For the first time since 1958/59, Chelsea meet Tottenham at Stamford Bridge for the first home league match of the campaign. It is also a season-opener at the Bridge for the new owners and our first all-London tussle of the season.

Since losing consecutive Premier League games against Spurs in 2018, Chelsea are unbeaten in seven games against our London rivals (W6 D1), conceding only one goal in that run.

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Tottenham Hotspur have won just one of their last 37 away matches against Chelsea in all competitions (D12 L24), a 3-1 win in April 2018 in the Premier League.

Team news

Thomas Tuchel’s post-match comment that ‘a win is a win is a win’ revealed he was not altogether happy with the performance at Everton. Yet the opening-day success at a difficult ground will have boosted morale and points the way.

The first win at Goodison since our last title-winning season, 2016/17 was not a sensational start for the team, especially upfront, but there were impressive debuts from big signings Raheem Sterling (in a cloud centre-forward role) and Kali Koulibaly, and later a dynamic Marc Cucurella. Spirited cameos, too, from returning youngsters Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja, as Thomas Tuchel enjoyed the luxury this season of five substitutes.

Edou Mendy’s clean sheet, earned with a particularly sharp tip-over from James Tarkowski’s header, means an exceptional 47 per cent of his league performances for the Blues have been shutouts. His next in any competition will be his 50th.

Where the coaching staff will have been concerned is the lack of clear-cut chances from the possession enjoyed. The Blues were awarded 16 corners but failed to make any count. Abdoulaye Doucoure's foul on Ben Chilwell for Jorginho’s decisive penalty only came about because of an exquisite pass, worthy of Cesc Fabregas, from Koulibaly.

The hosts, it has to be said, were missing some front teeth and lost a few more as the game unfolded. Chelsea have won three of Tottenham’s past four visits, conceding once, but Conte’s team are in a wholly different place to the Toffees.

It will take an improved display to choke the Cockerels’ challenge but we usually find a way – last season against Spurs the Blues became the first top-flight team for 42 years to beat the same opponents four times in one season without conceding.

Three in a row on opening day

2022/23 W 1-0 Everton a
2021/22 W 3-0 C Palace h
2020/21 W 3-1 Brighton a

Conte’s Cockerels

The exhausting sessions Antonio Conte put his players through in pre-season looked to have paid off as his side handed Southampton a 4-1 keelhauling last Saturday. Spurs will face tougher examinations: Southampton took the lead in north London but faded under pressure and failed to exploit openings in wide areas.

Set up in a 5-4-1 without the ball, 3-4-3 in possession, Tottenham worked the ball forward rapidly and with directness, long balls aimed at their advanced wing-backs or potent front three, where Dejan Kulusevski has been weighing in with goals and assists alongside Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.

One of Spurs’ frailties last season, central midfield, has been shored up by the recruitment of Yves Bissouma from Brighton, and their wing-back options down the left are strengthened by the arrival of veteran Ivan Perisic from Inter. Both came off the bench last weekend but could start at the Bridge, while ex-Everton forward Richarlison, suspended against Saints, may make his debut in SW6.

London’s leading lights

This is Chelsea’s first capital clash of the campaign. The Blues, who last season became the first London club to accrue 600 Premier League wins, also finished as top dogs in the Smoke for the fourth successive season. That has happened in 15 of the past 17 campaigns, and 25 times since 1907/08.

Fulham’s return means there are seven neighbours in the top-flight for the first time since 1994/95, (there were eight in 1989/90) who will contest 42 London derbies overall.

Chelsea’s derby record over the Premier League era is unsurpassed: the Blues have claimed 42 more derby victories than Tottenham since 1992, racking up 116 more points, and hold a 174 lead in goal difference.

Jorgi lays the Goodison ghost

Chelsea’s victory at Everton ended a five-year hex in the league at the Toffees’ ground. Before Jorginho’s winner, the Londoners had earned one point there from the previous 15 available. It was another sure start for the midfielder, who has now netted in three of his five season-openers for the Blues, including his 2018 debut. All were dispatched from spot-kicks, and the latest puts him clear of Eden Hazard on our list of Premier League penalty kings.

Most Premier League penalties scored

Frank Lampard - 41 (48 taken)
Jorginho - 18 (21)
Eden Hazard - 17 (19)
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - 12 (12)
Frank Leboeuf - 10 (11)

Quick starters

The positive publicity surrounding Tottenham’s pre-season found new energy when they won their opening game 4-1 to top the nascent Premier League. In years gone by, newspapers would not even publish league tables until each club had played at least one game home and away. Anything earlier was considered premature and meaningless, but the internet has made tables readily available everywhere.

When they last won the league 61 years ago Spurs led the way from start to finish. No team has done so in the Premier League era, though Chelsea won a fifth title topping the table on the first weekend, briefly dropping behind the Lilywhites, then leading from 30 August for a record 274 days. Although Liverpool extended that span in 2019/20 the season had been extended because of Covid-19.

Matchday one table-toppers

2021/22 Manchester Utd (finished 6th)
2020/21 Arsenal (8th)
2019/20 Manchester City (2nd)
2018/19 Liverpool (2nd)
2017/18 Manchester Utd (2nd)
2016/17 Manchester Utd (6th)
2015/16 Manchester City (4th)
2014/15 Chelsea (1st)
2013/14 Manchester City (1st)
2012/13 Fulham (12th)

Ex-Blues bosses

After Frank Lampard last weekend and Antonio Conte on Sunday, Chelsea will have faced former head coaches in successive matches. No top-flight club has had that happen since the Blues back in October 2016, when Conte saw off Claudio Ranieri and Leicester (3-0) and Jose Mourinho’s Manchester Utd (4-0) on the way to the west Londoners’ sixth league title success.

Still golden

Following Real’s defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday Chelsea are no longer holders of the UEFA Super Cup. This season’s FIFA Club World Cup, our second trophy last season, is yet to be scheduled. Its regular date in December is unavailable because of the World Cup, and a new slot for what was originally billed as an expanded tournament has not yet been found. All of which means the Blues will be wearing the gold badge of champions of the world for a good while yet.

Chelsea’s original ‘Super Sunday’

The Premier League was launched in 1992 in tandem with new TV rights-holder Sky Sports whose satellite subscription service brought live coverage and razzmatazz to sleepy Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings. Chelsea featured on ‘Super Sunday’ for the first time 30 years ago next month, away to Manchester City on 20 September 1992.

Back then, a weighty two hours of build-up from 2pm came direct from Maine Road, City’s then home, though the crew of majorettes, the Sky Strikers, were reserved for Monday Night Football. The game was decided when David Lee’s free-kick rebounded kindly off City’s wall and Mick Harford found the gap past Tony Coton. The striker had also scored Chelsea’s first ever Premier League goal on the opening day.

Foodbank collections restart

With the new season comes the less welcome need for foodbank donations from our generous fans. Times are tougher than ever for many people and the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust will be collecting at the usual place under their banner by the gates of the Oswald Stoll between Fulham Broadway station and Stamford Bridge from a few hours before kick-off.

Matchday Two Premier League fixtures

Saturday

Aston Villa v Everton 12.30pm (BT Sport)
Arsenal v Leicester 3pm
Brighton v Newcastle 3pm
Man City v Bournemouth 3pm
Southampton v Leeds 3pm
Wolves v Fulham 3pm
Brentford v Man Utd 5.30pm (Sky Sports)

Sunday

Nottingham Forest v West Ham 2pm (Sky Sports)
Chelsea v Tottenham 4.30pm (Sky Sports)

Monday

Liverpool v Crystal Palace 8pm (Sky Sports)