Spurs vs Chelsea: Kane, Costa and a tale of two clubs
The two strikers and their respective clubs appear to be on very different trajectories ahead of Sunday's London derby
Another weekend of Premier League action lies ahead and while Manchester United's trip to Leicester pits first against second and offers Jamie Vardy the chance to break Ruud van Nistelrooy's scoring record, the most intriguing fixture of the weekend takes place further south as struggling Chelsea take on Spurs.
Everyone is familiar with Chelsea's travails this season: they currently lie 15th in the table, with exactly half the points of league leaders Leicester.
But after back-to-back wins against Norwich and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League, some believe the Blues may have turned a corner.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Even if they have they will face a tough test against Spurs, who have been stealthily climbing the table and now lie fifth in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal and Man City.
Mauricio Pochettino's team have not lost in the Premier League since the opening day of the season, while Harry Kane, who had a slow start to the campaign, has scored nine goals in six games, netting in each of them.
While Kane is the face of the Spurs resurgence his opposite number at Chelea, Diego Costa, appears to symbolise the decline of Chelsea.
Kane and Costa were the two strikers selected by their peers in the PFA team of the season last year, but they and their clubs now appear to be on very different trajectories, says Richard Jolly of ESPN.
Kane has come "to epitomise Pochettino's team, leading from the front with boundless enthusiasm", says Jolly. "Like Kane, Costa has personified his team but in a very different way. Rather than naive optimism, he has offered cynicism. Bad tempered, losing sight of ultimate objectives to pursue petty battles."
Costa appears unhappy and is now being tipped to leave Chelsea, and there have been rumours that the Blues want to sign Kane to replace him.
That is an unlikely prospect, reports the London Evening Standard. Unlike the Spanish striker, Kane is happy and settled at a club that believes it has a genuine chance of silverware in the near future.
The last time these two sides met in the league, on New Year's Day, now seems like a portent of the future. Costa opened the scoring for the Blues, but Spurs roared back and Kane scored a hat-trick as Spurs stunned their London rivals 5-3.
It says much about the two sides' merits this term that a repeat scoreline would not come as a huge surprise.
Chelsea are also likely to be without John Terry for Sunday's clash after their talismanic defender was carried off against Tel Aviv in midweek.
Spurs will also be missing key personnel as young midfielder Dele Alli is suspended.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 hilarious cartoons about the RNC's MAGA takeover
Cartoons Artists take on RNC funding, Lara Trump, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Trump's presidential run: a bad bet for Republicans?
Talking Point The GOP is taking a 'big gamble' on former president's 2024 White House bid
By The Week UK Published
-
Iran at the crossroads: have the mullahs lost their grip?
In Depth Iranian voters delivered a 'stinging rebuke' to the regime in parliamentary elections
By The Week UK Published
-
The blue-tiful game: are new cards the way to tackle football dissent?
Talking Point Blue cards and sin bins are latest game-changing move to divide opinion
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
‘Captain fantastic’: Harry Kane’s most memorable England goals
feature Kane has overtaken Wayne Rooney as the Three Lions’s all-time leading goalscorer
By Mike Starling Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published