This perennially fierce derby clash was postponed from three days ago as a result of the Blues’ involvement in the FA Cup final. Small margins in key moments meant the Londoners were disappointed at Wembley, but down the years few fixtures have had the power to electrify a dressing room and fanbase as much as this one.

Most importantly, the Blues can bounce back to claim a UEFA ticket over the remaining two league games – though plunging a major rival back into the Championship relegation mix is another compelling motivation.

Lilywhites coach Roberto De Zerbi has had an instant impact, already steering his new team to success at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa. He knows, despite Leeds United’s leveller eight days ago, that West Ham United’s loss at Newcastle United on Sunday means one point at the Bridge will secure their status among the Premier League elite for another season.

When the two sides met in the reverse fixture in November, Joao Pedro scored the only goal, and the Blues won each of the past three of our five previous games against De Zerbi, at his former club Brighton & Hove Albion.

Both combatants have performed better on the road. The Blues rank 13th best at home but third away, while for the Lilywhites it’s 19th and fifth.

The poignant end-of-season context may evoke memories of the bitter relegation clash that went Spurs’ way at White Hart Lane in 1975 and Chelsea shredding Spurs’ title dream in 2016, and history is against the visitors.

The world champions are aiming for a sixth-straight top-flight victory against the Cockerels, to claim a third consecutive league double over them and 15th overall.

Chelsea team news

Calum McFarlane was waiting until after yesterday's training session before making a decision over Levi Colwill’s availability to face Tottenham Hotspur, and the same approach will be taken with the rest of the Chelsea squad following the FA Cup final.

‘We need to be careful with Levi,' said McFarlane in his pre-match press conference on Monday. 'He's obviously off the back of a very serious injury and has performed well in two games. We'll see how he looks, how he reports, and we'll make a decision on that.'

There was also an update on the status of Romeo Lavia, Benoit Badiashile and Mamadou Sarr, after the trio were absent from the squad for Saturday's FA Cup final.

'Romeo took a slight knock in the build-up to the game,' our interim head coach added. 'Nothing major, but with Romeo, we didn't want to take that risk. I thought he was brilliant in the games that he did play, and he gave us a lot the same way Levi did, but we just have to be careful with players that have had that injury history.

'[Badiashile and Sarr] didn't make the squad. They're training really well, training really hard. We can use them in the next two games, potentially, but we've got a lot of players in those positions, so you want to make sure you've got the right balance on your bench, but nothing to report with those two.'

The history

There have been plenty of semi-finals between the Blues and the Lilywhites, the first Cockney cup final in 1967, but derbies that settled relegation issues or confirmed title hopes also linger in the memory.

Chelsea have won 69 of the league match-ups in the 115-year-old crosstown rivalry with Tottenham – the most against any club.

As early as 30 April 1910, Stamford Bridge staged a relegation four-pointer (two for a win in those days) between west and north London’s finest. Weeks earlier a swap deal had brought the great Vivian ‘Jack’ Woodward to Stamford Bridge, but saw Percy Humphreys exit for White Hart Lane.

This was part of the injury-stricken Blues’ plan to recruit players as a lifeline to avoid the drop. So many were brought in that the ‘moneybags’ new club were accused of buying safety, and the transfer deadline was introduced as a direct consequence.

Almost every new hire was injured or ineffective, however, and so the last game of the season would end top-flight status for one of those involved. Inevitably, perhaps, Humphreys scored the goal that ended the Blues’ Division One status that afternoon.

In April 1975, 65 years later, the pair met with Spurs in the drop-zone and Chelsea one point above. Ray Wilkins became the Blues’ youngest permanent appointment as skipper before the derby clash at the Lane.

Pre-match tensions boiled over very badly, the start was delayed and Tottenham won 2-0 to move one clear of Eddie McCreadie’s youthful team, who could not win either of the two remaining fixtures and tumbled into the second tier.

In March 2006, the Blues were mourning the death of Peter Osgood while pressing towards back-to-back Premier League title successes, when Martin Jol’s fourth-placed Spurs aimed to spoil the fun. It was expected to be one of the tighter run-in matches, but Michael Essien converted early on for Jose Mourinho’s team and, after Jermaine Jenas equalised, William Gallas thumped home the last-minute winner from 20 yards.

The remarkable ‘battle of the Bridge’ on 2 May 2016 saw the Cockerels, vying for the crown with Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City, face a Chelsea side enduring our worst league performance for 20 years.

A Premier League record nine Spurs players were cautioned - referee Mark Clattenburg admitting three of those could have been red - as the Blues sensationally overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit. Gary Cahill struck first from Willian’s corner, before Eden Hazard almost blew the roof off the Bridge with the stunning equaliser that killed our bitter rivals’ dream.

The one-sided nature of this derby in the Premier League era is reflected in a disparity of 116 in goal difference between the two sides from our meetings (+59 for the Blues, -59 for the Lilywhites).

Premier League Chelsea vs Tottenahm derbies

Know this...

This is the 41st of the 42 London derbies to be played in this season’s Premier League, and potentially one of the most decisive, with Arsenal against Crystal Palace the capital’s finale.

Chelsea have beaten Tottenham on more occasions on all fronts than any other opponent. Only Manchester United (40) have beaten Spurs more times than the Blues in the Premier League (38).

Cole Palmer has contributed towards five goals in four Premier League performances against the Cockerels, scoring three and assisting two.

Chelsea have suffered only one defeat in our past 40 home games across all competitions since 1990 against Tottenham, winning 26 and drawing 13.

The Blues last managed six straight wins in a row against Spurs between 2000 and 2002. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink netted eight times in that run.

The Blues have not lost our final home league game in any of the last 23 seasons (16 wins, seven draws) since 2001/02.

Tottenham have lost each of their last four Premier League London derbies.

Premier League London derbies 2025/26

The only remaining tickets for tomorrow's derby are available with Club Chelsea. Secure yours here now to see the Blues play their final 2025/26 Premier League game live at the Bridge.