Tottenham Hotspur

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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A foul - or in this case a penalty - can only be awarded if the ball is in play.

If the offence happens before the corner is kicked then the referee can't give a foul, they can only take disciplinary action - in this case a yellow card to Marc Cucurella.

The VAR will then check to make sure the ball has not been kicked while there is foul contact. If the attacker has already been pulled down there is no route for the VAR to initiate a review.

But two weeks ago, Everton were wrongly denied a penalty against Manchester City when Merlin Rohl was dragged the the floor by Bernardo Silva.

The VAR decided the holding had stopped before a corner was taken, but the Premier League's key match incidents panel ruled that to be incorrect.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Tottenham's incentive could not have been greater as they travelled to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. Premier League survival was in their own hands.

They faced a Chelsea side whose form had been indifferent, and who had just suffered the disappointment of losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.

Spurs started brightly, but once Chelsea went ahead through Enzo Fernandez there was a lack of urgency until it was too late, namely after Andrey Santos had put them two goals in arrears.

Santos' goal came just as head coach Roberto de Zerbi was about to make three substitutions, including James Maddison, who led lengthy Spurs protests to referee Stuart Attwell at the final whistle.

The point of contention was that penalty incident when Marc Cucurella clearly dragged Micky van de Ven to the floor, but the ruling was that the ball was not yet in play - a decision that infuriated Spurs.

In reality, despite a late flurry, Spurs did not produce enough creation or threat when the stakes were so high.

Now it all rides on Sunday's meeting with Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - with Spurs' top-flight status hanging in the balance.

Spurs know a point will almost certainly be enough to keep them in the Premier League, but nerves will be jangling after such poor form at home this season.

Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi, speaking to Sky Sports: "We created a first chance to score with [Mathys] Tel. It was a big save for Robert Sanchez.

"Then we concede one great goal because [Enzo] Fernandez, a big player, we could do something better. Then we stay in the game until the second goal, we lost a stupid ball. We conceded a second goal. But before the second goal, we created a big big chance with Richarlison.

"I think we played a very good game. We lost.

"But now is not the time to think too much of this game. We have to prepare the next game. We play in our stadium with our fans. With our qualities, with character, with pride and courage we have to play.

"But I am positive because today, we played a good game."

Spurs midfielder Joao Palhinha, speaking to Sky Sports: "We have to [use the defeat as fuel for final game]. That's the reality. We cannot think too much about the result.

"We more than played well. We needed the result to finish this thing that we have been living for a long time. This team needed a different result today. I think we deserved it.

"It's been a tough season for us with a lot of things happening inside the club. The reality is we have a final on Sunday. We want to keep Tottenham in the Premier League and we will go with everything.

"I don't think I need to speak too much about this game because we wanted to win. I think we deserved more. It's a big frustration.

"We will have Tottenham in the Premier League next season, I don't have any doubt about that because it's where the club belong. Let's go with everything."

Did you know?

• Tottenham have lost 39 Premier League matches against Chelsea, only losing more against Manchester United in the competition (40).

Tottenham's fight to avoid relegation will go to the final day of the season following their defeat at Chelsea.

Spurs know a point against Everton at home on Sunday would be enough to stay up - barring an unrealistic goal difference swing in West Ham's favour.

How are you feeling? Are you worried for Sunday? Or do you think Spurs have enough to stay up based on that performance tonight?

Get in touch with your views here

Chelsea make four changes, with Malo Gusto and Reece James dropping to the bench, while Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill miss out entirely after starting Saturday's FA Cup final defeat by Manchester City.

Josh Acheampong, Andrey Santos, Pedro Neto and Liam Delap come in.

Interim head coach Calum McFarlane also switches to a back four for his final home game in charge.

Tottenham are unchanged for the third game in a row.

Roberto de Zerbi keeps faith in goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, despite Guglielmo Vicario returning. He replaces Brandon Austin as Kinsky's understudy on the bench.

There are two crucial games in the Premier League on Tuesday, with major implications for both the title race and the relegation battle, and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Bournemouth v Manchester City (19:30 BST) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Chelsea v Tottenham (20:15 BST) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Follow all of the action and reaction

You can also listen to today's Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Man City" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Tottenham".

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Chelsea host bitter London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday with European football, Premier League survival and bragging rights all at stake.

Defeat in the FA Cup final means Chelsea must now regather themselves in the league if they are to have any hope of European football next season. Two wins are likely be enough to clinch eighth and a spot in the Conference League.

The Blues have gone seven games without a top-flight victory (D1, L6) – their worst period of form since a 10-match winless run between December 1994 and February 1995 under former Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle. Incidentally, the final game of that slump was a 1-1 home draw with Tottenham.

