After three consecutive away fixtures, Tottenham return home as they host London rivals Chelsea on Saturday evening.
After exiting the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in midweek, Thomas Frank now faces his first real test as he prepares for a London derby for the first time as Tottenham manager.
Tottenham may not be thrilled about returning home after three games on the road, given their away record this season, which happens to be the league’s best, but they also have the fourth-worst home tally with just four points from four games. Prior to the Carabao Cup loss, Spurs’ only win in their last four came in a 0-3 victory over Everton last weekend.
As for Chelsea, they find themselves quite a distance behind their rivals in the Premier League table. Tottenham sit third, while Enzo Maresca’s side have struggled for consistency, currently down in ninth.
The Blues did manage to reach the fifth round of the Carabao Cup after a chaotic 3-4 win over Wolves, but in the Premier League, they slipped to a late 2-1 defeat against newly promoted Sunderland last weekend.
What time does Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea kick off?
Location: London, England
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Date: Saturday, 1 November 2025
Kick-off time: 5:30 pm BST
Referee: Jarred Gillett
VAR: Craig Pawson
Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea: Head-to-head record
Tottenham’s record against Chelsea hasn’t been a pretty one in recent years. During Ange Postecoglou’s two seasons in charge, Spurs lost every single league meeting with the Blues, including a narrow 1-0 defeat in April most recently. Earlier that season, they somehow threw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 at home.
Spurs have managed just one win in their last 13 Premier League encounters with Chelsea, drawing twice and losing ten of those matches, including the last four since their 2-0 home win back in February 2023.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have turned the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into something of a happy hunting ground. They’ve won five of their six league visits there, more than any other away side.
However, Thomas Frank will quietly fancy his chances of flipping that script, given he’s got a decent track record against Chelsea, winning three, drawing two, and losing only once in his previous 6 meetings as the Brentford boss.
Tottenham team news
It’s more of the same on the injury front for Spurs as the dreaded month of November kicks off, with ten players currently sidelined. Archie Gray is the latest name added to that worrying list.
Guglielmo Vicario was rested for the Newcastle defeat due to a minor knock, but Frank confirmed he’s fit to return. Wilson Odobert missed out but will also be available for selection against Chelsea.
Frank also revealed that Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie are both available, although Dominic Solanke will be out until after the international break.
Confirmed absentees include Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies, Kota Takai, Yves Bissouma, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski.
Chelsea team news
Chelsea were also able to rotate slightly in their Carabao Cup thriller against Wolves. Joao Pedro was left out entirely to keep him fresh, while Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, who have both been managing light fitness concerns, only came on late in the game.
Otherwise, Enzo Maresca has most of his squad available. Cole Palmer remains sidelined for a few more weeks, and Levi Colwill has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Predicted Tottenham line-up
Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur, Bergvall; Kudus, Kolo Muani, Johnson.
Antonin Kinsky endured a rough outing against Newcastle, being at fault for both goals conceded, while Vicario remains in top form and should slot straight back in.
If Romero is passed fit, he’ll certainly start alongside Van de Ven, who was an unused substitute in midweek.
In midfield, Lucas Bergvall might make way for Pape Sarr, while Xavi Simons could replace Brennan Johnson on the left flank to freshen things up.
Our prediction
Brennan Johnson and Lucas Bergvall were among the brighter sparks in the Carabao Cup loss and could carry that momentum into this clash.
Chelsea won’t make life easy as Enzo Maresca’s squad depth gives him options all over the pitch. That said, Spurs will be relieved not to see Cole Palmer, who’s always been a problem in recent meetings.
Still, Chelsea have exciting attacking threats in Estevao and Joao Pedro, both of whom have impressed since arriving in the summer.
Ultimately, this is the kind of fixture where atmosphere and motivation can tilt things. Thomas Frank probably is aware of just how much a derby win would mean to the fans, given it’s something they’ve been starved of for two years.
That very desire could be what drives his side to go the extra mile and finally deliver it in front of their home crowd.
Predicted score: Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea
COYS!