The battle to see which teams will round out the top four wages on in the Premier League with a crucial match between fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur and fifth-place Chelsea on Sunday. Tottenham currently sits five points ahead of Chelsea in the standings, but a Chelsea win would narrow the gap to two and make things very interesting with seven games left in the season for both sides. A Tottenham win or draw would go a long way to sealing Chelsea’s fate, making it tough for the Blues to crack the top four and gain entrance to the Champions League.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Stamford Bridge in London at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 1, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Tottenham +215
Chelsea +133
Draw +230
Over/Under 2 and 2.5
Odds Analysis
Chelsea is playing at Stamford Bridge, but is not too big of a favorite all things considering. That’s because the Blues have really struggled in recent weeks. They have lost three of their last five, dropping matches to Watford and both Manchester clubs, while beating two sides at the bottom of the table in West Brom and Crystal Palace. A little over a month ago, Chelsea was in third in the EPL, but this slump dropped them down to fifth.
Their opponents have had no such issues. Tottenham continues to manufacture wins. Hotspur have run off four straight victories after a draw on the road against Liverpool last month, moving them up the ladder. Additionally, they are tied for the second-best road record in the EPL.
Key Injuries
It’s very impressive that Tottenham have continued to win without Harry Kane in the lineup. Kane was leading the Premier League in goals when he went down with an ankle injury, but the team has played well without him. He is not expected to be back with the team for at least another two weeks, so Hotspur will need to keep it up for a little while longer.
Chelsea has a few key injuries too heading into this game. The Blues may be without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who missed Chelsea’s FA Cup tie against Leicester and didn’t participate during the international break for Belgium either. Courtois is dealing with a hamstring injury, which can be notoriously finnicky. He is considered likely to start, but don’t be surprised to see Willy Caballero in net either.
The Blues have two other contributors dealing with issues this week. Young defenseman Andreas Christensen has had a very good season for Chelsea, but he is considered questionable coming into this match. He was diagnosed with muscle fatigue and did not participate for his country during the international break. Additionally, Ross Barkley is considered doubtful for Chelsea.
Player to Watch
Without Kane available, others have had to step up for Tottenham. The offense has relied on Son Heung-min to finish goals, and he has performed this function splendidly.
Heung-min has found the back of the net seven times in Tottenham’s last five matches and has 18 goals for Hotspur on the year. He is extremely adaptable and can be deployed in a variety of formations, giving him ways to find open space to operate. Once he has a little bit of daylight, he explodes and typically creates a great chance. Chelsea must keep an eye on him.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Chelsea is going to have to press in order to get a victory in this one, and that will leave the Blues exposed at the back. Heung-min or Dele Alli will find the back of the net, but Chelsea will level at some point. Unfortunately for the home side, that will be their only goal as these sides settle for a 1-1 draw.
English Premier League Odds: Tottenham 1, Chelsea 1
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