making much progress under the Italian. Others remain positive, with Maresca still in credit for how he finished last season, plus given some sympathy for the injury issues he has had to navigate.

How do you both feel about set pieces ahead of Saturday’s game?

Jay Harris: Fabian Schar scored from a corner in slightly bizarre circumstances for Newcastle, but otherwise, Spurs are excellent at defending set pieces. Frank’s side boast the best record in the Premier League as they have only conceded once. They have scored five times from set pieces, which is less than Chelsea (8) and Arsenal (9), but highlights the threat they pose. An interesting subplot to this game is that Bernardo Cueva, Chelsea’s set-piece coach, worked under Frank at Brentford for four years.

Simon Johnson: It has to be a major concern for Chelsea. They struggle against long throw-ins as we have seen against Brentford, Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers (in the Carabao Cup). Chelsea’s players are also guilty of switching off and being outmuscled in general. In saying that, Maresca’s side are second only to Arsenal in scoring from set pieces themselves, so they can certainly give as good as they can get.

How have Chelsea coped with Cole Palmer’s absence?

Simon Johnson: Any team is going to miss a player as good as Palmer. Chelsea have particularly felt the England international’s absence when facing a back five. His magic can obviously help break such teams down. It is to their credit that Chelsea are joint top scorers in the Premier League (with Tottenham and Manchester City), especially when you consider they have also had injury problems up front to deal with.

And have Spurs adapted to the injuries they’ve suffered, such as Maddison, Kulusevski and Solanke?

Jay Harris: Tottenham are over-reliant on set pieces to score, and that is due to the absence of this influential trio. Kulusevski was their best player last season until he suffered a foot injury in March. They sorely miss his ability to glide past defenders and carve open defences with clever passes.

Solanke is a pressing machine who can drop deep to link the play or run in behind centre-backs. He is an all-round threat compared to Richarlison, who looks clunky on the ball. The Brazilian has three goals in 15 appearances this season — and he scored two of them on the opening day against Burnley.

Maddison is capable of producing moments of magic to win games. He will probably miss the majority of the season due to an ACL injury, but there is hope Solanke and Kulusevski will return over the next few weeks.

Both clubs have impressive young players — who should we keep an eye on for Saturday?

Jay Harris: Bergvall is an excellent midfielder who grows in stature every week. The Sweden international will become undroppable if he scores and creates more goals. Simons has been around for a long time, but it is easy to forget he is only 22. He will be a huge problem for opposition defences once he adjusts to the physicality of English football. I also have a small confession. I was in the stands at Stamford Bridge for last week’s defeat to Sunderland with a couple of friends who are Chelsea season-ticket holders. It was an underwhelming performance, but Josh Acheampong caught my eye. The 19-year-old’s confidence to dribble out of defence is impressive for somebody who is so young and inexperienced.

Simon Johnson: I am going to sound like a broken record this season, but the answer to this every week will be Estevao Willian. It is too early to say he is on Palmer’s level, but there are similarities in the way they look a cut above the rest. He has already scored in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup. Another one to look out for is Jamie Gittens. He got off to a slow start to his Chelsea career after joining from Borussia Dortmund last summer. He has begun to show his quality in recent weeks, though, and will be full of confidence following his three goal involvements (one goal, two assists) at Wolves in midweek. Chelsea generally have impressive young players, though — against Wolves, according to Opta, they became the first Premier League side with four scorers aged 21 or younger in a match in all competitions — Estevao (18), Gittens (21), Tyrique George (19) and Andrey Santos (21).

What is your club aiming for this season?

Jay Harris: Frank wants Spurs to compete in multiple competitions, which is why Wednesday’s exit from the Carabao Cup will be so frustrating. The minimum they should be aiming for is to reach the last 16 of the Champions League and to finish in the top six in the Premier League.

Simon Johnson: The objectives have not changed. Chelsea do not expect to win the Premier League, but the club want to challenge for longer and finish closer to top spot. They also intend to do well in the three cup competitions. As far as the latter goes, they have reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, where they have a very winnable tie against League One Cardiff City. By winning their last two games, Chelsea have also put themselves in contention for a top-eight finish in the Champions League group stage. Meanwhile, the FA Cup obviously does not start for Chelsea until the new year.

How big does the rivalry feel ahead of Saturday?

Jay Harris: Spurs’ recent record against Chelsea is abysmal. Postecoglou lost four times to them, including that infamous 4-1 defeat in November 2023. Spurs were 2-0 up at home after 11 minutes last season but somehow lost 4-3. One of the lowest moments of Postecoglou’s reign came at Stamford Bridge in April when he cupped his ears to the Tottenham supporters after Pape Matar Sarr scored, only for the goal to be disallowed. Lots of Spurs fans will tell you that only misery awaits them against Chelsea, so it will be huge for Frank if he beats them at the first attempt.

