- Chelsea finished top of the PL2 league phase (14 wins, 1 draw, 4 defeats) and enter the play-offs as one of the top seeds
- Tottenham Hotspur finished mid-to-upper half in the PL2 league phase and were involved in some of the most goal-packed matches of the campaign
- Recent head-to-head meetings in PL2 have favoured Spurs, with the North Londoners winning the league and play-off meetings against Chelsea in 2024
Blue is the colour of Chelsea’s play-off momentum
Chelsea U21’s Premier League 2 momentum will not be stopped by Spurs U21 on Friday if the hosts can match their recent goal-scoring form and play-off form this season. Harry Hudson’s side have established a possession-based identity since he took over the reins from Calum McFarlane mid-season, although their 4-3-3 is just as effective at attacking wide as it is through the centre.
Chelsea have the perfect target man in Shumaira Mheuka, who is in red-hot form, after his hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace. The Blues’ captain is their main goal threat in PL2, while Reggie Walsh and Genesis Antwi have been creating plenty of chances for him with their own goals and assists.
They have a number of creators across the age groups, but Antwi has stepped up to the plate for the U21s and has scored in late league fixtures. Walsh is another to watch for whenever Chelsea have the ball and Leo Cardoso offers plenty of penetration off the flank.
Burnett’s boys back Spurs up with a front-foot approach
Wayne Burnett’s Spurs boys will not sit back and defend against Chelsea as they have a philosophy of playing on the front foot and relying on quick vertical transitions. They have enough pace and power in their young full-backs like Yago De Santiago Alonso and Maeson King to make them a threat on the break, counter-press effectively and whip in dangerous set-piece opportunities.
Spurs’ attack is led by Will Lankshear, who offers them aerial power, clinical finishing and some creativity. Nile John has also been in good form for the team in recent knockout and league matches and both have scored the goals that have taken Spurs to dramatic victories.
Tottenham are a club with a reputation for last-minute drama and they have the players that can finish off matches clinically when their tactics change depending on the opposition.
Expect another dramatic London academy derby
Chelsea are 51/100 favourites to beat a Spurs side that are 343/100 underdogs, with the draw coming in at 37/10. However, we are going to stay on the fence for the match result and take Both teams to score at 33/100 given the nature of their recent clashes and history in this competition.
Chelsea finished top of the PL2 league phase and are the most consistent outfit in the division, although their defence has been breached on a couple of occasions at home by quick counters. Tottenham are the more flamboyant outfit and can score plenty in an instant, so we are backing another end-to-end London derby with some sunny London weather throwing some petrol onto the fire.
