Four matches to watch this weekend

Chelsea v Tottenham @Stamford Bridge @5:30pm on Nov.29

Last season, Frank Lampard beat Jose Mourinho twice in the league – a record against the Portuguese – scoring 13 goals and conceding just three. Mourinho, however, got back on board with a victory over his former side in the EFL Cup in September and his team has won all four away matches this season

Chelsea have history on their side as they have not lost to their London neighbours since February 1990 when they lost 2-1. Mourinho will have to find a suitable replacement for Toby Alderweireld, who is out with a groin injury. Erik Lamela is also out, but Matt Doherty is back in contention. The referee is Paul Tierney, who refereed Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool in September. Will history hold sway or will the master humble his former apprentice?

Current Form: Chelsea [W-W-W-W-W]; Tottenham [W-W-W-W-L]

Head-to-head

29/09/20 LEC Tottenham 1 – 1 Chelsea

22/02/20 PRL Chelsea 2 – 1 Tottenham

22/12/19 PRL Tottenham 0 – 2 Chelsea

27/02/19 PRL Chelsea 2 – 0 Tottenham

24/01/19 LEC Chelsea 2 – 1 Tottenham

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham

Sassuolo v Inter Milan @Mapei Stadium @3pm on Nov.28

Inter Milan manager, Antonio Conte, is under pressure with some fans calling for his sack after the 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League last Wednesday – #ConteOut trending on Twitter. His task is not made easier with the trip to the dreaded Mapei Stadium on Saturday with Sassuolo second on the Serie A table, and unbeaten with 18 points. Conte is still hampered by the absences of Aleksandar Kolarov and Marcelo Brozovic, due to COVID-19 protocols. It is a finely balanced encounter with Roberto De Zerbi’s Sassuolo having kept a clean sheet in their last three matches while Inter are undefeated in their last 10 away matches in Serie A.

Current Form: Sassuolo [W-D-W-D-W]; Inter Milan [L-W-D-L-D]

Head-to-head

24/06/20 SEA Inter Milan 3 – 3 Sassuolo

20/10/19 SEA Sassuolo 3 – 4 Inter Milan

19/01/19 SEA Inter Milan 0 – 0 Sassuolo

19/08/18 SEA Sassuolo 1 – 0 Inter Milan

12/05/18 SEA Inter Milan 1 – 2 Sassuolo

Prediction: Sassuolo 2-2 Inter Milan

Valencia v Atletico Madrid @Estadio de Mestalla @4:15pm on Nov.28

With two games in hand, Diego Simeone’s Atletico team sit second on La Liga with 20 points. They can go top with a victory though Valencia under Javi Garcia have shown their capabilities with the 4-1 victory over Real Madrid and the comeback against Alaves last weekend, when they went two goals down. Simeone will be without Diego Costa, who has been diagnosed with Thrombosis while Lucas Torreira and Luis Suarez will be absent on account of testing positive for COVID-19. Valencia will miss their influential captain, Jose Gaya, while Geoffrey Kondogbia could feature against his former side. Valencia are undefeated in 23 of their last 25 home matches but Atletico are undefeated in their last 24 matches in La Liga.

Current Form: Valencia [D-W-D-L-L]; Atletico Madrid [D-W-W-D-W]

Head-to-head

14/02/20 LAL Valencia 2 – 2 Atletico

19/10/19 LAL Atletico 1 – 1 Valencia

24/04/19 LAL Atletico 3 – 2 Valencia

20/08/18 LAL Valencia 1 – 1 Atletico

04/02/18 LAL Atletico 1 – 0 Valencia

Prediction: Valencia 1-2 Atletico

Napoli v AS Roma @Stadio San Paolo @8:45pm on Nov.29

Naples is in mourning for losing Napoli legend, Diego Maradona, and all the players wore the No. 10 on their jerseys in Thursday’s Europa League encounter against Rijeka. After losing last weekend to AC Milan at the San Paolo, Gennaro Gattuso will want a return of all three points, but they face a Roma side, in good form – on an 11-game unbeaten run led by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has scored five times in eight league matches. Napoli will be without the injured Victor Osimhen, while Tiemoue Bakayoko is out on account of the red card he got against Milan. Paulo Fonseca can welcome back Edin Dzeko to lead the line in Naples.

Current Form: Napoli [W-L-W-W-L]; AS Roma [W-W-W-W-W]

Head-to-head

05/07/20 SEA Napoli 2 – 1 AS Roma

02/11/19 SEA AS Roma 2 – 1 Napoli

31/03/19 SEA AS Roma 1 – 4 Napoli

28/10/18 SEA Napoli 1 – 1 AS Roma

03/03/18 SEA Napoli 2 – 4 AS Roma

Prediction: Napoli 3-2 AS Roma