Sports Mole

Winless in five matches across all competitions, an out-of-sorts Tottenham Hotspur outfit seek a shot in the arm when they travel to Premier League basement boys Southampton on Sunday evening.

The Lilywhites could only muster a 1-1 draw against Rangers last time out in the Europa League, while the Saints were narrowly beaten by Aston Villa in their most recent top-flight showdown.

Match preview

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Festive cheer is currently in limited supply at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Ange Postecoglou's job security has been called into question amid Spurs' disheartening winless sequence since their astonishing annihilation of Manchester City.

Since embarrassing the champions at the Etihad, though, Spurs have taken just three points from the last 15 on offer across the Premier League and Europa League combined, most recently leaving it late to snatch a point against Rangers through super sub Dejan Kulusevski.

The stalemate with Philippe Clement's men came after Tottenham capitulated against a team in a similar shade of blue, firing in two early goals against Chelsea before falling to a chastening 4-3 defeat, their second straight loss in the top flight after being conquered at Bournemouth.

With only one success to show from their last five Premier League matches, the Lilywhites have slipped into the bottom half of the top-flight rankings and are just one league defeat away from suffering 15 for the second straight calendar year; not since 2004 have they suffered that fate.

Lacking inspiration away from their North London base all year long, Spurs head south having only won 25% of their Premier League road contests in 2024 - picking up four wins from a possible 16 - although they have gone unbeaten in their last 13 top-flight games with the team starting the weekend in 20th place.

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Southampton will both start and end the weekend at the foot of the Premier League standings on the back of their 12th defeat from 15 matches in the 2024-25 top flight, succumbing to a 1-0 loss to a rejuvenated Aston Villa side in the West Midlands last weekend.

A first-half strike from clinical Colombian Jhon Duran was all that was needed to send the Saints back to St Mary's empty-handed and hammer another nail into Russell Martin's coffin, but the Southampton boss - who recently branded his team's five-point total "embarrassing" - is still being given a stay of execution by the powers-that-be.

How much longer the hierarchy are willing to hold out is anybody's guess, though, as the Saints are eight points adrift of safety with 15 games gone, boast the worst attacking record in the top division (11 goals) and have only conceded fewer than 19th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sunday's hosts have accrued just the one point from their last five attempts in the Premier League, although four of their five points in 2024-25 have been won at their St Mary's base, and their head-to-head record against Spurs also makes for relatively pleasant reading.

Indeed, Southampton have only been beaten in one of their last six Premier League home matches against Tottenham and have netted in each of their last 15 top-flight games against Spurs, their longest scoring streak against a single team in the history of the Premier League.

Southampton Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

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As well as Rodrigo Bentancur, who serves the fifth of his five-match domestic suspension at St Mary's, Spurs have lost Yves Bissouma to a totting-up of yellow cards following his inexcusable tackle on Moises Caicedo inside the penalty box last weekend.

Bissouma and Bentancur should be two of nine Spurs players to miss Sunday's match, as Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are out with the thigh injuries they picked up in the Chelsea defeat, while Wilson Odobert (hamstring), Mikey Moore (illness), Richarlison (hamstring), Ben Davies (hamstring) and Guglielmo Vicario (ankle) are sidelined too.

Rather than keep faith with James Maddison, Postecoglou should consider promoting Lucas Bergvall to the first XI over the under-performing Englishman, while Timo Werner will no doubt be axed for Dominic Solanke after his manager ripped into his performance against Rangers.

Southampton are not so fortunate on the injury or disciplinary front either, as Jack Stephens (suspended), Aaron Ramsdale (finger), Will Smallbone (thigh), Juan Larios (unspecified), Adam Lallana (thigh), Ross Stewart (calf) and Gavin Bazunu (Achilles) are still missing.

However, Martin has revealed that Paul Onuachu and Jan Bednarek are both back in contention to play, and there is every chance that the duo will be promoted to the first XI right away, Onuachu taking the place of Cameron Archer up top.

