Tottenham Hotspur could kill two birds with one stone later this evening, returning to the top of the Premier League and preserving their unbeaten run with victory over Chelsea while getting one over former boss Mauricio Pochettino in the process.
Despite enduring a challenging and unsuccessful campaign last year, Spurs have been restored since the summer following Ange Postecoglou's appointment, and there is now little doubt that this squad is capable of fighting for the league title.
Indeed, victory would take Tottenham back above Manchester City, and while struggling Chelsea languish in 13th place, the 2-0 win in this fixture last term ended the Blues' eight-match unbeaten run against their London rivals, and they would take delight in stifling the resurgent Lilywhites.
Tottenham team news vs Chelsea
Tottenham are emboldened by the return of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur following the player's recovery from an ACL injury, having come off the bench in the second half against Crystal Palace last time out.
However, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon all remain long-term absentees, thinning the options at disposal down the left channel.
Brennan Johnson impressed off the bench in the fixture at Selhurst Park, providing the assist for Heung-min Son's goal, and could now be in line to relieve Richarlison of a starting berth on the left wing.
Postecoglou is faced with something of a selection headache at left-back, with Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies also both fitness doubts, compounding the crammed medical room of left-sided players.
The player who could replace Destiny Udogie
Tottenham are in a lovely position after a resounding start to life under Postecoglou's management, and while only three points will reclaim top spot, few supporters would have envisaged such a start after last year's malaise.
The constancy of result and performance has stemmed from the rooted cohesion that has been instilled, with James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and co's summer additions bolstering and reviving the existing squad, but Postecoglou might be forced to tinker his defence again with Udogie and Davies both battling for fitness.
Should the duo fail to overcome their respective issues, Postecoglou has a tailor-made replacement ready in the man who salvaged a point against Brentford in the season's opener, Emerson Royal, who has not since added to his sole Premier League start this season.
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Player
Club
1
Alphonso Davies
Bayern Munich
2
Kieran Trippier
Newcastle
3
Joao Cancelo
Barcelona
4
Rico Henry
Brentford
5
Benjamin Pavard
Inter Milan
*Sourced via Football Transfers
Formerly branded a "complete liability" by pundit Jamie O'Hara, Emerson showed discernible signs of improvement last season and is only sat outside the regular starting line-up due to the brilliance of Pedro Porro and Udogie on the defensive flanks.
The £40k-per-week dynamo ranks among the top 4% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 16% for passes attempted, the top 19% for progressive carries, the top 6% for tackles and the top 1% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.
If one thing could be said for Emerson at his best, it's that he is a robust machine of a defender; Udogie's consistency and progressive nature down the left channel have established him as one of the most exciting talents in the division, but it might be prudent to guide him back to fitness with care.
Of course, if Udogie is fit then he will play, but Davies' discrepancies seeped through against Crystal Palace last week, with his pace exposed and his lack of awareness forcing Van de Ven into sparing his blushes.
Hailed for his “outstanding” presence by Ryan Mason, Emerson is the man for the job, and could prove to continue his renewed level with a major role in what could be a statement display against Chelsea.