A ferocious London derby headlines today’s Premier League action as Chelsea and Tottenham renew their rivalry under the lights at Stamford Bridge.
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Chelsea → headline → Bridge
Both teams are building some momentum after stuttering starts to the season, though the Blues will have to cope with the shock absence of Joao Pedro through injury as Geovany Quenda makes his first start for the club along with Mike Penders.
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Quenda → build → Penders
Xabi Alonso has overseen back-to-back wins for the first time in the Premier League to take Chelsea into the top four, and the hosts have lost just once in their last 16 home meetings with Spurs.
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hosts → oversee → Spurs
Another win today would make it a record-breaking seventh in a row against their north London foes.
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it → make → foes
To say the Bridge has been an unhappy hunting ground for Tottenham is an understatement, though James Maddison is fit to start as Dominic Solanke drops to the bench.
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Solanke → say → bench
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Alonso giving Penders advice in the wet
Chelsea 0-0 Tottenham
11 mins:
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Alonso → give → mins
Good work from Robertson to prevent a Chelsea corner after Tel is beaten too easily again by Quenda.
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Tel → prevent → Quenda
Penders has just been called over to the touchline to receive some advice from Alonso.
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Penders → call → Alonso
I wonder what that was about?
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that → wonder → what
Chelsea 0-0 Tottenham
Standard Sport’s Arthur Ferridge at Stamford Bridge
Quenda is seeing a lot of the ball in the early stages, but he is taking his time to establish himself.
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he → see → himself
There was one bright moment when he looked to breeze past Jan Paul van Hecke with a heavy touch, but Kinsky got to it first.
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Kinsky → be → it
Early Kinsky error opens door for Palmer
Chelsea 0-0 Tottenham
6 mins:
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error → open → Palmer
A poor pass from Kinsky has Spurs in bother as Palmer comes charging into that right channel and delivers a dangerous cross that falls safe.
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that → have → cross
Stamford Bridge rocking in the rain on derby day
Chelsea 0-0 Tottenham
Standard Sport’s Arthur Ferridge at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge is rocking.
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Bridge → rock → Bridge
Spirited chants of 'we hate Tottenham' during the Liquidator, followed by a full-throated 'Blue is the Colour'.
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Blue → hate → is
The driving rain is only adding to the derby atmosphere.
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rain → drive → atmosphere
Chelsea bring back bold corner strategy
Chelsea 0-0 Tottenham
4 mins:
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Chelsea → bring → Chelsea
Tottenham earn the first corner of the day, but have to hold several defenders back as Chelsea are leaving four up near the halfway line.
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Chelsea → earn → line
We’ve seen that before this season.
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We → see → season
An early punch away in his box from Penders, before Palmer then needlessly trips Maddison to give Tottenham the chance to swing in another set-piece delivery in the wet and windy conditions.
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Palmer → trip → conditions
Somehow Robertson hits the one-man wall.
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Robertson → hit → wall
Teams are out
The teams are out at a noisy Stamford Bridge, where the rain is still driving down amid fierce winds.
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rain → drive → winds
Xabi Alonso delivers Joao Pedro injury update
And here’s Xabi Alonso speaking to Sky Sports when asked about the shock absence of Joao Pedro from the Chelsea squad today...
“He felt something in training yesterday,” the Spaniard said.
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Spaniard → deliver → training
"At the moment he has some liquid, so we have to do some tests to know how big the injury is.
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injury → have → tests
“It's disappointing, but we need to carry on."
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we → need → ?
De Zerbi explains surprise Solanke omission for Spurs
Here’s Roberto De Zerbi explaining his surprise decision to drop Dominic Solanke against one of his former clubs this evening.
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Zerbi → explain → clubs
It’s Omar Marmoush through the middle for Tottenham, flanked by Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, and James Maddison as the No10...
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It → ’ → No10
"Because I am lucky to have a big squad, many solutions, many different solutions in terms of characteristics and physical characteristics,” De Zerbi told Sky Sports.
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Zerbi → have → Sports
“I took this decision but the game is 90 minutes."
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game → take → decision