Nathan Wood put in a strong shift in Bednarek's place against Villa, though, so James Bree could give way for the Pole instead, as Martin tinkers ever so slightly with his rearguard setup.

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Lumley; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Bednarek, Manning; Downes, Fernandes; Dibling; Armstrong, Onuachu

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Forster; Spence, Gray, Dragusin, Udogie; Kulusevski, Sarr, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Son

We say: Southampton 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur

As Spurs' defence has been decimated and the Lilywhites are missing two banned midfield enforcers, do not expect Southampton's magnificent scoring streak against Tottenham to end on Sunday, but Martin's men will surely be restricted to the one consolation effort.

The trip to St Mary's represents a perfect opportunity for a troubled Tottenham to right their recent wrongs, and Postecoglou's men should prove their point to alleviate the pressure on their manager's shoulders, while at the same time putting Martin's job in even more jeopardy.

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Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur delivered a thrilling contest on Thursday evening in the Europa League, finishing 1-1 as the Gers dashed Ange Postecoglou's hopes of securing all three points in his return to Glasgow.

While the first half ended goalless, it was a lively, end-to-end affair that saw both sides create plenty of promising opportunities, with Rangers the happier of the two heading into the break as their energetic performance meant they looked the more likely to score, taking nine shots to Tottenham's six, with Vaclav Cerny looking particularly threatening.

The Gers made Tottenham wait for the restart, with Philippe Clement's half-time team talk stretching beyond the allocated 15 minutes, but they certainly ensured the fans were not kept waiting, opening the scoring less than two minutes into the second half when Hamza Igamane was expertly picked out by James Tavernier's teasing cross, and the striker made no mistake with his finish, dispatching into the bottom right corner to send Ibrox into a frenzy.

Clement's men continued to persistently hound and hassle the Tottenham players as the game progressed, battling to maintain their lead and even add a second, though Spurs did gradually begin to control the ball for longer stretches as they searched for their way back into the match.

Tottenham did eventually break Rangers' resolve when a prolonged period of possession saw Dejan Kulusevski play the ball to Dominic Solanke before receiving it back just inside the area, with his strike going back across goal, out of reach of Jack Butland, and nestling in the bottom right corner, giving them their equaliser with 15 minutes remaining.

The final stages of the encounter made for a riveting spectacle as both sides pushed for a late winner, with Cyriel Dessers coming closest when his goal was denied by an offside flag, before the final whistle finally blew to bring an end to the superb showing.

RANGERS VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR HIGHLIGHTS

Hamza Igamane goal vs. Tottenham Hotspur (47th min, Rangers 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur)

Igamane gives Rangers the lead, Ibrox has erupted into a frenzy!

Tavernier receives the ball just inside his half, and the full-back steams down the right side before clipping a delightfully teasing early cross into the box.

The cross cuts between the two central defenders and reaches Igamane at the penalty spot, where the striker slots the ball into the bottom right corner with a controlled side-foot finish.

Dejan Kulusevski goal vs. Rangers (75th min, Rangers 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur)

Tottenham have an equaliser, Kulusevski with a wonderful finish!

Kulusevski starts the move as he plays a give-and-go with Pedro Porro before passing the ball into the path of Solanke, who had made a run between full-back and centre-back towards the byline.

The winger continues his run and receives the ball back from Solanke just inside the area, via a brilliant dummy from James Maddison, and strikes back across goal and into the bottom corner.

MAN OF THE MATCH - HAMZA IGAMANE

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The striker may have started the season as second choice behind Cyriel Dessers, but he has certainly made that role his own in recent weeks, reinforcing that with a superb performance tonight.

Igamane was a constant threat throughout the first half, highlighted by a brilliant sequence where he skilfully evaded two defenders in quick succession with successive nutmegs, before securing the breakthrough with a composed finish in the second half.

