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5 Predictions for Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea

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By @potts93

5 Predictions for Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea

Chelsea Tottenham Hotspur
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We may have reached the end of the year, but it's the beginning of a new half of football season. Spurs host Chelsea in a London battle to get 2015 off to a flying start. Both sides are in need of the points for entirely different reasons. The hosts will be aiming to join the top pack and a win could take them into the top four, while the Blues will be looking to widen the gap at the top of the table. Here are five predictions for the big game.

5. Low scoring game

Hugo Lloris Spurs
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5. Low scoring game

Hugo Lloris Spurs
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Neither of the two sides have scored more than two goals in their last five games. That's not a shameful record, but each team's December run of fixtures came against favorable opposition. Chelsea's last big win came against Spurs at the very start of the festive run. The Blues ran away 3-0 winners, but Spurs haven't lost a game since, winning three of their last five and earning a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Manchester United.

4. A Red Card

Phil Dowd Leicester
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4. A Red Card

Phil Dowd Leicester
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Phil Dowd loves dishing out the cards. At the weekend, he handed out two reds during Hull vs. Leicester. Chelsea and Spurs have had a combined five men sent off this season and with Dowd in charge, that tally could rise. It'll be a tight game, but reducing one side to 10 men could swing the game either way.

3. Harry Kane will score

Harry Kane Spurs
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3. Harry Kane will score

Harry Kane Spurs
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Harry Kane has been a revelation this season. The Spurs' youth product had been seen as a decent young player with the knack of scoring from the bench, but nobody expected him to be leading the line and scoring charts with an impressive 13 goals in all competitions. That's level with Diego Costa. An England call-up can't be far away for Kane who'll be looking to boost his tally against Chelsea.

2. Chelsea won't win

Diego Costa Chelsea
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2. Chelsea won't win

Diego Costa
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Spurs have enjoyed a good run of form lately. They've picked up a point more than Chelsea from the last five games. A clean sheet against Manchester United will have pleased Mauricio Pochettino and now the incentive of a Champions League spot could be enough to inspire them to hold off Chelsea.

1. Mourinho will talk about anything but the game

Jose Mourinho Chelsea
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1. Mourinho will talk about anything but the game

Jose Mourinho Chelsea
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It's not even a prediction; it's a fact. Mourinho loves to deflect any criticism toward his players onto any issue he possibly can. Earlier in the season, he bemoaned the quiet Chelsea crowd. Last week, he spoke about an apparent "campaign against Chelsea" by referees. This gets people talking about wider topics, as opposed to ripping apart the players. It's a clever tactic and it's a guarantee that Mourinho will try it again if things go wrong.

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