Simon Johnson: No matter how bad Tottenham are or how many times Chelsea beat them, it never diminishes. It is the one fixture no Chelsea head coach can afford to lose because of how much it means to the fanbase. There is a greater need for Chelsea to get the three points this season, with Spurs sitting above them in the table and looking likely to be a contender for one of the Champions League qualifying positions.

What should Spurs fear most about Chelsea?

Jay Harris: No matter how badly Chelsea are performing, they tend to find a way to beat Spurs.

Simon Johnson: Perhaps that the goals can come from anywhere rather than relying on one individual. Chelsea already have 10 different scorers in the Premier League. So it is not as if Tottenham can relax if they keep one or two players quiet.

And what should Chelsea fear about Spurs?

Simon Johnson: The topic has already been covered above, but Tottenham’s threat from set pieces. Frank has also made Tottenham frugal at the back. That will ask questions of Chelsea’s ability again to unlock a well-organised back line.

Jay Harris: Wilson Isidor scored Sunderland’s opener last weekend from a throw-in. With Cristian Romero a doubt due to an adductor injury, Chelsea need to prepare for Kevin Danso to launch the ball into the box from a throw-in at every opportunity.

What’s your prediction?

Jay Harris: Spurs have the joint-second-best defensive record in the league, and I struggle to see Chelsea breaking them down without Cole Palmer. I’m going to say 2-1 Spurs, with at least one of their goals coming from a set-piece.

Chelsea travel to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with the sides mirroring each other in various statistics.

Both are averaging 1.9 goals per game, the joint-highest rate in the Premier League, and each has leant heavily on set pieces to reach that total. Chelsea’s total of nine goals from dead-ball situations trails only that of Arsenal (11) while Tottenham, under new head coach Thomas Frank, have tapped into his old Brentford blend of craft and chaos, scoring twice from corners in last weekend’s 3-0 win at Everton.

Two sides with shared strengths but differing methods, aligned in numbers, but divided by philosophy. Here, then, is how the tactical battle should play out in north London.

Structure and set pieces

Chelsea under Enzo Maresca have built their identity on structure and control. Their set-piece threat has carried much of the team’s attacking weight, and the patterns are now familiar. From corners, they mix short routines with whipped inswingers from both flanks — deliveries that curl into the six-yard area and invite near-post flicks. They also rely on a range of rehearsed short-corner moves. The technical quality of Enzo Fernandez, Reece James, Pedro Neto, Estevao and (the currently injured) Cole Palmer bring those patterns to life.

Open play has been harder to master. After a summer of heavy turnover, this young Chelsea side can dominate possession yet still struggle to break down low defensive blocks. They managed only 0.38 xG from open play in the 2-1 loss to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last weekend, and just 0.10 non-penalty xG in away defeat by the same score against Manchester United in September.

Maresca’s 4-2-3-1 relies on inverted full-backs and wide wingers to create overloads in build-up, and on midfielders who can receive on the turn under pressure. Without Palmer’s invention, though, they have often lacked ideas and incision in the final third.

Defensively, Chelsea have looked vulnerable to the league’s growing directness: long balls, second phases and especially long throws. They have conceded from two long throws in their past two matches, most recently in the midweek Carabao Cup win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, when they lost four successive aerial duels before a far-post finish from David Moller Wolfe. The warning signs had already appeared when hosts Brentford scored from a similar routine in September’s 2-2 draw.

Neither goalkeeper Robert Sanchez nor his defence has yet imposed authority in their box, often losing sight of runners arriving from behind.

For all their control, Chelsea remain most vulnerable when the game becomes untidy.

Frank’s Tottenham emerge

Frank has brought calm, balance and intent to Tottenham after the turbulence of Ange Postecoglou’s final months. After finishing 17th last season with 38 points, progress in 2025-26 was always the floor, not the ceiling. The intrigue lies in how that progress has taken shape. Frank has traded idealism for a more pragmatic, calculated approach, occasionally helped along by the xG gods.

Spurs have conceded 0.78 goals per 90 minutes this season, down from 1.71 in the previous one, and are facing fewer shots on target and allowing less xG overall. Errors in build-up still appear, but Guglielmo Vicario’s form in goal has often covered them. His +2.3 PSxG (post-shot expected goals) figure is third-best in the Premier League, and his impact extends beyond the numbers. He produced a man-of-the-match performance against Monaco in the Champions League last week and followed it with decisive saves in that win over Everton.

The set-piece evolution at Tottenham reflects their broader attacking rhythm. Inswinging corners are consistently drilled into the same six-yard corridor, using heavy traffic around the goalkeeper to unsettle defences. The movement pattern is deliberately chaotic, players shuffling from far post to near, switching markers and creating blind-side runs, a routine lifted straight from Frank’s Brentford playbook. They have already scored five times from set pieces this season and added long throws to their armoury.

