Chelsea v Tottenham: Premier League - live
Key events 1h ago The teams 1h ago Preamble Roberto De Zerbi also speaks to Sky. "James Maddison is a very important player … he brings personality, qualities, experience … a different position on the pitch … he's a different player to Conor Gallagher or [Omar] Marmoush as a number ten … we have to find him in the right moment in the best position … [Dominic Solanke] felt fatigue after Coventry … I am lucky to have a big squad with many different solutions … so I took the decision [to rest him] but the game is 90 minutes.
Xabi Alonso speaks to Sky Sports. João Pedro felt something in training … it's a disappointment … [Geovany] Quenda has many qualities … he attacks the space … a goal threat … he has been training well … he has been patient … this is a big game to make his debut as a starter … we want mobility … to be fluid … he has those qualities.
Some more scene-setting, courtesy of our fancy new(ish) column, which this week touches on Roberto De Zerbi's confidence in Tottenham's medical staff, and the Zen of Xabi. The two 3pm kick-offs have finished.
Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 while Fulham won 1-0 at Coventry City. Fourth-placed Chelsea can't go anywhere tonight, up or down, unless they win by 14 goals; Fulham's victory, coupled with Nottingham Forest's point at Ipswich last night, has dumped Tottenham back in the bottom three, but a draw would take Spurs up to 15th, while a win would take them into 12th, or maybe even 11th if they go large to the tune of five goals.
Some of this entry has got a bit silly, yes. Pos Team P GD Pts 1 Man City 8 11 21 2 Arsenal 8 8 21 3 Brighton 7 18 16 4 Chelsea 7 4 13 5 Liverpool 7 1 12 6 Aston Villa 8 -3 11 7 Brentford 7 5 10 8 Leeds 7 3 10 9 Everton 8 -1 10 10 Ipswich 8 -4 10 11 Hull 7 1 9 12 Fulham 8 -2 8 13 Newcastle 7 -4 8 14 Man Utd 7 0 7 15 Crystal Palace 7 -8 7 16 AFC Bournemouth 7 -4 6 17 Nottm Forest 8 -4 6 18 Tottenham Hotspur 7 -4 6 19 Coventry 8 -9 6 20 Sunderland 7 -8 4 Autumn almanac.
It's tipping down at Stamford Bridge; it's cold and windy; the clocks fall back tonight. Apologies for alluding to the work of a famous Arsenal fan in a Chelsea-Spurs live blog, but what can you do?
Tottenham also make two changes to their starting line-up, after the 3-1 win over Coventry in the Monday Night Football. Mathys Tel and Mateus Fernandes are in; Dominic Solanke drops to the bench while Tosin Adarabioyo is absent altogether.
Chelsea make two changes to their starting XI following their 2-0 win at Everton last weekend. Geovany Quenda replaces the missing João Pedro up front, while in goal Mike Penders stands in for the stricken Emi Martinez.
The teams Chelsea: Penders, Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Hato, Henderson, Caicedo, Quenda, Rogers, Pedro Neto, Palmer. Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Palestra, Fofana, Barco, Welbeck, Gusto, Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao, Lavia."