Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea’s games are always high intensity, full of drama – and also usually feature a moment or two of lack of discipline.

On Sunday the two teams face each other in a big Premier League duel. Chelsea are top of the table while Tottenham have had a difficult start to the season – capped by Ange Postecoglou’s confrontation with fans after their defeat to Bournemouth on Thursday.

But what is the mood at both clubs? How is the season going? Who are the dangers? And what do our writers predict for the game?

The athlete sat down with our experts Jay Harris and Simon Johnson to discuss Sunday’s game – and where the two teams are at this stage of the season.

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What’s the mood like in the club?

Jay Harris: Morale at Tottenham has plummeted less than two weeks after their stunning win over Manchester City at the Etihad. Thursday night’s dismal 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth means they have lost eight of their last 12 away games. Ange Postecoglou’s confrontation with fans at the final whistle suggests cracks are beginning to appear in their relationship.

Starting goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will be out for months with a broken ankle and the only fit central defender is Radu Dragusin. That means 18-year-old midfielder Archie Gray may have to start alongside him on Sunday. It’s a tense situation, possibly the worst time to play a derby.

Simon Johnson: Optimistic and why not? Head coach Enzo Maresca has made an impressive start since replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the summer. For the first time since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took over in May 2022, fans seem convinced. The management structure that runs the club is beginning to see the fruits of its labor and even the uncertainty caused by the split between the co-owners who went public in September has quieted.

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How did the season compare to expectations?

Johnson: Maresca has repeatedly said that he was not told by the hierarchy that Chelsea needed to finish in the top four of the Premier League, but qualifying for the Champions League again is clearly a goal. Chelsea are ahead of schedule. Nobody outside Stamford Bridge would have expected Chelsea to be in second place just months into Maresca’s time at the club. Pundits described Chelsea as chaos in August as the “bomb squad” overshadowed proceedings and friendlies turned out poorly, but they are now being talked about as title contenders.

Harris: Dominic Solanke was the only summer signing who seemed ready to improve the starting XI. There was hope that the team would continue in Postecoglou’s second season, but people were skeptical that they still lacked quality. Spurs have put in some great performances, including a 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, but lost to Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace. They have reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup (where they will face Manchester United at home) and should easily reach the next round of the Europa League, but are 10th in the league, level on points with Brentford and Newcastle United. Spurs are seven points lower than at the same stage last season despite failing to win their last four games.

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How do the fans rate the manager?

Harris: It may have been marred by last night’s incident, when Postecoglou watched from a distance as the players applauded the fans and then strode over to a tense exchange with them. Postecoglou revealed that they had given him “direct feedback” and said: “Whether there are doubts, internal or external, it strengthens my resolve to do it right.”

His style of football has many admirers but fans are frustrated because there is no backup plan and the defeat to Bournemouth was a perfect example of why. They struggled to create chances despite dominating possession and lacked penetration. This time a year ago the fans sang “I’m love Big Ange Instead” in the style of Robbie Williams’ Angels, but we’ve come a long way from that now.

Johnson: The view has changed in a few months. Many expressed doubts about Maresca’s arrival. His short time in management at Parma (14 games) and Leicester (one season), as well as the fact that he had not coached a “big club”, were held against him. But good results and plenty of goals won them over and, significantly, his name was sung for the first time in the 5-1 win at Southampton. The away support also chanted: “We have our Chelsea back.” He is a popular man but his approval rating will drop if they lose to Tottenham. This is always a big no-no for any Chelsea head coach.

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Who was the standout player?

Johnson: The easy answer is Cole Palmer. Since joining the club from Manchester City last year, it has felt like an automatic response. A record of nine goals and six assists from 14 league games is outstanding, but the flair he displays is worth the price of admission alone. Opponents try to target him during games, whether by simply man-marking him or, as was the case with Lisandro Martinez and Wilfred Ndidi, making terrible tackles.

Chelsea are doing so well because they have a lot of players in form and are therefore less dependent on Palmer. Moises Caicedo, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Cucurella are three important cogs who work at a very high level.

Harris: Dejan Kulusevski has been a revelation this season, playing in the attacking central midfield position. He glides past opponents, causes confusion with his dribbling and gives his teammates space to exploit. James Maddison was once Tottenham’s creative spark and most influential player, but Kulusevski has taken the crown. However, Son Heung-min was a shadow of his former self, scoring just three goals in eleven appearances in the top flight.

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What is a realistic goal this season?

Harris: After Tottenham lost to Arsenal in September, Postecoglou corrected Sky Sports presenter Emma Saunders by saying he “always wins trophies” in his second season with a club. The 59-year-old has set the bar high but it’s hard to imagine them winning anything. The Carabao Cup quarter-final against United takes place in a few weeks, but they will be without Vicario and possibly Micky van de Ven. The Spurs have a young squad that also includes the captains of Mali, South Korea and Sweden. Romero also won the World Cup with Argentina. They should be a challenge for the top four.

Johnson: Maresca is right to dismiss their chances of winning the league this season. Chelsea have not been in the title race since winning it in 2017 and lack experience. Their squad is the youngest in the top flight (Chelsea have fielded the 14 youngest starting XIs this season), they concede too many chances and Robert Sanchez isn’t convincing the crowd as their starting goalkeeper.

The squad is still strong enough to qualify for the Champions League and it would be a disappointment if they didn’t win the Conference League. They are clearly by far the strongest team in Europe’s third-tier competition.

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How does the rivalry feel?

Johnson: It doesn’t matter how well Chelsea plays, this is the game their fans look forward to the most and want to win the most. They didn’t win the Battle of the Bridge in 2016, but the 2-2 draw is still fondly remembered as the result meant Spurs officially lost the league to Leicester City. When the popular pre-match song “The Liquidator” is played at Stamford Bridge, you will always hear: “We hate Tottenham, Chelsea!” shouted loudly from the stands. The intensity of this rivalry will never subside.

Harris: There is no love lost between these two sides, as Simon mentioned. In fact, in this very game last year, Tottenham earned a lot of praise for relying on an attacking style of play despite sending off Romero and Destiny Udogie. Chelsea won 4-1, but only took the lead in the 75th minute. In retrospect, Tottenham’s performance in this game took on a different dimension. It is seen as the point where everything went downhill and inconsistency infected the team. Supporters hope a victory can revive Postecoglou’s project.

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What should Chelsea fear most from their opponents?

Johnson: Tottenham’s ability to perform in the big games. The manner of their 4-0 win over champions Manchester City was exceptional and they also convincingly defeated top four rivals Manchester United and Aston Villa. Even if Chelsea take the lead, Maresca’s men will have to be on their guard as Tottenham equaled a Premier League record in 2024 when they came from behind to win in eight home games.

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And what about the Spurs?

Harris: Chelsea can be lethal on the counterattack with the speed of Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto. Tottenham’s high defensive line and commitment to pushing players forward leaves the central defenders exposed. Van de Ven can outrun most of the world’s fastest strikers, but Dragusin could struggle if he runs towards goal too often.

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What is your prediction?

Johnson: Since both teams’ attacks are superior to their defense, I see a lot of goals. I’m expecting a 2-2 draw and due to the intensity at least one team will have a man sent off.

Harris: Tottenham have a nasty habit of conceding at home before staging dramatic comebacks, and they can’t afford to give an in-form Chelsea side an easy advantage. Postecoglou’s side have saved their best performances for the big teams this season, but I’m expecting a 2-2 draw. Spurs will look threatening on the counterattack, but Chelsea will take advantage of their patchwork defense.

(Top photos: Getty Images)