Lucas Bergvall’s long throw, alongside that of Kevin Danso, gives Spurs another way to attack, and their combination could trouble a Chelsea side who have struggled to defend such deliveries into their penalty area.

The evolution is clearest in how they use the ball.

Tottenham are now more vertical, using Pedro Porro’s passing range to break lines and new signing Mohammed Kudus’ carries to drive them forward. Their long-pass share has risen while total passes have fallen, a reflection of Frank’s preference for gaining ground quickly rather than circulating possession for its own sake.

The contrast between home and away matches is striking. On the road, Spurs have scored a league-high 12 goals from 5.8 xG, are unbeaten in five games and have conceded only three times. Playing on their own patch, however, they have produced 4.1 xG across four matches and scored four — evidence that the crowd’s appetite for expansive football sometimes collides with Frank’s measured plan.

It also underlines that while progress is evident, evolution takes time; this lot have come a long way but remain midway through their rebuild.

Injuries to James Maddison, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma have disrupted the team’s rhythm, while several summer signings missed out on a proper pre-season.

Combined with a busy schedule, it has left Frank refining both structure and chemistry in real-time rather than on the training ground.

Why the midfield battle should be decisive

The midfield contest promises to be both intricate and decisive. Moises Caicedo has been Chelsea’s anchor and most reliable performer this season. Calm under pressure and composed in tight spaces, his press-resistance allows Maresca’s side to build through the centre with control.

He also leads the Premier League in interceptions per 90 minutes, illustrating his influence on both sides of the ball. Opposite him stands one of the league’s most disruptive ball-winners in Joao Palhinha, a destroyer who relishes duels and dictates rhythm through aggression. Palhinha averages 4.2 tackles per 90, the highest rate in the division among midfielders.

Chelsea could strengthen their grip in midfield by pairing Caicedo with Romeo Lavia, forming a pivot that would be capable of circulating possession under pressure.

Liam Delap’s return from a two-month injury absence for this fixture would have been eagerly anticipated, but the striker’s suspension after getting sent off in his comeback appearance against Wolves in midweek leaves Maresca with a decision to make.

Joao Pedro provides a different option, preferring to drop deep and combine with team-mates. That contrast is reflected in the Chelsea scoring charts, where midfielders Caicedo and Fernandez lead the way on three each, with the latter also taking the most shots in the squad. Finding a way to involve their forwards more consistently will be crucial if Chelsea are to trouble Spurs today.

For Tottenham, this match represents another measure of how far they have come under Frank, a coach defined by preparation, adaptability and detail.

Victory would lift them into second place in the table behind only Arsenal and underline their quiet transformation.

With the Premier League season so far being defined by set plays and marginal gains, this game could be its ultimate advert.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero is available for Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Chelsea, while head coach Thomas Frank says Wilson Odobert and Destiny Udogie are also fit.

Romero has missed four consecutive matches across the league, Champions League and Carabao Cup after being pulled out of the pre-match warm-up against Aston Villa on October 19 with an adductor injury.

Odobert was a surprise omission from Tottenham’s 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Wednesday, with Frank later confirming he was unavailable due to a minor side strain, while Udogie has been out of action since picking up a knee injury on international duty with Italy earlier this month.

“(Cristian) Romero, Destiny (Udogie) and Wilson (Odobert) are available for selection tomorrow,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. “If (Romero) was fit enough, he would have been involved Wednesday. He’s ready to be involved tomorrow. Let’s see how much.”

After scoring his first career brace in Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Everton last Sunday, Micky van de Ven sat out their mid-week defeat to Newcastle. Kevin Danso, who has deputised excellently in Romero’s absence, played the full match alongside Joao Palhinha in central defence.

On the other end of the pitch, Frank said Dominic Solanke, who has only featured twice this season, will not return before the November international break.

“We’re very aware that when we get Dom back, we hopefully, touch wood, have him back and no setbacks,” Frank said. “We are very aware of doing it the right way. It’s going in the right direction, he will not be available before the international break. So that’s the status right now.”

Tottenham are not in good form against Chelsea, losing four straight games under previous head coach Ange Postecoglou. Still, Frank is looking forward to his first London derby at home as Spurs boss.

“Very exciting,” he said. “Really looking forward to it. It’s a London derby between two big rivals. There’s so much on it, against a very good Chelsea team. It will be a very, very competitive even game under the floodlights. It’s got everything to be a top game where you will be on the edge of your seat hopefully.

“We need to come flying out and get the fans with us. I’m very, very positive about us coming out and performing very well tomorrow.”

Mikel Arteta says he is hopeful that Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz could return from injury in time to face Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on November 23, providing the Arsenal squad with a “huge boost”.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Burnley on Saturday, Arteta said: “I’m excited because they are tremendous players. I see them work every single day, how desperate they are to be part of the team.

“The huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have and those players again, after such a long, long time, so really happy that I think it’s going to be very soon.”

Havertz underwent surgery for a knee injury in August, while Madueke went off injured against Manchester City in September.