RANGERS VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MATCH STATS

Possession: Rangers 41%-59% Tottenham Hotspur

Shots: Rangers 15-12 Tottenham Hotspur

Shots on target: Rangers 6-3 Tottenham Hotspur

Corners: Rangers 7-7 Tottenham Hotspur

Fouls: Rangers 9-9 Tottenham Hotspur

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

The draw for Rangers means they climb to eighth in the Europa League table with 11 points from six outings, and they will aim to secure their place in the top eight in their final two fixtures against Manchester United and Union Saint-Gilloise in January.

As for Tottenham, their winless run is extended to five matches across all competitions, while they sit ninth in the Europa League table, behind Rangers on goal difference, something they will look to address when they take on Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in the new year.

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Tottenham Hotspur defender Ashley Phillips could reportedly be recalled from his loan spell at Stoke City to help combat the club's injury crisis.

Romania international Radu Dragusin is currently Ange Postecoglou's only fit centre-back in the first-team squad after Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven picked up injuries at the weekend.

Ben Davies was already absent for Sunday's 4-2 defeat against Chelsea after he sustained a hamstring injury in the 1-0 away loss to Bournemouth.

Romero was then forced off in the 15th minute in Sunday's outing, before Van de Ven had to be withdrawn in the 79th minute.

The Argentina international only returned to the starting lineup following a toe injury, but now faces six weeks on the sidelines due to a muscular injury.

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Tottenham considering Ashley Phillips recall

Like Romero, Van de Ven was making his return from injury and now faces another spell in the treatment room following his latest setback.

In the short term, Postecoglou is likely to use Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-back to help cover the defensive injury crisis.

However, according to the Evening Standard, Spurs are considering whether to recall Phillips in January to bolster Postecoglou's central defensive options.

As it stands, the 19-year-old is set to spend the whole season on loan at Stoke, but Spurs have the option to activate a recall clause in the new year.

Spurs will have to take into account that Phillips would be unable to play for another club this season if he makes an appearance for Postecoglou's side.

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Has Phillips been playing regularly for Stoke?

Phillips is still waiting to make his first senior appearance for Spurs after joining the club from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2023.

The centre-back spent the second half of last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle, gaining valuable minutes in 20 competitive appearances.

Phillips experienced a difficult start to his loan spell at the bet365 Stadium, making just one Championship appearance up until October 26.

However, he has since established himself in the starting lineup, having started each of Stoke's last nine league matches.

The Europa League offers up a Battle of Britain on Thursday night, when Scottish giants Rangers welcome Premier League Tottenham Hotspur to Ibrox.

Both clubs are in contention to finish in the top eight of the league phase, despite underwhelming domestically this season, ahead of the first meeting between the two in over six decades.

Match preview

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Not only will this be a momentous clash between two British clubs competing for the top eight, it also is for the fact that Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou will return to Glasgow where he led Rangers' bitter rivals Celtic to two Scottish Premiership titles.

The Aussie manager won six of his 11 Old Firm derbies in charge of Celtic, and beat Rangers to the title in both of his seasons at the club, so there will be no love lost from the home crowd on his return.

Postecoglou goes into this tie under increasing pressure though, after his side threw a 2-0 lead away to lose 4-3 at home to London rivals Chelsea at the weekend.

That came just a few days after losing 1-0 on the South Coast against Bournemouth, where the scoreline extremely flattered Spurs.

The last seven games have now yielded just one win for Tottenham, and that came in the remarkable 4-0 success away to Manchester City, meaning they remain in the bottom half of the Premier League.

This recent run of form has also affected their standing in the Europa League, because Spurs have fallen out of the top eight following two disappointing results against Galatasaray and Roma.

No team has spent longer in the lead than Spurs in the Europa League this season (276 minutes), and they led for 80 minutes on matchday five against Roma, but Mats Hummels's injury-time leveller saw the Giallorossi snatch a point in North London.

On their last away trip on the continent, Postecoglou also oversaw a 3-2 defeat in Istanbul, with another scoreline that seriously flattered Spurs, despite still losing.

