27.09.2013 Chelsea travel to White Hart Lane on Saturday lunchtime for a Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur, with a win for either side set to take them to the top of the table.
The Blues are currently in the middle of a run of four straight away games; the victory over Swindon Town on Tuesday night is followed by a trip to north London before Chelsea head to Romania in the Champions League and then to Norwich City next weekend.
The schedule might not have been kind to the Blue, but the history at White Hart Lane gives plenty of cause for optimism. It took Spurs until 2006 to record a Premier League victory over Chelsea at their own ground – indeed, they are still waiting for a victory at the Bridge – and last season saw Chelsea emerge with a thrilling 4-2 victory thanks to a brace from Juan Mata.
Despite an intense rivalry between the sides, there have been plenty of players to have represented both clubs – in fact, a number of Chelsea legends earned the adulation of the supporters of Spurs and the Blues, including chief goal-getter Jimmy Greaves. The north-London club missed a trick when it came to Kerry Dixon, though. Having released him as a schoolboy, King Kerry went on to become a Chelsea hero and scored against Spurs at just about every opportunity!
Then, it’s a return to Champions League action with a trip to Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday. Chelsea eliminated the Romanian side from the Europa League last term despite losing the away leg – a reverse of that result is vital this time out after the disappointing home defeat against Basel on matchday one.
It’s Jose Mourinho‘s first-ever fixture against a team from Romania, so he will be hoping to make it a memorable occasion.