Club captain Odegaard suffered a medial collateral ligament injury against West Ham in early October. Arteta declined to be more specific in terms of individual timelines, but believes the trio are all edging closer to a return. Arsenal are also hopeful that Gabriel Jesus will not be too far behind.

“I would say weeks, and some of them pretty soon, hopefully, if they keep evolving the way they are doing,” Arteta added.

“It’s difficult to put a game, you know — we have the international break, which is a two-week break there. And after that, I think we’ll have some back. I don’t know if it’s going to be all of them or some of them, but we’ll be quite close by then.”

There was less positive news on Gabriel Martinelli, who has been ruled out of the trip to Burnley. “This game is going to come too early,” confirmed Arteta.

William Saliba, who missed the midweek Carabao Cup tie against Brighton & Hove Albion, could be in contention for a place. “We have to wait and see,” Arteta said.

Arteta is anticipating a tough test for the Premier League leaders at Turf Moor.

“The game against Burnley is going to be really tough,” the Arsenal manager warned. “They are extremely well-coached, and Scott (Parker) has done really well with the club and with this team. It’s formidable and when you look at all the games, five of the last games that they played, they showed they are a very, very tough team to beat.”

Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Brighton on Wednesday set up a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace – but the tie is facing severe scheduling issues due to Palace’s participation in the Conference League.

Arsenal’s preference is to play the tie, as scheduled, on Tuesday, December 16, which would leave Palace facing four games in eight days but Christmas Eve is another option.

The English Football League (EFL), which runs the Carabao Cup, is in conversation with all relevant stakeholders, including both clubs, over the scheduling of the tie.

“Every decision that we make in terms of a fixture has to be guided on two main things: players’ welfare and then supporters,” said Arteta. “That’s it. And the rest has to come very, very far away from that. And we should never forget that principle. That’s the only thing I would say.”

If you want a good example of how Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur are an unusual team, having an unusual season, try this simple experiment. Take their nine Premier League games so far and rank them in order, from best to worst.

At the top you will probably have the 2-0 win at Manchester City and Sunday’s 3-0 win at Everton. Then the wins at West Ham United and Leeds United. At the bottom would be the defeat to Bournemouth, then the defeat to Aston Villa and the 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, although you may want to switch the order of those two around.

But the pattern would be clear. The best three or four games would all be away from home. The worst three, certainly, would all be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Now, you may argue here that it is too early in the season to draw big conclusions. The samples are too small. The fixture computer has too much weight. Maybe that is right. In the Champions League, Spurs have won their one home game (Villarreal) and drawn both away (Bodo/Glimt and Monaco). In the League Cup they breezed past Doncaster at home and then lost 2-0 away to Newcastle United on Wednesday night.

But take a step back and you can see that this is a real trend. And not one that just started this summer either. Look back over the last year and Tottenham’s home record in the league is pitiful. Over the last year — a run starting with the 4-1 win over Aston Villa on 3 November 2024 — Spurs have played 19 home league games. They have won just four of them: Villa, Manchester United and Southampton under Ange Postecoglou, and Burnley under Frank at the start of this season. They have drawn four and lost 11, meaning they have taken 16 points from 57 available at home.

You can compare this record with the other 16 teams who have been in the Premier League both this and last season. Over the last year, Spurs average 0.84 points per home league game. Only West Ham United, with 0.78, average less (by way of comparison, every other team averages at least one point per home game, six teams average at least two, and Liverpool average 2.42). Tottenham’s home win rate of 21 per cent is the second worst, only ahead of West Ham on 17 per cent. And only 33 per cent (four out of 12) of Spurs’ league wins in the last year have come at home. The only other team with such a low percentage is, of course, West Ham.

If Spurs are to achieve anything this season, this has to change. They have been carried so far this season by their away form: four wins and one draw, the best away record in the league by a distance. And as luck would have it, their three remaining games before the November international break are all at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Chelsea this Saturday evening. FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday night. And then Manchester United next Saturday lunchtime.

Who knows, they could finish with three rousing wins, and then all of this will look like worrying about nothing. But what if they continue in this way? Trying to build a competitive team who rarely ever win home games is an impossible job. You might as well be trying to build a car without wheels.

The fascinating question is why. Tottenham have the best stadium in the country. How can it possibly be one of the easiest grounds to go and play at? The only Premier League ground easier to win at is West Ham’s London Stadium, which as we all know was built to host the 2012 London Olympics, where it is nearly impossible to generate an atmosphere, and where some fans are so far from the action they may as well bring binoculars.

But the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was meant to be different, and better than everyone else’s home. The club spent roughly £1.2billion building it. They moved to Wembley for a season and a half to make it possible. This is a stadium with every technological advantage, big bright screens and deafening loudspeakers. It has a famously steep south stand, modelled on Borussia Dortmund’s ‘Yellow Wall’. It is visually spectacular, lit up on a dark night. And yet increasingly, teams know they can just show up there and turn Spurs over.

