Paul Merson has admitted that he is 'worried' for Chelsea as the former Arsenal player makes his 'statement' Premier League prediction for the London derby clash with Antonio Conte's Tottenham Hotspur.
Both London rivals go into this game week two clash on the back of wins against Everton and Southampton, respectively. The Lilywhites certainly looked a lot more convincing in their victory in comparison to Thomas Tuchel's side, who had to rely on Jorginho again to bail them out amid their attacking woes. The German said about the attacking performance in his post-match press conference: "In general, it was maybe not the most exciting Premier League game in the history of the Premier League. Seven minutes of extra time in the first half and ten minutes in the second half tell the story. There were a lot of interruptions, no team could find a rhythm.
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"Everton defended deep in the first half, and we struggled with switching the play. We struggled to feel the moments to change speed. It seemed like we did not want to do a decisive mistake, so we did not take the risk that is needed in the final 25 metres to open a space up. But in general, it was ok. In the second half, we did not have enough movement on the ball, and that created a lot of ball losses from which we suffered, and the game was stuck in between the halves. It wasn't in our half or their half. So in the first away match, you hang in and do what you need to keep a clean sheet and get the win."
Off the pitch, Chelsea are still catching up with the soon-to-be seven signings Fabio Paratici has made for Conte, with talks for Wesley Fofana, Frenkie de Jong and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continuing. It is unlikely that either of the three will sign in time for this first London derby of the season between the pair.
With all of this taken into account, Merson has made his final prediction for this encounter at Stamford Bridge. He wrote in Sportskeeda: ' This match is massive, and not just because of the rivalry between the two teams. Chelsea beat Tottenham four times last season. They did the double-over Spurs in the Premier League, and that produced a huge 12-point swing in their favour.
'I'm worried for Chelsea this weekend. They were a bit United-ish against Everton if I'm being honest. Their game wasn't fluid and pretty stop-start, and they couldn't put four passes together against an Everton team that wasn't great, to begin with. If Spurs come to Stamford Bridge and win, you'd be worried about Chelsea and their top-four credentials.
'Tottenham will want to make a statement here. A victory against Chelsea would turn heads, even if it's only the second game of the season. If they lose after buying all those players, however, you'll hear talk of how they still haven't caught up with the Premier League's big boys.
'If either team loses this match, it's a massive step in the wrong direction. Neither Chelsea nor Tottenham Hotspur can afford to suffer defeat this weekend, and I think this game will end in a draw.
'Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur'
Chelsea and Spurs fans- What are your predictions for this London derby this weekend? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
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