The visitors will therefore hope they can maintain their unbeaten all-time record against Scottish clubs, never tasting defeat in six previous meetings, including winning both legs of their Cup Winners' Cup second round tie with Rangers in 1962, on their way to winning the competition.

Rangers will certainly be no pushovers if recent form is anything to go by though, because manager Philippe Clement has responded to serious doubts surrounding his future at the club with four straight wins.

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After drawing 1-1 at home to Dundee United on November 23, essentially ending Rangers' title hopes, it appeared the Belgian may be on his way out, but he quickly put things right by thrashing Nice away from home 4-1 on matchday five.

The three league games since have also produced three more victories, all without conceding, and scoring 10 goals in the process against St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and Ross County.

While the title may be gone, Europe could once again offer the Gers an opportunity for a successful season, like it did in 2021-22, when they reached the final of this competition.

Only Lyon have beaten Rangers in the Europa League this term, and their last outing at Ibrox ended in a convincing 4-0 win over FCSB.

Their tally of 12 goals so far is just one shy of their record total in the group stage of a European competition, so facing an open and expensive Spurs team will provide them with opportunities to break that record.

This game comes at the start of a massive few days for Clement's side though, with a League Cup semi-final against Celtic on the horizon at the weekend, with the two games coming up both potentially being pivotal in the direction their season goes.

Rangers Europa League form:

Rangers form (all competitions):

Tottenham Hotspur Europa League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

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Rabbi Matondo has returned to Rangers training recently, but this game will likely come too soon for him, while Tom Lawrence and Oscar Cortes are also unlikely to shake off knocks in time.

For Matondo, it will be tough to see him breaking into the team on his return anyway, given the form of Hamza Igamane, who has scored four goals in four games since being handed an opportunity in the side by Clement late last month.

Neraysho Kasanwirjo is the only other injury absentee for the hosts heading into this one, with the defender's knee injury ruling him out for around six months.

Tottenham saw both centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero forced off in the defeat to Chelsea with recurrences of the injuries that had made them doubts for that fixture.

Brennan Johnson was also taken off due to illness, and Ben Davies suffered a hamstring injury at Bournemouth a few days earlier, joining a lengthening list of absentees for the visitors.

Richarlison, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore all remain out in attack, but Will Lankshear could feature after serving his European ban in the draw with Roma.

Rodrigo Bentancur should start with his current seven-game ban not applying in European matches, and Yves Bissouma may play alongside him, considering he will be suspended in the Premier League on Sunday at Southampton.

Rangers possible starting lineup:

Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte; Raskin, Hagi; Cerny, Diomande, Igamane; Danilo

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Forster; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Udogie; Sarr, Bentacur, Bissouma; Johnson, Lankshear, Son

We say: Rangers 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Rangers have not beaten English opposition in their last six attempts, and despite Spurs' recent struggles, this is still set to be one of their toughest games on the continent this season.

Spurs made little fuss in beating Qarabag and Ferencvaros earlier in the campaign, but even though Rangers are on a similar footing, being away at a raucous Ibrox during a poor run of form will make this far from routine.

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The Europa League will throw up an all-British affair for the first time this season when Rangers welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Ibrox on Thursday.

Rangers will also face Manchester United later in the campaign, adding to the list of English clubs they have faced since their return after expulsion from the top flight over a decade ago.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 2*

Rangers wins: 0

Draws: 0

Spurs wins: 2

*competitive games only

The history of Rangers and Tottenham is extremely brief, and dates back quite a few generations, with their only competitive meetings coming in the 1962-63 Cup Winners' Cup, as well as a 2022 friendly which Spurs won 2-1.

In a thrilling second-round tie, Jimmy Greaves was among the Tottenham scorers in a 5-2 home win in the first leg, handing them the initiative before travelling to Ibrox.

There was never any threat of a comeback either, with Greaves scoring an early opener in the second leg, before Bobby Smith got himself a brace to hand Spurs a 3-2 win, sending them through 8-4 on aggregate.

Spurs would then go on to win the CWC that season, beating Slovan Bratislava and OFK Beograd to reach the final, where they thrashed Atletico Madrid 5-1.

That was one of a long list of defeats to English clubs that Rangers have suffered, with just three wins from the 16 encounters they have had against clubs south of the border in Europe.

Interestingly, Rangers played in the FA Cup for one season, back in the late 1800s, losing to Aston Villa in the semi-finals.

More recently, they have fared even worse, especially when they faced Liverpool in the Champions League in 2022, being utterly humiliated 7-1 on home soil by Jurgen Klopp's men.

With a clash against Man United on the horizon in January, they will renew acquaintances after meeting in the group stages of the Champions League in 2003 and 2010.

Rangers failed to score a single goal across all four matches - losing three - with their only result being a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in September 2010.

Spurs have very little experience of facing Scottish sides, with Aberdeen being the only other club they have met in a competition proper, beating the Dons 5-2 on aggregate in the second round of the UEFA Cup in 1973.

The only other occasion it has happened was when Harry Redknapp's Spurs were drawn against Hearts in qualifying for the Europa League in 2011, where they thrashed them 5-0 at Tynecastle, before playing out a bore draw at White Hart Lane.

Previous meetings

Jul 23, 2022: Rangers 1-2 Spurs (Friendly)

Dec 11, 1962: Rangers 2-3 Spurs (Cup Winners' Cup Second Round Second Leg)

Oct 31, 1962: Spurs 5-2 Rangers (Cup Winners' Cup Second Round First Leg)

Tottenham Hotspur return to action on Thursday evening when they play the trip to Scotland to face to Rangers in the Europa League.

Ange Postecoglou's side are on a four-match winless streak in all competitions, the latest disappointment coming on Sunday as they let slip a two-goal lead against Chelsea to lose in a seven-goal thriller.

Although the North Londoners have fared better in this competition, they know that a win is needed to bolster their hopes of securing a place in the last 16.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their showdown with a team in Rangers who are direct rivals for a place in the top eight.

Guglielmo Vicario

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: Unknown

First-choice goalkeeper Vicario remarkably played for over an hour at the Etihad Stadium last month with a broken ankle, which he has since undergone surgery for, and Postecoglou has confirmed that the Italian faces months out of action.

Cristian Romero

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: Unknown

Although Romero made a return from a toe injury against Chelsea, he lasted just 20 minutes courtesy of sustaining what Postecoglou described as an issue with his quad. As it stands, it is unclear how long the World Cup winner will be sidelined for, but he will not feature in this match.

Richarlison

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 15 (vs. Arsenal)

Richarlison's hamstring problem is expected to render him unavailable until the early stages of January, potentially meaning that he could make his comeback in the next North London derby.

Micky van de Ven

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: December 12 (vs. Rangers)

Van de Ven made a surprise return from a hamstring injury against Chelsea before being withdrawn in the second half. Although the Netherlands international was seen holding the back of his leg prior to his substitution, Postecoglou has insisted that the defender was suffering with 'nothing significant'.

Wilson Odobert

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Just after making a comeback from one hamstring problem, summer signing Odobert sustained an even more severe injury in the same area and will be out for the long-term after undergoing an operation.

Mikey Moore

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Illness

Possible return date: December 12 (vs. Rangers)

Teenage sensation Moore has been laid low by a troublesome illness this month, and Postecoglou has conceded that it will be at least the middle of the month before the 17-year-old makes his return.

Ben Davies

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Spurs were handed a further defensive blow last week when Davies sustained a hamstring injury. There is currently every indication that the Wales international could be sidelined for the remainder of 2024.

Brennan Johnson

Status: Minor doubt

Type of injury: Illness

Possible return date: December 12 (vs. Rangers)

Johnson needed to be withdrawn shortly after half time against Chelsea due to feeling ill. While the Wales international will now be assessed, he is expected to remain in contention for Thursday night.

TOTTENHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

With Rodrigo Bentancur's ban only applying to domestic fixtures, Spurs have no suspension issues for this fixture.

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Romeo Lavia's withdrawal at half time of Chelsea's win against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon was precautionary, boss Enzo Maresca revealed.

Tottenham had taken a 2-0 lead after just 11 minutes, but a resurgent second-half display ensured that the Blues took all three points back to Stamford Bridge, with the visitors ultimately winning 4-3.

The result means that Chelsea are second in the Premier League after 15 matches, just four points fewer than leaders Liverpool.

However, midfielder Lavia did not appear in the second half, but Maresca has insisted that the Belgian's issue was only minor, telling reporters: "Unfortunately he felt something in his hamstring in the last minutes of the first-half. Now, he's walking without any pain. It was a small thing.

"Since we started, I don't like to lose players for five, six, seven games in a row. Even if Romeo was playing fantastic, we tried to change because he had a problem."

Strength in depth

Lavia's substitution was ultimately not costly, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes taking control in the second 45 minutes, the latter of whom scored Chelsea's third of the match.

The duo have faced significant criticism since their arrival at Stamford Bridge, but Fernandez has already scored three goals and produced eight assists for the Blues this season, while Caicedo has been praised for his excellent performances with and without the ball.

Maresca has not chosen the same double pivot in midfield in any of his side's last six games, but his team still managed to win five times.

The Chelsea boss has previously noted the improvement's from Fernandez in terms of his attacking output, but has also highlighted his improved understanding of his midfield role, saying: "[Fernandez] is improving a lot especially in terms of understanding the game and the position.

"This is what we need from the attacking players. He has many things he can do better but not only him, all of the players."

Chelsea title charge?

Maresca appears to have succeeded where Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Frank Lampard failed, with the Italian maximising the immense talent at his disposal.

Though Liverpool have a game in hand on Chelsea, it is difficult to count the Blues out of the title race, especially after both Arsenal and Manchester City dropped points against Fulham and Crystal Palace respectively.

Chelsea are also the league's top goalscorers having found the back of the net 35 times this campaign, and with their schedule relatively more straightforward than the likes of Arsenal, who have to compete in the Champions League as opposed to the Conference League.

One area of concern for Maresca could be his side's defensive showings, as while their record of 18 conceded is the joint third best in the top flight, they have kept just three clean sheets in the Premier League this term.

Regardless, Chelsea are certainly well positioned to capitalise should Liverpool drop more points, and there is no reason to think the Blues cannot have a successful 2024-25 season.

Chelsea came from two goals behind to record a 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's spectacular Premier League contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The result has moved the Blues back into second spot in the Premier League table, four points behind leaders Liverpool, while Tottenham remain down in 11th, with Ange Postecoglou's side losing their seventh league game of the season.

The breakthrough arrived after just five minutes, as Dominic Solanke turned a dangerous cross from Brennan Johnson into the back of the net from close range to spark jubilant scenes inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham scored again in the 11th minute, with Dejan Kulusevski picking out the bottom corner after working his way into the penalty box.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella slipped for Tottenham's first goal, allowing Johnson to drive into a crossing position, and he was also sliding around before Kulusevski netted a second, with the Spaniard heading over to the bench at 2-0 to change his boots.

Chelsea were back in it in the 18th minute, though, as Jadon Sancho found the bottom corner off an assist from the heavily-involved Cucurella, and it was an excellent finish from the on-loan Manchester United attacker.

Pape Sarr headed against the crossbar late in the first period, just moments after being heavily challenged by Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo, which was not viewed to be excessive in the eyes or the referee or VAR.

Chelsea were awarded a penalty in the 59th minute of the contest when Caicedo was brought to the ground by Yves Bissouma with a rash challenge, and Cole Palmer stepped up to level the scores for Enzo Maresca's side.