You could look for a footballing explanation. Tottenham’s league record over the last year has not been especially good overall, the result mainly of Postecoglou prioritising the Europa League from the halfway point of last season. His gamble paid off, but it came at a price: 22 league defeats, 17th place, and his dismissal as manager in June.

More specifically, Tottenham have not played a brand of football over the last year conducive to dominating games at home. ‘Angeball’ was effectively wound down last Christmas and replaced with a more conservative game. Frank’s football has its strengths but it is essentially reactive. It is no coincidence that Spurs are much better this year away from home when they are not expected to have the ball.

But the football explanations cannot tell the whole story. You would still expect, over the course of a year, Tottenham’s higher quality of player to tell. It feels as if there is something specific to the stadium itself that makes it easier to play in, that does not intimidate the visiting team like it should. Perhaps it is the plush quality of the facilities. Visiting teams remark that the away dressing room at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the biggest and best in the league. That in itself does not explain everything, but there is a sense that the stadium is so modern, so comfortable, so forward-looking, that it lacks some of the competitive edge and tension that old grounds — not least White Hart Lane — had in spades.

The sad fact is that there is a problem with the atmosphere at the stadium. That has been true for some time but it feels like it is getting worse rather than better. Almost six and a half years since moving in, the stadium has yet to fully find its voice. There have been some great nights along the way — Manchester City in the Champions League in 2019, Arsenal in 2022 as the two teams hunted for fourth place, Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals last season — but they have been few and far between. Even in recent home games when Spurs have taken an early lead — Villarreal and Aston Villa — the atmosphere has then gone flat.

There is certainly a ‘chicken and egg’ element to this question. The team would be better if the atmosphere was better, and the atmosphere would be better if the team was better. Frank knows this himself. Before the Aston Villa game, he said that he wanted the stadium to be “a fortress” but knew that both the team and the crowd had to work together.

“It cannot only be the team, it cannot only be the fans,” Frank said in a press conference. “It needs to be both. We need to bring energy to each other. We need to work unbelievably hard, perform well, try to be positive — but also need a little bit of help. Every game goes a little bit up and down. You have good spells, bad spells. We need the fans, especially in the tough moments. The better they can be behind the team, the better it will be.”

One theory is that for so much of last season the atmosphere was defined by negativity, as fans voiced their opposition to Daniel Levy, and to the combination of high ticket prices and perceived lack of ambition for the team. The anti-Levy songs were more widespread than ever, and the protest marches better attended than anything seen at Spurs for years. But Levy was dismissed as chairman last month, and now there is a widespread sense of waiting to see what happens next. Given the profound change at the top of the club, many fans are willing to see what happens in the next transfer window, or with next season’s ticket prices, before making up their minds.

The club is certainly aware of the need to improve the atmosphere, and has been working with the Fan Advisory Board to do so. An Atmosphere Working Group has been set up so club staff can discuss ideas with fan representatives. One idea that is frequently pushed for is a ‘singing section’ at the new ground, to bring fans who want to be vocal together. This was trialled against Roma in the Europa League league phase last season and there are talks about trying it again this season, although it will always face the challenge of requiring existing season ticket holders to be relocated.

There are still other things that can be done. ‘Can’t Smile Without You’ is now always played before kick-off, along with a new video about the club’s history narrated by Sir Kenneth Branagh. Going into this Saturday’s game against Chelsea, there is renewed initiative from both the club and the fans. There will be pitchside ‘pyros’ emitting flames before the kick-off, and perhaps more importantly, the club will turn off the music inside the stadium five and a half minutes before kick-off, giving the fans a chance to make the atmosphere themselves. On Thursday afternoon fans announced online a new campaign — ‘Park Lane for Vocal Fans’ — to bring fans together to make more noise.

There is an acceptance on all sides that the atmosphere must improve, and a hope that if it does then the home form might follow. Four home wins in a year was clearly not the plan when this shining metal bowl was unveiled in 2019. And maybe Chelsea on Saturday, a fixture Spurs have struggled with in recent years, is the right place to start.

Welcome to week 10 of The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge, where I find myself wrestling with how to deal with Liverpool’s dramatic slump.

After starting their league title defence with five straight wins, Arne Slot’s team have lost their last four. What was a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after five games has become a seven-point deficit to Arsenal.

The reasons for that nosedive have been explored and debated in detail. Here on The Athletic, you can read detailed analysis on the struggles of Mohammed Salah, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, the problems at right-back, the various tactical issues opponents are exploiting and, in a broader sense, the challenges facing Slot after an expensive summer overhaul that seems to have brought more questions than answers.

But this column is simply about trying — and largely failing — to predict the future. In this case, it’s about trying to work out whether, having underestimated the depth of Liverpool’s malaise, we should chase those lost points by belatedly jumping on the Anfield crisis bandwagon or put our faith in the law of averages and tip them to bounce back at home to Aston Villa on Saturday night.

