Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur: Maddison's return lifts Spurs before London derby

James Maddison helped Tottenham Hotspur secure their first Premier League win of the season on his first start in nearly 18 months; next comes a Chelsea side unbeaten in six home matches. Spurs approach the London derby just one point clear of the relegation places, despite the lift of that 3-1 victory over Coventry.

The gap between the clubs stands at seven points after seven games. Chelsea occupy fourth place and a Champions League league-phase qualification position, while Tottenham sit 16th with six points.

Both teams have substantial absences to manage. Chelsea are without Reece James because of a knee injury, while Wesley Fofana is suspended. Malo Gusto and Pep Chavarria are questionable, leaving several defensive options either unavailable or uncertain.

Caleb Wiley is out with an adductor injury. Further forward, Emmanuel Emegha has a dead leg, Estêvão has a hamstring injury and Jamie Gittens has an ankle injury; all three are ruled out. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is also unavailable.

Tottenham must do without suspended midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. Dejan Kulusevski is out following knee surgery, Lucas Bergvall is sidelined by a knee injury and Savio is also ruled out. Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons remain unavailable with cruciate ligament tears.

There are questions across the visitors' defensive options, too. Andrew Robertson, Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro and Tosin Adarabioyo are all listed as questionable. Udogie has a knee injury and Porro a muscle injury.

Chelsea enter the derby after successive victories, beating Bournemouth 5-1 at home and then Everton 2-0 away. Those results brought seven goals and six points following a 3-0 defeat at Brentford. Their overall league record is four wins, one draw and two defeats, with a goal difference of plus four.

Home form gives that league position another foundation: Chelsea have scored in each of their last six home matches as well as avoiding defeat throughout that sequence. They remain eight points behind leaders Manchester City, who have taken 21 points from seven games.

Tottenham's immediate task is to build on their Coventry result away from home, where they have gone five matches without a win. Before beating Coventry, they drew 1-1 at Manchester United. Their seven league fixtures have produced one victory, three draws and three defeats, with a goal difference of minus four.

The most recent meeting between these clubs ended in a 2-1 Chelsea victory on 19 May 2026. This encounter arrives early in the new campaign, but with a clear contrast between Chelsea's current Champions League position and Tottenham's narrow cushion above the bottom three.

Maddison supplies the central attacking storyline. He opened the scoring against Coventry after 14 minutes, curling in a shot after Mohammed Kudus set him up. It was his first competitive start since May 2025, following setbacks after an ACL injury.

“I just wanted to play well and to show my qualities and what the team has missed in the last 18 months,” Maddison told Sky Sports. He said he had spoken with manager Roberto De Zerbi and felt the time was right to return to the starting XI.

There are individual landmarks in reach on both sides. Cole Palmer is one goal short of 50 league goals for Chelsea, while Mathys Tel and Dominic Solanke are each one appearance away from 50 league appearances for Tottenham.

Chelsea's home meeting with Tottenham kicks off on Saturday 24 October at 17:30 BST, in Week 8 of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Questions

Why is James Maddison's return important for Tottenham?

Maddison scored on his first competitive start since May 2025 as Tottenham beat Coventry 3-1 for their first league win of the season. His return followed setbacks after an ACL injury.

Where are Chelsea and Tottenham in the table?

Chelsea are fourth with 13 points from seven matches, eight points behind Manchester City. Tottenham are 16th with six points, one point clear of the relegation places.

Which milestones are within reach in the derby?

Cole Palmer is one goal short of 50 league goals for Chelsea. Mathys Tel and Dominic Solanke are each one appearance short of 50 league appearances for Tottenham Hotspur.

When does Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur kick off?

The match kicks off on Saturday 24 October at 17:30 BST, in Week 8 of the 2026/27 Premier League season.