The turnaround was then complete in the 74th minute, with Enzo Fernandez smashing one into the back of the net on the half-volley following excellent work from Palmer.

Chelsea were awarded another penalty in the 83rd minute when Sarr brought Palmer to the ground, and the ex-Manchester City youngster stepped up to score his second spot kick of the match and secure all the points for the Blues, who have once again demonstrated why they should be placed in the title argument this season.

Spurs did net a consolation late on through Son Heung-min, but there was never enough time for the hosts to score what would have been an incredible fourth.

TOTTENHAM VS. CHELSEA HIGHLIGHTS

Dominic Solanke goal vs. Chelsea (5th min, Tottenham 1-0 Chelsea)

Tottenham make the breakthrough in the fifth minute of the match, as Solanke turns a cross from Johnson into the back of the net from close range; Solanke gets ahead of Levi Colwill to make contact, and the North London outfit are ahead on home soil.

Dejan Kulusevski goal vs. Chelsea (11th min, Tottenham 2-0 Chelsea)

Tottenham have their second of the match in the 11th minute, with Kulusevski finding the bottom corner with a strike from just inside the Chelsea box; Cucurella slipped again in the build-up and then went straight over to change his boots after Kulusevski found the corner.

Jadon Sancho goal vs. Tottenham (18th min, Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea)

Sancho finds the bottom corner from a Cucurella assist, and it is very much game on at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; that is now goals in successive Chelsea matches for the on-loan Manchester United attacker.

Cole Palmer goal vs. Tottenham (61st min, Tottenham 2-2 Chelsea)

Chelsea level the scores in the 61st minute of the match, as Palmer sends his penalty past the Tottenham goalkeeper; a rash challenge from Bissouma and Caicedo saw the spot kick awarded, and Chelsea's number 20 made no mistake from the spot.

Enzo Fernandez goal vs. Tottenham (74th min, Tottenham 2-3 Chelsea)

Chelsea score a third in the 74th minute, with Fernandez smashing one into the back of the net from inside the box after smart work from Palmer; incredible scenes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - the Blues have turned this game around to lead.

Cole Palmer goal vs. Tottenham (84th min, Tottenham 2-4 Chelsea)

Palmer scores his second penalty of the match after being fouled by Sarr inside the box; it is straight down the middle from the England international, and Tottenham are somehow now 4-2 behind on home soil.

Could they? Tottenham have a third late on through Son, who turns in from close range, but it is surely too little, too late.

MAN OF THE MATCH - COLE PALMER

Palmer, as has often been the case, was Chelsea's star of the show on Sunday, with the England international scoring twice from the penalty spot, while he set up Fernandez for his side's third of the afternoon.

Tottenham just could not live with the 22-year-old, who had four successful dribbles and four shots during a sensational display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and he beats teammate Fernandez to his award.

TOTTENHAM VS. CHELSEA MATCH STATS

Possession: Tottenham 38%-62% Chelsea

Shots: Tottenham 13-17 Chelsea

Shots on target: Tottenham 5-8 Chelsea

Corners: Tottenham 5-10 Chelsea

Fouls: Tottenham 17-11 Chelsea

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Chelsea will be bidding to make it six straight wins in all competitions when they head to Astana in the Conference League on Thursday night, before welcoming Brentford in the Premier League next Sunday.

Chelsea have made seven changes for Sunday's Premier League clash at Tottenham Hotspur.

Four days on from the Blues thrashing Southampton at St Mary's, head coach Enzo Maresca has chosen to make yet another seven alterations to his starting lineup.

Maresca had already confirmed that goalkeeper Robert Sanchez would be returning between the sticks, the Spaniard taking the place of Filip Jorgensen.

The only players to retain their spots in the side from the Southampton game are Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer.

Caicedo switches to right-back with Malo Gusto dropping to the substitutes' bench, while Benoit Badiashile has gotten the nod over Tosin Adarabioyo.