Each week, four of us — a guest subscriber, six-year-old Wilfred, the algorithm and me — are predicting the Premier League results with varying degrees of success.

We’re awarding three points for a correct scoreline and one point for a correct result. There’s also a bonus for any correct “unique” prediction, so as well as nine points for his three correct scorelines last week, Wilf got a bonus point for being the only one to tip Bournemouth to beat Nottingham Forest 2-0. Clever boy.

But nobody predicted Brentford to inflict Liverpool’s fourth consecutive defeat. In fact, looking back, not one of us saw any of those four defeats coming — although the algorithm went for them to draw the last three while the rest of us were tipping them to win.

I sensed vulnerability in Slot’s team at the start of the season, predicting they would lose against Arsenal and Newcastle United because I felt such a major turnover of players would cause teething problems. But they won those first five games, albeit not entirely convincingly, so their slump caught us all by surprise.

It is timely that a Liverpool supporter, Hari, a 34-year-old from south London, is this week’s guest subscriber. He will be looking to build on a fine effort last week by Leeds United fan Andrew, whose eight points (combined with Wilf’s brilliant 10) shook up the table, taking the subscribers back up to second place and leaving me looking nervously over my shoulder after a torrid couple of weeks.

Anyway, over to you, Hari.

Our subscriber’s match of the week

Liverpool vs Aston Villa, Saturday, 8pm UK/4pm ET

Hari says: "Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea has all the ingredients to be a really fun, chaotic contest, but given the pressure that will be on Slot this week and the fact he rested nearly his entire first team in midweek, it’s hard to look past Saturday night’s game between Liverpool and Villa at Anfield. Heart over head — I’m going with 2-1 to LFC."

Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa

Oli says: "On the evening of September 20, Liverpool had 15 points from five games and Villa had two points from four games. Going into this weekend, they are level on points: a 13-point swing over five weeks. Looking back, I kept backing Villa throughout their slump on the simplistic basis that they were stronger than most of the teams they were facing. That’s pretty much where I am with Liverpool. Slot has serious issues to address — structural, tactical, physical and, not least of all, psychological — but I would at least expect a battling performance against Villa and possibly a very tight win.

Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa

The rest of Oli’s predictions

Crystal Palace vs Brentford

Oli says: As a spectacle, this could be the defining game of the Premier League season. Brentford and Palace are the two teams at the top of the long throw-in table (both for the number attempted and the number of shots arising from them) and only Burnley have a lower pass completion rate. It’s been working very well for both — Brentford have won four of their last five in all competitions — but I wonder if it might be less effective against each other than it was against Liverpool, for example. Palace to shade a war of attrition.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brentford

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United

United have won three in a row, but here’s something interesting. In their two games against Forest last season, they had 71 per cent and 68 per cent possession — the highest shares in their first 36 Premier League games under Ruben Amorim — and they lost both. Forest have changed their manager twice since then, but it’s safe to say Sean Dyche will be happy to follow the sit-deep-and-hit-them-on-the-break formula that worked for Nuno Espirito Santo last season. It will make an interesting test for United, who, as Amorim has said, still have room for improvement when it comes to controlling games.

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Manchester United

Burnley vs Arsenal

Opta’s prediction model puts Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League at 66.9 per cent. I would be inclined to go even higher. It’s not that they are playing brilliantly, but more that their performances have demonstrated a far greater maturity, resilience and focus than anyone else looks capable of. I can see Arsenal extending their lead at the top between now and the November international break. Burnley away is a test, but one I would firmly expect the leaders to take in their stride.

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leeds United

Hallelujah. I’ve just realised I finally got a Brighton result last week, having predicted them to lose at Manchester United. But I still look at their next five games — Leeds (H), Crystal Palace (A), Brentford (H), Forest (A), Villa (H) — and think they could win or lose any of them. They’re uniquely unpredictable, so it is with great uncertainty that I predict them to beat a decent Leeds team.

Brighton 2-1 Leeds

Fulham vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Fulham have lost their last four, leaving them one place above the relegation zone, but they have a relatively gentle run of games between now and the end of the year — and they don’t come much gentler right now than Wolves at home. This one has a Raul Jimenez respectful non-celebration written all over it. Where that would leave Wolves, other than in big trouble, I don’t know.

Fulham 2-0 Wolves

Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea

Chelsea’s record against Tottenham is remarkable. Between 1989 and 2006, they were unbeaten in 32 league matches against their London rivals. Even in more recent years, they've won 13 of their last 17 clashes in all competitions, scoring four on each of their past two visits. They won’t score four on Saturday evening, but they might have the tools to stretch a Spurs defence that has looked decent. I won’t be playing the high-scoring-draw card very often this season, but this could be one.

