The anticipated showdown between Chelsea and Tottenham in the Premier League, originally slated for Friday, February 23, has been postponed due to Chelsea securing a spot in the Carabao Cup final. Consequently, a new date must be arranged for this highly anticipated London derby at Stamford Bridge.
Following their triumph over Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final, Chelsea now eagerly await their opponents in the final, either Liverpool or Fulham, set to take place at Wembley on Sunday, February 25. Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino and his Tottenham side anxiously await the outcome of the Liverpool vs. Fulham match to determine their final adversary.
With the postponement of the Chelsea-Tottenham match, both sets of fans are left anxiously awaiting news of the rescheduled fixture. Despite both clubs having fewer scheduling conflicts due to their absence from European competitions this season, it’s uncommon for Premier League matches to coincide with European fixtures, as UEFA prioritizes their competitions over domestic ones.
However, there have been exceptions in the past, such as the Arsenal vs. Man City match coinciding with Champions League matches. This scheduling anomaly occurred due to the postponement of the initial Arsenal vs. Man City match following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Considering potential dates for rescheduling the Chelsea vs. Tottenham match, options are limited due to European fixtures and the FA Cup schedule. One potential date could be during the fifth round of the FA Cup, commencing Monday, February 28, depending on the outcomes of earlier rounds involving Tottenham and Chelsea.
Other available dates that don’t clash with European or FA Cup matches are in April and May. However, rearranging the match for the final week of April could pose challenges for Tottenham, as it falls between difficult Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and Arsenal. Similarly, rescheduling for the final week of the season could disrupt Chelsea’s rhythm, sandwiched between matches against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.
In addition to these scheduling complexities, Tottenham faces an away visit to Newcastle prior to the Manchester City fixture, and their next game after facing Arsenal is a challenging trip to Anfield to face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. If the match is rearranged for the final week of the season, Tottenham would face Chelsea in the midst of matches against struggling Burnley and Sheffield United, while for Chelsea, it would come between matches against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.