An opportunity to play a leading role in the potential relegation of their north London rivals would provide an exciting conclusion to Chelsea's sub-standard season and help banish memories of Saturday's Wembley defeat.

This fixture has been so one-sided down the years that Chelsea fans referred to Tottenham's old ground as 'Three Point Lane' and they have racked up a club record 38 Premier League wins – both home and away – over Tottenham.

They have also not lost a final home league game for 24 years (W16, D7) and that formidable end-of-season record, combined with their head-to-head dominance, suggests the Blues will still be vying for eighth place on the final day of the season.

Spurs almost safe

Spurs are on a timely four-match unbeaten run (W2, D2) and require three more points on Tuesday to guarantee top-flight survival. A draw would also swing the balance heavily in their favour given their superior goal difference when compared to West Ham.

However, the Lilywhites have won just once in 33 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge. That sole victory occurred during Mauricio Pochettino's reign in April 2018.

But if there is a time to play their London rivals then it could be now. Only title chasing sides Arsenal and Manchester City have taken more points on the road that Tottenham's 26 this season and Chelsea have lost four successive Premier League home games.

Paying the penalty

Spurs have not received a Premier League penalty since the final day of last season. That's almost a year without a spot-kick and that barren, 36-game run appears unlikely to end on Tuesday.

The last time a referee felt inclined to award Tottenham one in a top-flight match at Chelsea was more than 32 years ago, in February 1994. The man in the middle that day awarded them two and in typical 'Spurs at Stamford Bridge' fashion they converted the first and missed the second, allowing Chelsea to score a last-minute penalty of their own to clinch a 4-3 victory.

The Chelsea players will want to impress their new manager Xabi Alonso, who starts on 1 July, but that is not the only reason they will be up for this game.

These two clubs do not like each other very much and Chelsea fans would like nothing more than to beat Tottenham and take their relegation battle to the final day.

Chelsea played pretty well in the FA Cup final despite losing at Wembley - they went with a back three and made it difficult for Manchester City to break them down - and they will have a go at Tottenham here.

But Spurs know they only need a point to stay up after West Ham's defeat by Newcastle and I think they will get it at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs are on a good run of results but they have been playing well too. They look a lot more organised under Roberto de Zerbi and they are definitely capable of getting a draw.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Make your own prediction here, external

Bardi
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Over the last few months we have had hope, lost it and then found it again. Eight points from our last 12 available, combined with West Ham picking up only three, has left us on the verge of rescue. The impossible has become probable. But Spurs fans have been around the block enough times to know you are not safe until you are wrapped in foil and someone has handed you a hot drink.

In real-life rescue situations, it is well documented that the most dangerous moment comes right before safety. It is known as the rescue paradox. The moment safety becomes something you can visualise, complacency creeps in. Emotional exhaustion takes over and, most dangerously of all, protocol begins to disappear.

Everything that got you to the point of rescue is forgotten. The discipline, the focus, the hard work. The moment mountain rescue appears over the horizon, people relax.

Exactly a decade ago, with two games remaining, Tottenham needed just one point to finish above Arsenal for the first time in a generation. After falling short in the title race, ending Arsenal's reign as North London's leading club felt like a worthy consolation prize. But Spurs relaxed. One of the most talented groups of Tottenham players in modern history somehow lost at home to Southampton before collapsing 5-1 away to an already relegated Newcastle side.

We are not safe. West Ham are not down. That has to remain the mentality.

Over the last four games we have shown resilience, discipline and, most importantly, an understanding of our predicament. That cannot change.

This next point may be the biggest of my lifetime. Bigger than any point that secured Champions League qualification. Its impact on the long-term future of the club could be enormous. A point of this magnitude will not simply fall into our lap. It will have to be earned, fought for with the same desperation that brought us the last eight points.

We are not relegated. We are not safe. Between those two realities lies a deep dark chasm.

Find more from Bardi at The Extra Inch - a Spurs podcast, external

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

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Tottenham have won just once at Stamford Bridge since 1990. It is a miserable record, and one Chelsea fans want to continue.

But why does beating Spurs mean so much to so many Chelsea fans? It is a rivalry that dates back more than a century - and includes two relegations and a cup final.

The rivalry's origins date back to 1910, when Tottenham relegated Chelsea from the First Division by beating them on the season's final day.

It was cemented when they met in the first all-London FA Cup final, in front of 100,000 fans at Wembley in 1967.

Author Mark Meehan, who has written books about Chelsea, says: "It's a fan-driven rivalry going back generations and needle has built between fans, rather than being based on geography, like Arsenal versus Spurs."

He added: "It goes back as far as 1910 when Spurs relegated us. The rivalry escalated in the 1967 final because two former Chelsea players, Jimmy Greaves and Terry Venables, helped Tottenham win the cup.

