Paul Merson has predicted on SportsKeeda that Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur will lose to Graham Potter’s Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The former Arsenal star and Sky Sports pundit has predicted Chelsea to win the London derby against Tottenham 3-0.
However, Merson has made it clear that Chelsea will win the match only if Potter plays his team.
The pundit has named the lineup that he thinks will win Chelsea the London derby against Tottenham.
Merson has said that Potter should not play wingers Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke for Chelsea if they want to win the match.
Mudryk joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in the January transfer window.
The Ukraine international winger cost £88.5 million (Sky Sports).
The 22-year-old has not scored or given an assist in four Premier League appearances for Chelsea so far.
Madueke also moved to Chelsea in the January transfer window.
The 20-year-old, who can operate as a winger or as an attacking midfielder, joined from PSV and cost £29 million in transfer fees (Sky Sports).
The England Under-21 international has not scored or provided an assist in three Premier League appearances for the Blues so far.
Paul Merson predicts Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
Merson wrote: “If Chelsea play the team that squared off against Southampton last weekend, they won’t win the game against Spurs. If Potter goes back to his tried and tested system, the Blues will beat Spurs all day long.
“What I love about Potter is that he has looked after the club and the players before himself. He is under major pressure. He could have played Reece James and Thiago Silva last weekend because he has a job to keep. But what did he do? He didn’t want to risk injuries for those players and chose to leave them out.
“He has looked after them. He could have chosen not to protect those players but he opted to look at the bigger picture. I think he needs to be given until next Christmas and afforded a proper pre-season with this team. If it doesn’t work out by Christmas, then even he’ll understand it’s best to part ways.
“Tottenham are in the FA Cup, they’re in the Champions League and they are in the top four in the Premier League. We’re sitting thinking that Spurs are blowing hot and cold. But the fact is that they blow hot more often than they are cold. They’ve got Harry Kane. He is a big difference-maker for them.
“Spurs are slightly more of a winning side than Newcastle United. I expect them to end up in the top 4 ahead of the Magpies.
“This is the starting XI I hope Potter goes with: Kepa, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Benoit Badiashile, Thiago Silva, Enzo Fernandez, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz and Joao Felix
“If this team plays, they will beat Tottenham 3-0. If he plays Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, they won’t beat Spurs
“Prediction:Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 Chelsea.”
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