Tottenham 2-2 Chelsea

West Ham United vs Newcastle United

Even if I close my eyes and try to get my imagination working, I can’t work out what a West Ham home win looks like at the moment. Their last one came in February against a doomed Leicester City. Since then, it’s no wins, three draws and six defeats in the last nine at London Stadium. How is that one-paced midfield going to cope with the formidable Newcastle trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton? I don’t think it will. Away win, with empty seats and a lot of agitation at the final whistle.

West Ham 0-2 Newcastle

Manchester City vs Bournemouth

There are times when Pep Guardiola seems to lay it on a little too thick when praising opposition coaches, but his respect for the “incredible” Andoni Iraola is entirely genuine. City have won 17 of their 18 meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, but that one defeat, at the Vitality Stadium this time last year, made a real impression on Guardiola. I fancy City, purely for the Erling Haaland factor, but it looks like an intriguing match-up.

Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth

Sunderland vs Everton

David Moyes has not been back on the touchline at the Stadium of Light since his unhappy spell in charge of Sunderland ended in relegation in 2017. He might struggle to recognise the place on Monday night, given how upbeat it will feel. Sunderland's 17 points from their first nine games is a remarkable feat for a promoted team. How long can they keep defying gravity? A little longer, I fancy.

Sunderland 1-0 Everton

Alfie Whiteman was never your typical footballer.

As Tottenham Hotspur’s third-, fourth- or latterly fifth-choice goalkeeper, the prospects of making an impact for his boyhood club on the pitch were slim. So, in his free time, he channelled his energy into different passions: taking acting classes, developing his skills as a photographer and hosting a monthly radio show where the listed genres are folk, indie rock, leftfield pop and dream pop.

And while his team-mates whisked into the training ground in supercars, he travelled on public transport.

After leaving Spurs as a free agent this summer, he expected to continue his career, perhaps lower down the English football pyramid or abroad, where he would have the chance to prove himself as a No 1.

However, despite receiving concrete interest from clubs as high as the English Championship, Whiteman decided to quietly retire from the game on his own terms this summer at just 26, just months after winning the Europa League.

Whiteman is beginning a new career as a budding photographer and film director signed to Somesuch, a global production company with offices in London and Los Angeles. It is the studio behind Harris Dickinson’s directorial feature film debut ‘Urchin’ and Aneil Karia’s ‘The Long Goodbye’, winner of the Oscar for Best Live Action Short at the 2022 Academy Awards.

While it was not an easy decision, it has been years in the making.

“I signed for Spurs at 10 years old,” Whiteman tells The Athletic over a jug of lemonade at a cocktail bar in east London. “Then I left school at 16 and went straight into this full-time life of football. When I was around 17 or 18, living in digs, I just had this feeling inside of, ‘Is this it?’ Getting on the mini bus, going to training, doing the Sports Science BTEC (he also did an A Level in Economics) and going home to play video games. I realised, ‘Oh, I’m not happy here’ from quite a young age.

“The stereotype of a footballer is generally quite true. It’s the golf, washbag culture. I was that young footballer. I wanted the Gucci washbag and I drove the Mercedes. You all just become a reflection of each other. You’re a product of your environment. It’s the way football is in this country; it’s so shut off from anything else. You go to training and then you go home, that’s it.

“I guess I always felt a little bit different. My team-mates — who I got on well with — called me a hippie. That was their definition. But then, when I was 18, I met my ex-girlfriend, who was a model. She was a bit older than me. Her best friend was a director. It just started opening my eyes to what life has to offer.

“So as I was getting a bit older around 18 or 19, I started meeting new people and realising a bit more about myself, and understanding the football bubble, because it’s so insular.”

Stuck behind internationals Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm and Joe Hart in the goalkeeping pecking order, Whiteman continued training hard with the hope of one day representing Spurs as a professional or developing elsewhere on loan. Meanwhile, he was mixing with new crowds in his free time and making friends within the creative industry. On his days off, producers, directors and photographers invited him to assist them as a runner on set. While he expected it would happen well into his 30s, Whiteman was consciously setting himself up for a life after football.

“Football is a short career regardless, even if you do really well, and I knew that I didn’t want to stay in it,” says Whiteman. “It was about trying to gain experience and be proactive in learning about these things I was also interested in, but mainly because I was enjoying it, and was surrounded by the kinds of people that were doing what I enjoyed as a job. They were making things. It was really inspiring.”

Whiteman made one appearance for Tottenham as a second-half substitute in a Europa League match under Jose Mourinho before moving on loan to Degerfors in Sweden in 2021. There, he had the opportunity to play frequently and build form on the pitch, making 34 appearances across an 18-month period in Sweden’s top flight. Living in a small cabin in the woods, Whiteman spent large amounts of his time alone, exploring his feelings through art.

