Key events
Tonight’s other Premier League game sees Manchester City visit Bournemouth in the knowledge that anything but victory would hand the title to Arsenal. Rob Smyth is watching that one, which kicks off at 7.30pm, 45 minutes before this:
The teams!
Tonight’s lineups, with Tottenham unchanged. Chelsea make four changes to the side that started the FA Cup final:
Chelsea: Sanchez; Fofana, Acheampong, Hato, Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Pedro Neto; Delap. Subs: Essugo, Chalobah, Derry, Garnacho, James, Jorgensen, Kavuma-MccQueen, Mheuka, Sarr.
Tottenham: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison. Subs: Bergvall, Bissouma, Dragusin, Gray, Maddison, Sarr, Spence, Vicario, Souza.
Referee: Stuart Attwell.
VAR: John Brooks.
Southampton kicked out of Championship playoffs
Just the most extraordinary thing, this. An entire season, in the bin. Southampton admitted spying not just on Middlesbrough before their playoff semi-final, but Oxford last December (before their Boxing Day fixture, which Oxford won 2-1) and Ipswich in April (before a game that ended 2-2). One might conclude, though obviously it would be pure speculation, that if they did it three times they may have done it more often than that. Anyway, they’re out of the playoff final, and will start next season on -4 points.
Here’s our story on the punishment, which will be updated as the details become clearer:
Hello world!
A huge game, this, for at least three clubs, and probably biggest of all for the one that isn’t playing.
If Tottenham win tonight, West Ham will be relegated. If Tottenham draw tonight, West Ham will also be relegated – but not until Sunday (because it wouldn’t be mathematically certain this evening, there still being a chance that Spurs will lose their last game by six goals while West Ham win theirs by seven and stay up on goals scored). If Tottenham lose the whole business will roll through to the weekend, and if they lose by lots things really get interesting down towards the bottom of the table.
Chelsea though are significantly incentivised. Having missed the chance to secure a place in Europe by winning the FA Cup, they go into the game in 10th place, currently outside the qualifying spots. But if they win tonight they’d move into eighth, above Brentford on goal difference, and be back on track for at least a place in the Conference League. They could then make sure of a place in the Europa League by winning at Sunderland on the final day, so long as (deep breath) Brighton don’t simultaneously beat Manchester United, unless Bournemouth – who host Manchester City in tonight’s earlier kick-off – don’t get any more points, and so long as assuming Brentford fail to beat Liverpool so convincingly they go back above them on goal difference. This is, to be sure, all a bit complicated but the simple version is this: Chelsea really need to win this game, and so do Spurs.
Add the fact that Chelsea’s recent home record is appalling – they’re one bad night away from losing five successive league games at Stamford Bridge for the first time ever – and the fact that their record against Tottenham (who have won one of their last 35 league games here) is extraordinary, and you’ve got all the ingredients for an intriguing evening.
Pre-match reading: Here’s David Hytner on Spurs and Roberto De Zerbi, who thinks “everyone wants Tottenham relegated”:
De Zerbi has spoken to his squad about the Stamford Bridge hoodoo but mainly to tell them it is not something to worry about. He has been all about the power of positive thought since he came to the club five matches ago and he leaned into it when he addressed those who would revel in Spurs’s demise.
“I am Italian and in Italy it’s the same,” De Zerbi said. “For the biggest teams, it’s the same. We have to accept the pressure. We have to enjoy this pressure. We have to find new motivation from this pressure. It’s a good thing for us. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it’s a big motivation for me and I hope for my players as well.”
Much more here:
