Tottenham Hotspur

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It was sheer determination and desire that saw Spurs take three points against Leicester last week, surely largely a credit to the work that Antonio Conte has put into the team.

However, no matter who the manager or the players are, Tottenham have rarely enjoyed visits to Stamford Bridge in recent years.

He sprung some selection surprises, and a 4-4-2 set up to nullify the opposition. Some poor finishing from Chelsea, and a rather dubious disallowed Kane goal, kept the game goalless at half-time. Then the world returned to its normal axis, and no amount of huff and puff was going to claw back the two-goal deficit.

Groundhog Day for Spurs at Chelsea.

Or was it possibly the gulf in quality on the pitch and respective benches? It will take a number of transfer windows to narrow that gap, but the long-awaited rebuild has to start this week.

What do you think Conte is going to be able to do before the transfer window closes? Let us know here

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Former Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards says VAR in the Premier League is "a shambles" after Liverpool's controversial penalty against Crystal Palace.

Referee Kevin Friend was advised to go to the monitor and overturn his decision not to award a foul on Diogo Jota by Palace keeper Vicente Guaita.

VAR has come under increased scrutiny recently after the pattern of referees heading to the monitor and subsequently changing their decision, a situation Richards says is untenable.

"We've seen VAR used well but the standard in the Premier League is just not good enough," he said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"I've always tried to be protective of players and referees, but that was one of the worst decisions this season.

"When you slow something down, it becomes a completely different incident.

"It's a shambles at the moment."

Has VAR got worse? Let us know what you think by following your club link over here

Listen to full discussion on Premier League refereeing from 32'47 on BBC Sounds

Tottenham have opened talks with Ligue 1 club Angers over signing 18-year-old France Under-21 forward Mohamed-Ali Cho, whose former clubs include Everton and Paris St-Germain. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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There's one week to go until the transfer window closes and we've been asking for your thoughts on Tottenham so far - who should Antonio Conte buy, sell or keep?

Here are some of your views so far:

Roshan: I think Spurs should sign James Ward-Prowse and Allan Saint-Maximin.

Ray: I think they need a right-back, a centre-back and an attacking midfielder.

Farley: We should attempt to buy Traore from Wolves, Ward-Prowse from Southampton, Vlahovic from Milan, Lingard from Manchester United and a centre-back. This will help us in the second half of the season to strengthen our claim for a Champions League spot. We can guide part of these purchases with sales of unwanted players.

Jim: Top 11 are good enough for top six. However, manager capable of steering the ship with rest of squad filling in. A big investment is needed to buy top players for centre-back, creative midfielder plus a very good utility player. Plus they need to identify a goalie to replace Hugo in a couple of seasons. That’s the minimum requirement. Invest in players.

Spurs fans, is Ward-Prowse what you need? How much would you be willing to pay? Get involved here

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A new series of the Match of the Day Top 10 podcast is just around the corner - and we want you to get involved in the panel's selections.

Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and Gary Lineker will return in the spring but they have narrowed down their selections and would like your suggestions on who they've picked.

Today's topic is the top 10 African players and one Spurs player makes the list.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo)

He may not have been the biggest success at Spurs but Adebayor had an impressive career at four Premier League clubs, - Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City and Crystal Palace - scoring 97 times in 242 games.

He was named the BBC's African Footballer of the Year in 2007, but never won a trophy in English football, losing the 2007 League Cup final and featuring as an unused substitute in Palace's FA Cup final defeat in 2016.

Have your say on the top three Africans to play in the Premier League

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Tottenham are open to selling Dele Alli and Argentina international Giovani lo Celso, after the midfield pair were left out of Antonio Conte's squad for the game against Chelsea on Sunday. (Goal), external

Newcastle may consider Alli as a back-up option if they are unable to sign Jesse Lingard from Manchester United. (Mirror), external

Meanwhile, Spurs have made a move for non-league Lewes' winger Ollie Tanner in an effort to beat Premier league rivals Brighton to the 19-year-old's signature. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Listen to more from Rafael Van der Vaart on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast from 1:25'00

Dele Alli needs to move from Tottenham this month "if he's serious about getting his career back on track", according to The Guardian's Jamie Jackson.

