Tottenham's Wembley issue, Harry Kane's August duck and other storylines to fire the Spurs vs Chelsea fixture

Miguel Delaney looks at the main subplots between the two sides ahead of Sunday's clash

Chelsea and Spurs have a fiery history (Getty)

On Sunday, last season’s two best teams in the Premier League do battle but both with problems they already need to overcome this early in the season.

Chelsea’s crushing opening day defeat sees them needing to avoid losing against Tottenham or another unwanted record as defending champions will be coming their way, while Spurs have the psychological barrier of playing at Wembley to break down.

But that is only a part of the subplot to this early-season showdown between two genuine title contenders…

1. Chelsea need a boost, to avoid a crisis

As you only have to know by looking at Antonio Conte’s demeanour at the moment, all is not completely right at the champions, amid so much talk about parallels with 2015. Things are not yet actually as bad as then, but the stats could be worse than two years ago after this game. If they are beaten away to Tottenham Hotspur, they will become the first ever defending champions in the Premier League era to lose both of their opening games. Such an unwanted record would only deepen the gloom, and the pressure, as Conte looks to put pressure on the club to make badly-needed signings. This is then a game where they badly need to avoid defeat. Otherwise, it could really start to feel like 2015.

2. The Wembley issue

One big positive going into this game for Chelsea is that it won’t necessarily feel like a home match for Spurs, since it is their first in the league not at White Hart Lane since 1899, and previous such fixtures at Wembley have created such problems. You only have to look at their last encounter there, the 4-2 FA Cup defeat to Chelsea. Their perceived complex about Wembley will create a pressure for Spurs all of its own, not least the need to immediately banish the debate about it. There would be no greater way to do that than to beat the champions. There would be no worse way to worsen the issue, however, than losing to a struggling Chelsea in their first home game.

Matic's strike was right in the top corner (Getty)

3. The team Conte will be able to play

The main off-pitch problem at Chelsea is the lack of signings, but it has had such a tangible on-pitch effect right now because other absences have so hampered who Conte can actually put out. With Eden Hazard, Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas guaranteed to be out, and Tiemoue Bakayoko and Pedro struggling for fitness, he has to already figure out something different for his side. The fact he is facing an in-tune Tottenham only makes that more complex as it is not just about putting out Chelsea’s best side but one that is best for playing a Mauricio Pochettino team.

4. Can Tottenham make a statement through their start?

That FA Cup defeat to Chelsea essentially dulled Spurs’ 2016-17 title challenge before the deflating defeat to West Ham United, and led to even more talk about whether they bottle run-ins. The issue was never really how Pochettino’s side finished campaigns, though, but rather how they started them. They simply gave themselves too much to do, having taken five games to get their first win in 2015-16 and having only won one of their first three in 2016-17. They’ve already broken that by claiming victory in their opening match this season, so would really make a breakthrough if they secured six points by beating the champions. There’s even an argument it might make them favourites.

5. Can Kane break his August duck?

There is no greater guarantee of goals in the Premier League these days than Harry Kane… except, apparently, for one month of the year. He’s never scored in August. These stats are usually more coincidence than anything, but can occasionally play on a player’s mind. Breaking it would only foster the sense that there’s something different at Spurs.