Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement is dominating the football headlines but there is an extremely important Premier League match taking place this evening.
It has been two from three in the race for Champions League qualification for quite some time now and this evening’s clash at Stamford Bridge between Chelsea and Tottenham always looked like proving pivotal.
It is the Blues that currently hold the advantage, having won at Old Trafford on Sunday to move three points ahead of their upcoming opponents, and defeat for Spurs would leave them up against it with just two games remaining.
In between the pair are sandwiched Arsenal, who would drop to fourth should their north London neighbours claim maximum points against Rafa Benitez’s side, and it is too close to call as the season’s end moves ever nearer.
The trio have remained in excellent form for some time now but it has been hard not to be extremely impressed by Chelsea, in particular.
Not always that pleasing on the eye, they have been very efficient under Rafa Benitez and deserved their win at the home of the champions last time out.
Juan Mata’s late strike made it four wins in a row and Chelsea now have six consecutive Premier League triumphs to their name in front of their own fans.
In Gareth Bale, PFA Player of the Year, Spurs possess somebody with the ability to win any match but Andre Villas-Boas has been saved by the Welshman time and again this term and whether he can continue to produce against better opponents is debatable.
Tottenham’s results have remained more than credible, they are unbeaten in seven in all competitions, but they are not quite at their best and were fortunate not to lose at Wigan in their previous away game.
Bale was the late hero against Southampton at White Hart Lane on Saturday but Spurs had struggled on the whole and will need to be more convincing to contain their hosts on Wednesday.
That 1-0 win on the weekend was Tottenham’s first clean sheet in ten but it’s hard to imagine them keeping Chelsea at bay for 90 minutes and I think the value lies with Benitez’s boys at a shade under evens.
2pts Back Chelsea (vs. Tottenham) @ 1.95 (Bet Victor, Coral)