Alli was left out of the Spurs squad for their defeat at Chelsea on Sunday and has seen his opportunities stall over the past few years.

Speaking on the Transfer Gossip Daily podcast, Jackson said: "He's still got the talent, but three managers haven't fancied him now.

"I'm not too sure who is going to buy him and pay him £100,000 a week, but he needs to move if he's serious about getting his career back on track.

"I'd be surprised if he's there in February as I don't see him getting back into the squad."

Spurs fans, have you given up on Alli now? Tell us what Conte needs to do in this transfer window

Listen to all of today's transfer gossip over here

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Former Tottenham right-back Stephen Kelly fears Antonio Conte won't stay at Tottenham beyond his initial contract if the club don't financially back him.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, he said: "My big worry is that we’ve got this guy in and he is a sublime manager. He knows how to get the best out of players and they want to run through brick walls for him.

"Similar to other managers like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, he organises his side and he gets a hunger in them. But he’s only here for 18 months and I just don’t know if Tottenham are going to do enough in 18 months to keep him there and that’s my big worry.

"We have this guy and we want to keep him and we want to surround him with talent but is that going to happen? That’s the big question mark. We have a sprinkling that if you add a few to it you could challenge, but the finances that City and Chelsea have on offer are astronomical.

"Then you throw Manchester United into the mix, who have spent fortunes as well and are nowhere near, it is a bit worrying."

Listen to more chat on Spurs on BBC Sounds

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• Chelsea have won four games against Tottenham in all competitions this season, making them the first Premier League side to win four matches against an opponent in a single campaign since Manchester City against West Ham in 2013-14 and the first to win three games in the same month against an opponent since Aston Villa against Blackburn in January 2010.

• Tottenham have failed to score in each of their past six meetings with Chelsea in all competitions, with their goalless run against the Blues currently standing at 547 minutes since Erik Lamela’s strike in September 2020. This is the first time in their history they’ve failed to score in six consecutive matches against an opponent.

• Antonio Conte suffered his first Premier League defeat with Tottenham (P10 W6 D3 L1).

• Chelsea have earned 501 points from their 272 Premier League London derby matches, making them the first side to reach 500 points in such fixtures in the history of the competition.

• Thiago Silva (37y 123d) became the oldest player to score in the Premier League since February 2013, when 39-year-old Ryan Giggs netted against Queens Park Rangers for Manchester United.

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For the third time in three weeks – and fourth time this season – Chelsea get the victory over Tottenham.

A brilliant curling effort from Hakim Ziyech at the start of the second half, followed by a Thiago Silva header nine minutes later, gave Thomas Tuchel’s side a deserved win from a match during which they missed numerous other chances.

For Antonio Conte, who won the Premier League and FA Cup during a two-year spell in charge of Chelsea, this was his first league defeat since replacing the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo in November and becoming Tottenham manager.

Spurs thought they had taken the lead but Harry Kane’s goal was ruled out after he was adjudged to have pushed Silva before shooting past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

But Conte correctly acknowledged afterwards that “the gap is very large” between his former side and his current one.

Third-placed Chelsea are 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, but now do not play again in the league until 19 February because of their involvement in the Fifa Club World Cup.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte speaking to Match of the Day: "My feeling is always the same of the last games, the gap is very large between us and Chelsea. I said this before and when you lose three games in 10 days it means your opponent is better than you in every aspect.

"I am proud of my players because we made a good effort, sometimes that is not enough to give 100%. When you play against a team like this it is not simple.

"There are many points we have to work on, not only on the pitch, you have to improve in all aspects if you want to try and in two or three years to become competitive, but we're working very hard on the pitch and you can see our work.

"For Chelsea it was a tough game, we have to continue this way. We have to work very hard to improve the situation. It depends the final result what you want. We're in a good position in the table and hope to stay until the end."

On the January window: "I don't consider the transfer market something so important, it could be an opportunity if you see you need reinforcements, but I spoke with the club and said my vision.

"If there are opportunities you can improve the situation but you need to repeat for many years to build something important, to be more competitive and try to fight and not lose three games in 10 days."

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We're bringing you live radio and text commentary of Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur, plus coverage of the rest of Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Follow all the action here

You'll be able to catch up with all the post-match reaction on this page after full-time.

