Premier League preview: Tottenham v Chelsea

Chelsea will be looking to put a dismal run of form behind them on Sunday when they travel to White Hart Lane to take on a red-hot Spurs.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men have endured a nightmare month of football, with just one win from their past six English Premier League games seeing them slip from the top of the table to third position, just one point clear of Tottenham who are in fourth.

In their last league game, Chelsea gave up an 86th-minute equaliser to Everton’s Jermaine Beckford at Stamford Bridge, and they were beaten 1-0 by Marseille on Wednesday in Champions League action, although their place in the knockout stages was already secure.

Spurs, on the other hand, are enjoying a breakthrough season under Harry Redknapp and have just secured qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League by finishing top of a group that contained reigning Italian and European champions Inter Milan and Dutch champions Twente.

In their last Premier League game, Redknapp’s men were held to a 1-1 draw at Birmingham, while they drew 3-3 with Twente on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Spurs’ football this term has been nothing short of exhilarating, with Welsh winger Gareth Bale and Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart establishing themselves among the elite of the Premier League.

Van der Vaart in particular has been outstanding since his off-season signing from Real Madrid with six goals in the Premier League, although Redknapp will be without his top scorer on Saturday as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

With van der Vaart out, Spurs will miss his creative spark, but they are also stretched at the back with Jonathan Woodgate missing and Younes Kaboul doubtful with a hip complaint.

In good news for Spurs, however, England international Michael Dawson has been on the bench for the past two games after recovering from a severe knee injury he suffered playing for the national squad in September.

Ancelotti also has his fitness concerns with Alex and Yossi Benayoun still out injured, and Yuri Zhirkov doubtful with a calf complaint that stopped him from playing in Wednesday’s clash with Marseille.

In better news, Ancelotti is hopeful influential midfielder Frank Lampard will be ready to make his return from a hernia operation that has kept him out of action since August.