Chelsea will host Tottenham Hotspur at the Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening in the second leg of the League Cup semi-finals.
A penalty strike from Harry Kane in the first leg has given Spurs a slender lead going into the upcoming fixture which they will look to capitalise on.
Pressure has been mounting on Maurizio Sarri as his troops have flattered to deceive lately, with their latest Premier League outing ending in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal.
Chelsea are being criticised for their lack of productivity and they must regroup themselves in order to challenge for silverware and a top-four finish in the league standings.
While the Blues are struggling to stamp their authority, Spurs are in firm control over the third spot in the Premier League table.
They will be on the back of a 1-2 win over Fulham at the Craven Cottage on Sunday and will be optimistic of a positive result in the London derby.
Chelsea vs Spurs Team News
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the only absentee for Sarri as he is nursing a back injury. However, Sarri might be tempted to use Callum Hudson-Odoi in the upcoming fixture.
Mauricio Pochettino has been boosted by the return of Moussa Sissoko after he returned to full training on Tuesday following his groin injury.
Victor Wanyama is back in the camp after recovering from his knee injury but he isn’t expected to feature against Chelsea. Lucas Moura has also made a return from his knee injury.
However, Pochettino is without the services of Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Hueng-min Son and the absence of their attacking trio would be a huge advantage for Chelsea.
Alli has been ruled out until March after suffering a hamstring strain against the Cottagers whereas Kane is out with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Son is away with the South Korean national side in the Asian Cup and it will be interesting to see how Spurs fare in their absence.
Chelsea vs Spurs Predicted Lineups
Gonzalo Higuain will not feature for Chelsea as his move will not be completed in time. Higuain has arrived in the UK to undergo a medical ahead of his transfer from AC Milan.
Olivier Giroud might be given the nod to start up top at the expense of Willian to give an offensive edge, with Pedro and Eden Hazard expected to operate from the wide areas.
Pochettino is likely to field his strong lineup and he might be inclined to use Hugo Lloris as the custodian instead of Paulo Gazzaniga. Eric Dier might start in the central midfield alongside Harry Winks.
Chelsea Predicted XI: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Pedro, Giroud, Hazard.
Spurs Predicted XI: Lloris; Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen; Trippier, Dier, Winks, Davies; Eriksen, Llorente, Lamela.
Chelsea vs Spurs Odds
Chelsea: 4/7
Spurs: 9/2
Draw: 3/1