"There’s a different feeling to this game" - Joe Cole names the 3 players Chelsea will rely on in order to defeat Tottenham in upcoming clash

Joe Cole believes three players will have to be at the top of their game for Chelsea if they are to defeat Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday. The Blues trail Thomas Frank’s side in the league standings ahead of the London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Enzo Maresca's side suffered a late 2-1 defeat to Sunderland in their last league outing, while Tottenham cruised past Everton 3-0 to move into the top four.

Previewing the match, Cole named Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens, and Willian Estevao as the players who will be crucial for Chelsea to secure a fifth consecutive win against Tottenham. The former Blues midfielder told Paddy Power:

“Chelsea going to Spurs has traditionally been a comfortable game for the club over the years. It’s the expectations at Chelsea. Tottenham are now all excited, and they’re looking up at Chelsea, who are not a million miles away from Spurs, but there’s a different feeling to this game. “If Chelsea are going to beat Spurs at the weekend, you’re relying on players like [Pedro] Neto, who’s been brilliant, Jamie Gittens, who scored a goal and got an assist at Wolves, and Estevao. The goals will come from wide, for Chelsea, and the midfield. Enzo’s been chipping in, but it’s a real tough game for Chelsea.”

The Blues have gotten the better of Spurs recently, winning each of their last four meetings.

“They have to be winning the big trophies” – Joe Cole on what constitutes a successful season for Chelsea

In the same interview, Joe Cole shared his thoughts on what would count as a successful 2025/26 season for his former side. Cole opined that Chelsea aren’t ‘strong enough to compete’ with Arsenal for the league title this season.

On what would mark a successful season for the Blues, Cole stated that the Blues must qualify for next season’s Champions League and also mount a challenge in the league.

“This is season four under this ownership. There are two trophies, albeit new trophies that don’t carry the same weight as a Premier League, an FA Cup, a Champions League, or even a League Cup. But they have delivered trophies, and they’ve restructured the whole club financially,” Cole said. “This season, the expectation has to be for Chelsea to comfortably get into the Champions League position and mount a challenge in the league. I don’t think the squad’s strong enough to compete with Arsenal. I’m happy to go on record saying that now, they won’t win the league. Chelsea needs to be comfortably in the Champions League and closer to the top of the league than they were last year for this season to be considered a success. And next season, they have to be winning the big trophies, because that would be five seasons into this project,” he added.

Chelsea currently sit ninth the Premier League table, with 14 points from nine games.

Edited by Ezekiel Olamide