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Chelsea Tottenham Combined XI: Seven Blues shape out lineup

By Matthew Hancock-Bruce

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Kurt Zouma of Chelsea tackles Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Kurt Zouma of Chelsea tackles Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante runs with the ball as socially distanced fans watch from the stands during the pre-season friendly football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on August 29, 2020. – The game is a ‘pilot’ event where a small number of fans will be present on a socially-distanced basis. The aim is to get fans back into stadiums in the Premier League by October. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante runs with the ball as socially distanced fans watch from the stands during the pre-season friendly football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on August 29, 2020. – The game is a ‘pilot’ event where a small number of fans will be present on a socially-distanced basis. The aim is to get fans back into stadiums in the Premier League by October. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

N’Golo Kante, Midfield, Chelsea

An easy choice to begin the midfield. Although blighted by injury last year the Frenchman has been
back to his best and has generally been one of the league’s best players since he arrived in 2015.
Kante’s influence continues to be felt on both sides of the ball. His 601 total passes rank him third
among all Premier League midfielders while his 27 interceptions make him the top ranked player in that statistic. Having played over 800 league minutes, more than anyone else at the club, concerns of an injury-prone star are a distant memory.

Related Story. Chelsea: Using the Conte system could be key vs. Tottenham. light

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Midfield, Tottenham

Picking a partner for Kante is a more difficult decision. There is no doubt plenty of talented players,
but none scream “must-pick”. Chelsea’s most inform option is Mason Mount however it would be
unfair to overlook the options on offer at Tottenham and Hojbjerg is the pick of the bunch.
The former Southampton captain has played every minute so far and it his influence has helped the side top the table. He leads the team in passes, touches and tackles by some distance and has made himself a first name on the team sheet. Considering Tanguy N’Dombele and Giovani Lo Celso are some of the names vying for a spot, this is mightily impressive.

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