Thomas Tuchel makes two changes from the Chelsea XI that began the 1-1 draw at Brighton on Tuesday as Malang Sarr and Mateo Kovacic come in, with Marcos Alonso and N'Golo Kante dropping to the bench.

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Sarr, Rudiger, Silva, Azpilicueta, Mount, Jorginho, Kovacic, Ziyech, Lukaku, Hudson-Odoi.

Subs: Bettinelli, Alonso, Kante, Chalobah, Niguez, Havertz, Barkley, Pulisic, Werner.

Steven Bergwijn's reward for two injury-time goals in the incredible 3-2 win at Leicester on Wednesday is a place in the Tottenham starting XI, coming in for Lucas Moura.

That is one of four changes from Antonio Conte, with starts also for Matt Doherty, Eric Dier and Ryan Sessegnon while Sergio Reguilon, Emerson Royal and Oliver Skipp drop to the bench.

Neither Giovani Lo Celso nor Dele Alli are in the Spurs squad.

Tottenham XI: Lloris, Doherty, Davies, Sanchez, Tanganga, Dier, Hojbjerg, Winks, Sessegnon, Bergwijn, Kane.

Subs: Gollini, Reguilon, Rodon, Gil, Royal, Moura, Skipp, White, Scarlett.

Mark Lawrenson takes on singer and Chelsea fan Call Me Loop in the latest round of Premier League predictions.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

I really do think Chelsea have to just deal with their busy schedule and get on with it.

The Blues are not in good form but it probably helps them that they are playing Tottenham, firstly because they kept them at arm's length in both their Carabao Cup semi-final games recently, and also because this will be feisty and that should bring the best out of Tuchel's team.

Spurs still haven't lost in the league under Antonio Conte, in a fantastic run that has lasted nine matches. I think that will end on Sunday, although it is going to be close.

Call Me Loop's prediction: I am worried I am going to jinx it, but I do feel like I have got to back my boys. Spurs will be missing Son Heung-min, and the last two times we played them this month they have not even posed the teeniest, tiniest threat. 5-0

Find out how Lawro and Call Me Loop think the rest of the weekend's fixtures will go

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed he remains without defenders Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Andreas Christensen and Reece James.

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy remains on international duty with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Tottenham defender Eric Dier is fit again after three weeks out with a muscular injury.

Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero are likely to return after the international break.

Who makes your Chelsea starting XI?

Would Dier come straight back into your Spurs XI?

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Antonio Conte said Tottenham have to be realistic and not get carried away by their games in hand.

Heading into Sunday's match against Chelsea, Spurs are fifth in the Premier League, eight points behind Thomas Tuchel's side having played four games fewer.

When asked if finishing in the top three is his aim this season, Conte laughed and said: "You have to be very calm and go game by game.

"Don’t forget that we won against Watford in the last minute and we won against Leicester the last minute.

"I have to be realistic and, for sure, I am happy and it’s a pleasure to see my team fight until the end, but if you look at our points, maybe you don't ask me this question today.

"It's important to be realistic and to understand that it will be very difficult for us this season. But we want to fight and create a good foundation.

"I don’t change my idea for some positive results. I have to go over and look at the situation and try to improve it. We need to improve a lot.

"This season, my ambition is to try to help the club. For sure, we give 100% to get the best out of our players and to do our best in a difficult league."

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Wolves boss Bruno Lage "doesn't know" how much Spurs offered for winger Adama Traore, but insists he places a high value on all of his players.

"I don't really know how much they offered - I don't really know if they did any offer," he said. "I don't talk about money.

"But I can see we have a top player with us, and we believe a lot in Adama. He is a lovely guy and I'm happy with him."

Traore scored his first goal of the season against Southampton last Saturday but has one year left on his contract and has been heavily linked with a move to Antonio Conte's side in this window.

"Sometimes it's about business," Lage said. "Remember how much Tottenham protected Harry Kane earlier this season to stay with them?

"I will protect my players because, for me, their value is very high."

Wolves fans, should Lage be trying to keep hold of Traore? Who else should you be signing? Let us know

Spurs fans, is Traore the right fit? How much would you be willing to pay? Get involved over here