"However, it intensified in 1975 when Eddie McCreadie, who had played for the club in the 1960s and early 1970s, was put in charge. He wanted to show he was as brave off the pitch as on it. He gave the captaincy to a young Ray Wilkins. But sadly, it all ended in relegation, with Spurs playing their part again.

"On the day of fan violence, Spurs won 2-0 a week before the end of the season, and Chelsea would be relegated again. It intensified the rivalry between supporters.

"In more recent times, Chelsea began getting the better of the rivalry to the point I got credited with calling their stadium 'Three Point Lane' in the Chelsea Independent fanzine, though I must admit I don't remember ever doing that."

That folklore explains why, when the iconic Liquidator walk-on music plays at Stamford Bridge before home games, there are chants of "we hate Tottenham" - regardless of whether they are the opposition.

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 20:15 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is available, but De Zerbi will make a decision on whether he or Antonin Kinsky will play on Tuesday.

• He confirmed Vicario is the first choice, but they "have to consider the physical condition and the momentum" before putting him back in goal.

• Dominic Solanke remains sidelined as he "feels something" and they don't want to take any risks. De Zerbi added: "We hope, maybe, for Sunday he can be available for one part of the game."

• James Maddison "is not ready to play 90 minutes" and has not trained every day in the past week after having a "small problem". De Zerbi said: "He is a special player, a different player. I want to speak with him tomorrow morning and take the best decision we can."

• He said his players "have to be confident and positive" against Chelsea because they "are not safe yet".

• De Zerbi said Spurs "have the quality" to avoid relegation, but they "have to show the right mentality."

• On playing at Stamford Bridge, where Spurs have won just one of their last 35 league games: "It is difficult. It's a tough stadium because the players at Chelsea have been fantastic. They played two days ago very well, maybe they didn't deserve to lose the game. It will be a tough game for us, for sure."

• He said "it is not the right time" to assess what has gone wrong for Spurs this season but he will do once they have achieved their "target" of Premier League survival.

Listen to live commentary of Chelsea v Tottenham on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra from 20:15 BST on Tuesday.

Follow all of Monday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Spurs? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

In announcing he will leave Bournemouth, it remains unclear where Marcos Senesi will go and, although he is known to have spoken to multiple clubs, he is choosing his next move carefully.

Sources at Chelsea have played down any suggestion they will make a move for him this summer, with Tottenham, Barcelona and Juventus also linked.

However, Senesi has just turned 29 and this could be the last - and perhaps only - major contract of his career.

His demands for substantial personal terms saw him leave Bournemouth after three offers, and they will be key for any club looking to sign him - potentially saving on a transfer fee but having to offer a competitive salary.

That will be central to any deal for Senesi, whose stock has never been higher after making only his second and third appearances for Argentina during this campaign.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

There's something magical about those seconds before the FA Cup final kicks off. Trumpets and tin-foil trophies, players as tense as the travelling fans, gaffers pacing the dugout in full club suits. The anticipation of a new hero emerging.

Some goals, though, are written in FA Cup folklore, rolled out for every cup final montage - they're the belters, the moments of individual magic, the strikes that sealed shock wins.

I've chosen 10 that make an all-time list and here's a sneak peek at one of them.

Ricky Villa - Tottenham v Man City 1981

At number one on my list it's the beauty and pure adrenaline-fuelled emotion of Ricky Villa, a man who was devastated to have been taken off a few days earlier as Spurs and Manchester City drew 1-1 at Wembley.

Cometh the replay, cometh the bearded Argentine.

With the game tied 2-2 with 14 minutes remaining, and having already netted earlier on, Villa set off on his famous dribble - shorts clinging to his upper quads, hair billowing in the Thursday evening Wembley breeze, Chas & Dave ringing in his ears, skipping through light blue shirts under a floodlit glare and slotting between hapless Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan's legs.

"I remember getting the ball and my first instinct was to attack," Villa told BBC Radio 5 Live. "As soon as I ran towards the goal I forgot about everyone around me.

"I lost control of the ball just a little before the goal but I shot and I was lucky before I scored. Sometimes you need a little luck and this is what happened.

"It changed my life in the English league."

See my 10 selections in full

Bardi
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

True Spurs fans knew this was always going to be our destiny. Like a classic computer game, we would have to vanquish the end-of-level boss to progress.

We hoped three points against Leeds would render this trip to Chelsea inconsequential, but thanks to Mathys Tel's ill-timed acrobatics, we now need something from Stamford Bridge.

