“Pochettino going back to Tottenham will be fun!” - Mark Lawrenson makes bold prediction as Spurs prepare to host Chelsea
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes Tottenham Hotspur will defeat Chelsea when the two teams clash horns this weekend. Spurs will host the Blues in a Premier League encounter on Monday, November 6.
The hosts are currently thriving under new boss Ange Postecoglou and are one of only two unbeaten teams in the league this season, Arsenal being the other. They are currently top of the standings with 26 points from 10 matches, having scored 22 goals and conceded nine.
The visitors, on the other hand, have gotten off to a middling start under a new manager of their own, former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino. They have won three and lost four of their first 10 league games, scoring 13 times and letting in 11 goals, and sit 11th on the table, already 11 points adrift of fourth place.
Lawrenson expects Pochettino's return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to make for an entertaining encounter. However, in line with their respective starts to the season, the former defender, who won five English top-flight titles with Liverpool, expects Spurs to secure a 2-0 win on Monday.
He wrote in his prediction column for gambling company Paddy Power:
"Mauricio Pochettino going back to Tottenham will be fun! Spurs are still going well and they beat Crystal Palace last time. It’s a tough one this, I just can’t see Chelsea scoring."
Tottenham enter this game on the back of a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last weekend. They have had a week of rest, unlike their upcoming opponents, after being eliminated from the EFL Cup in the second round by Fulham (1-1, 5-3 on penalties) last month.
Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge in their last league game. However, they bounced back with a home victory by the same margin over Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round of the EFL Cup in midweek.
Spurs were unbeaten against Chelsea in the league last season
Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea notably met twice in the Premier League last season.
Their first meeting was at Stamford Bridge in August 2022, when the Blues were still managed by Thomas Tuchel and Spurs were overseen by Antonio Conte. Kalidou Koulibaly opened the scoring in the 19th minute, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg brought the visitors level 23 minutes after half-time.
Reece James gave the hosts the lead again in the 77th minute and seemingly put them on course for a win. However, Harry Kane's strike in the sixth minute of injury time gave Spurs a point. A fiery exchange of emotions followed during the post-game handshake shared by Tuchel and Conte.
The two teams clashed again in February this year, with Chelsea now managed by Graham Potter. This time around, Conte's men secured a comfortable 2-0 victory courtesy of second-half goals from Oliver Skipp (46') and Kane (82').