Romeo Lavia is back after a rest in midweek, while Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho are preferred to Noni Madueke and Joao Felix on the flanks.

Meanwhile, Nicolas Jackson returns down the centre of the attack in place of Christopher Nkunku.

Double boost for Spurs

As for Spurs, Ange Postecoglou has been handed a major boost with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both being passed fit to start in the centre of defence.

Both players had been deemed unlikely to start this contest, particularly Van de Ven, but the duo return after ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.

Pedro Porro and Son Heung-min are also recalled at right-back and down the middle of the attack respectively as Spurs look to bounce back from their defeat at Bournemouth on Thursday night.

Archie Gray, the injured Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin and James Maddison are the quartet to drop out of the team.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Forster; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Sarr, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Son

Subs: Austin, Spence, Dragusin, Reguilon, Gray, Bergvall, Maddison, Werner, Lankshear

Fulham vs. Arsenal (Sunday, 2.00pm)

Arsenal past will reunite with Arsenal present on Sunday afternoon, as the Gunners take on a Fulham side housing a handful of their former stars in Sunday's Premier League London derby.

Both capital clubs earned two-goal successes in the midweek round of matches, as Mikel Arteta's team defeated Manchester United 2-0 before the Cottagers saw off Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 to boost their European charge.

We say: Fulham 1-3 Arsenal

Each of Fulham's seven Premier League home matches this season has seen both teams score, and that trend ought to continue in this intriguing derby, as Arsenal can still get caught out defensively and are a little short on personnel in that area.

However, the Gunners should have won by more in midweek, and if all else fails, the visitors can rely on their Jover-inspired corner routines to see off a wildly inconsistent Cottagers team.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

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Ipswich vs. Bournemouth (Sunday, 2.00pm)

Andoni Iraola will hope his Bournemouth side can continue their remarkable start to the 2024-25 Premier League season when they travel to Portman Road where they will face Ipswich Town on Sunday.

The hosts are third last in 18th place with just nine points, and their 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace on December 3 meant they fell three points behind safety, while the Cherries beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Thursday and are in ninth place with 21 points.

We say: Ipswich Town 1-1 Bournemouth

Bournemouth's poor away record and defensive frailty could be something that the hosts look to exploit in the first half, taking advantage of any tired legs following the Cherries' win on Thursday.

However, Ipswich' struggles in the final third could give the visitors the opportunity they need to assert their dominance as the game goes on, and it would not be surprising if the points were shared on Sunday.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

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Leicester vs. Brighton (Sunday, 2.00pm)

Looking to preserve their 100% record since the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester City will welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the King Power Stadium for a Premier League battle on Sunday afternoon.

The Foxes managed a 3-1 success over out-of-form West Ham United in the East Midlands on Tuesday night, whilst the Seagulls' poor run against Fulham continued at Craven Cottage two days later.

We say: Leicester City 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Despite the comfortable-looking scoreline, Leicester rode their luck at times against West Ham and will not be able to get away with conceding countless shots for a second time this week.

Brighton were arguably the better side at Craven Cottage on Thursday night and should be able to return to winning ways at the home of the Foxes.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

> Verbruggen to be dropped? Brighton predicted XI vs. Leicester

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Spurs vs. Chelsea (Sunday, 4.30pm)

On the back of contrasting performances on the South Coast, London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea headline Sunday's Premier League fixture list with a mouthwatering derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

While Enzo Maresca's men made extremely light work of Southampton in a 5-1 midweek mauling, their hosts were fortunate to only lose by a narrow margin in their 1-0 reverse at Bournemouth.

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-3 Chelsea

As Tottenham may be working with just one fit centre-back and a day's less rest than their opponents, the home faithful may resign themselves to a repeat of last year's home humbling at the hands of Chelsea.

Postecoglou's men were highly fortunate to only concede once on Bournemouth's turf, but a goal-happy Chelsea should not make the same attacking mistakes the Cherries did at one of their happiest hunting grounds.

> Click here to read our full preview for this match

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