The rivalry between Tottenham and Chelsea is unique in London. The 'Cockney Cup Final' in 1967, the first all-London FA Cup final, is widely viewed as the moment the modern rivalry began. Then, as hooliganism and culture wars spread through football in the 1970s and 1980s, both sets of supporters grew to truly despise each other, with Spurs establishing themselves as the dominant side in the rivalry.

But then everything changed.

The balance of power swung towards blue following Roman Abramovich's arrival. Despite Chelsea rising to the summit of English and European football, the hatred between the two fanbases never softened. No matter how successful they became, beating Tottenham still mattered. The Premier League archives are filled with classic encounters, wonder goals and reckless two-footed lunges.

There have been running battles, countless red cards, 4-4 draws, ghost goals in semi-finals, League Cup final victories for both sides and, of course, Chelsea somehow winning the Champions League in 2012 to deny Spurs a place in the competition. Yet, if you asked any Chelsea fan where relegating Tottenham would rank, it would probably top the lot.

Thankfully, Roberto de Zerbi's remarkable work over recent weeks has denied Chelsea the chance to send Spurs down themselves. But if West Ham beat Newcastle, they can still push Tottenham's head deeper into the mud.

History is not with Spurs. In 32 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge, we have won once and drawn eleven times. This season, perhaps more than any since the 'Battle of the Bridge' in 2016, Chelsea will be desperate to beat us. Tottenham will need to play the perfect game and lean heavily on their away form, the only thing currently keeping our heads above water.

Stamford Bridge has been a graveyard for our dreams for decades. We just have to hope De Zerbi has us 'Big Boss' ready.

Find more from Bardi at The Extra Inch - a Spurs podcast, external

Tottenham are looking at a summer move for Sassuolo's £30m-rated Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic, 23. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Sweden boss Graham Potter has revealed Tottenham's Dejan Kulusevski has made "progress" on his road to recovery but the World Cup comes too soon for the midfielder.

Kulusevski was left out of Sweden's squad for this summer's tournament on Tuesday after 12 months on the sidelines with a right patella injury.

Back in March, after Kulusevski had a second procedure on the long-standing problem, he declared his "knee is great now" and had targeted an unlikely appearance at the major international tournament, but Potter officially ended the dreams of the 26-year-old this week.

"With Dejan, again just a very, very difficult decision," said Potter.

"I think we have to think about what is right for the team, that's important but also Dejan is in a place where he has had a long fight and he is making progress.

"I think it's important now that this time he can really focus on getting himself ready for the start of the season.

He continued: "I think the aim for him would be to start the next season with Tottenham, hit the ground running and to get back on the pitch and do the thing he loves."

Spurs head coach Roberto de Zerbi had cast doubt on Kulusevski's World Cup involvement last Thursday but did reveal he was due back at the club to continue rehabilitation at some point this month.

Potter acknowledged it had been difficult to take away Kulusevski's World Cup dream, but was concerned over how quickly he could get up to speed.

He explained: "Sometimes you have to take a decision of what does this look like. What is the impact for the player? What is the impact for the team?

"And it just felt in my stomach it was the right thing for us and for him, but of course now it's tough to see that, because he wants to be there and he wants to play, I understand.

"He is a professional person and he accepts it, of course but it is also very difficult as it is with all the guys. These things don't come along very often, it's a dream and you're ending a dream which is not a nice thing believe me."

Ali Speechly
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Desperate times call for calm heads.

In a game that epitomised Tottenham's season, with few clear-cut chances created and the majority of those squandered, composure was at a premium in N17 on Monday evening against Leeds.

As defenders jumped into tackles, midfielders rushed their passes, strikers snatched at shots, and Roberto de Zerbi received a yellow card for letting his feet – and his emotions – spill outside of his technical area, one man remained as cool as ice in the Spurs goal.

Two months ago, most Spurs fans didn't think Antonin Kinsky would ever play for us again, let alone be our number one for the relegation run in.

Yet it was Kinsky who was exactly who we needed him to be in this fixture against Leeds: our saviour.

While everyone else around him lost themselves to the chaotic desperation that comes with a relegation battle, the young Czech did his best to single handedly keep us in the game. His spectacular save from Sean Longstaff's blistering shot in stoppage time could well turn out to be the decisive action that keeps us in the Premier League.

Calm head. Quiet determination. Resilient temperament. Kinsky's team-mates could do with learning from their goalkeeper's key attributes – and quickly.

While many might see the draw with Leeds as two points dropped, given our healthy goal difference over West Ham, it could prove to be a vital point gained – and one that we wouldn't have if it wasn't for Kinsky.

With everything left to play for in the final two games, if the rest of our team can channel even half of the character Kinsky has displayed during his redemption arc, Spurs will be playing Premier League football next season.

Find more from Ali Speechly at Women Of The Lane, external and on Instagram, external