“I learned a lot,” he says. “I was in a new environment, in nature. I’ve got this exhibition coming up in spring about a body of work I did while I was there, which is all these self-portraits and weird things. I never planned it to be, but it served as this period of introspection. I look at the work now, and these feelings of being a bit lost or torn are in it. That was in 2022, so it’s always been there.”

He returned to Spurs determined to make an impact and signed a two-year extension in 2023. Under new coach Ange Postecoglou, Whiteman played and trained well in pre-season, but his progress was halted after sustaining an ankle injury in Singapore, which would keep him out for most of the season. His ‘Sweet Tooth’ show on NTS, a radio channel founded in east London in 2011 focusing on eclectic music from around the world, served as a creative outlet through the toil of recuperation. Reflecting on the injury now, Whiteman sees it as a sliding doors moment.

“It was a kind of freak injury, causing me to miss most of the season, where a new manager comes in,” says Whiteman. “So I was immediately in this bad situation. But during that rehab, I worked so hard every day to try to get back. I eventually did, but even then, it was just to be sat in the stands. It was so hard applying myself and really trying and then just not getting the games.

“That’s where you show the work you’re doing. Otherwise, the training and stuff, it’s all repetitive and in the shadows. It’s like f***ing Groundhog Day. Tottenham have an incredible training ground with incredible facilities, and I was working with the best players. But it wasn’t fulfilling. I want to be in a high-pressure game, or feel progress. When you’re not playing, it’s very difficult to do. It’s even worse, it’s more like you’re regressing.”

Whiteman, who represented England at the under-17 World Cup in 2015, made it clear to the Tottenham hierarchy after recovering from his injury in summer 2024 that he would like to leave the club on loan to explore first-team opportunities. But with Spurs short on club-trained players for their upcoming Europa League campaign (clubs are required to involve four players developed in their own academy for UEFA competition), the club would not sanction a move away.

He describes the lack of control as “frustrating”. The season ended with Spurs winning the Europa League, with Whiteman collecting a winners’ medal and circling through Tottenham, the neighbourhood in which he grew up, on a bus in the parade.

“My house is two minutes from the stadium,” says Whiteman. “I used to walk to the home games. So the bus goes past my road, my sister, my best friend who lives at the house with me, they’re there waving from my street. I spotted a girl who goes to the youth centre that I was volunteering at; I did her headshots because she wants to be an actor. I was like, ‘Hey!’ And she was there in disbelief like, ‘What are you doing on the bus?’ It was funny.”

Whiteman went on trial at two clubs in the English Football League in the summer. The first, a League One side, could not offer a contract due to financial issues. He then went on trial with a Championship club, who offered him an initial six-month contract as a No 2. However, by the time the contract offer came, he had decided professional football was no longer for him.

“There was a weekend when I went home, and I started contemplating all my options,” says Whiteman. “I had other things I’ve been building on the side and it was more exciting to me. To put it plainly, I saw happiness in these other avenues.

“It got to this point where I’d rather end this on my terms than go to a club that I just didn’t want to go to. When I was younger, I always said I didn’t want to play in the lower leagues; it was always about the highest level. Otherwise, I’d rather do something else. So I just took this step into the unknown, and I was like, ‘Oh, holy s***. I’m actually doing it.’ Anything can happen. I’m in complete control of my life, and it’s really exciting and really scary.”

Within days of calling his agent to inform him of his decision, Whiteman was on set with fashion photographer Harley Weir and British rapper Central Cee for a Nike shoot. He later travelled to Norway and Ukraine to help his friend Aria Shahrokhshahi film a feature documentary. In between, he was getting in contact with people in the industry and introducing himself over coffee.

“I ended up going to assist my friend for this photography job for Vibram (a footwear company known for their ‘five finger’ shoes) at the World Toe Wrestling Championships,” says Whiteman. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll come hold the lights!’ And the day before that shoot, they asked for a video, too, so I was like, ‘I’ll do it. I’ll do it!’

“There was no budget or brief, nothing. I turned up with him on the day and ran around with my camera, and then took it to an editor, sat with him, and made this thing and it got posted.”

The short film was a critical success, earning a five-star review from David Reviews, a prominent outlet within the short-form content space. Within weeks, he was signed to Somesuch as a professional film and commercial director.

“Somesuch have their film and commercials departments and I do photography,” says Whiteman. “I’ve got project ideas for photo stuff and short film ideas. The plan is to do some short films, and then hopefully one day a feature-length. But there are no real strict steps. You can decide. I just want to be on set and work with some of the most talented cinematographers, DoPs (directors of photography), producers and meet new people. There’s just so much to learn.”

While he has not watched any football since his retirement, he’s not turning his back on the game completely. He has ideas for films based on next summer’s World Cup in North America, and is excited to pick up the gloves again soon — without any of the politics of the industry attached.

“I’m really excited to go and play on a Wednesday night with my mates,” he says. “I’ve had a load of friends inquiring! I just enjoy playing football with my friends. It’s pure.”