As they aim for Capital One Cup glory on Sunday, Tottenham players will prepare as a team but know that individual battles must be won if the trophy is to be theirs. What will be the key battles:
Harry Kane v John Terry
Terry has just about seen it all and the experienced defender is in good form too. In fact, he has a strong case to be regarded as the Premier League’s best centre-back. But even Terry had no answer to Harry Kane when Chelsea and Tottenham last met on New Year’s Day. Kane scored a brace in a 5-3 win
as the Blues defence was torn apart. Of course, the young forward hasn’t had it all his own way. Indeed, Spurs were beaten 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in December. But it’s difficult to come up with a plan against Kane – a player good enough to enjoy the space if an opponent defends deep and quick enough to expose Terry if Chelsea opt to push up. It will be fascinating to see what Jose Mourinho and his captain come up with to ensure they are better prepared to deal with Kane’s qualities on Sunday.
Christian Eriksen vs Branislav Ivanovic
When it comes to goals, Eriksen and Ivanovic’s interjections have become something of a feature of the season. Eriksen’s goals have picked up a whopping 13 Premier League points so far this season – six of them in the dying moments of matches. The Dane also played an important part in securing Tottenham them a place at Wembley with his brilliant brace in the second leg of the semi-final against Sheffield United proving just enough to deny the League One team. Ivanovic is likely to have marking duties against Eriksen on Sunday with the Dane cutting inside to find space from the left. But if he does so it might only succeed in unleashing Ivanovic.
Jan Vertonghen vs Eden Hazard
On the other flank, Tottenham will have to deal with the considerable threat of Eden Hazard. The sensational winger has come in for some harsh treatment this season with Mourinho disgusted after the Belgian was fouled nine times against Paris St Germain in midweek. It will take Tottenham teamwork to stop him on Sunday and that could mean Hazard’s international team-mate Jan Vertonghen having to come to the rescue when the wide man drifts inside. The Spurs man knows how tough that will be and predicted Hazard’s success when he arrived in the Premier League in 2012. A starring performance by Hazard at Wembley would mark that ‘new Chelsea’ and Vertonghen will have his work cut out preventing it.
