Chelsea Interim Manager McFarlane Focused On Next Game Ahead Of Alonso Arrival

Chelsea host Tottenham at Stamford Bridge with European qualification, local pride and survival hopes all mixed together. Chelsea sit three points behind eighth-placed Brentford, while Tottenham can almost secure safety with a positive result. The match also comes soon after Xabi Alonso agreed a four-year Chelsea deal starting on July 1.

Interim head coach Calum McFarlane is again leading Chelsea after Liam Rosenior left in April. This second spell has brought one win from four league games, with one draw and two defeats. Chelsea are still chasing Europa League or Conference League places despite the recent FA Cup final loss to Manchester City.

McFarlane stressed that thoughts about a longer-term role have been pushed aside by the schedule. "I

havent thought about that. There is so much to prepare for," said the Chelsea interim boss. "There is so much to play for and answer. But my focus is always on the next game and the next training session. "

McFarlane also revealed brief contact with Alonso following the FA Cup final. "He [Alonso] sent me a text message. Ill keep that private, but mainly just around the final. Ive had a brief conversation with him via text. Really exciting news. Very talented, massive pedigree. Really excited for the club. Were all looking forward to working with him. Its a massive club. Weve got really exciting players coming to play here. Even though its a disappointing season, they are showing at times this year the kind of quality that we have. Its a massive club and it will always attract top players and top managers. "

Chelsea’s league form is poor, with no wins in seven top-flight matches, drawing once and losing six. That sequence is their longest since a 10-game drought between December 1994 and February 1995. Yet McFarlane pointed again to the squad’s reputation and the club’s ability to keep attracting leading players and coaches.

Tottenham arrive in better form after collecting eight points from the last four league fixtures. That total matches the haul from the previous 17 games combined, when Tottenham recorded one victory, five draws and 11 defeats. A win would mathematically secure survival, while a draw should be enough due to goal difference over West Ham.

The Battle of the Bridge. pic.twitter.com/QRhdOpKe6wChelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 18, 2026

Chelsea vs Tottenham mentality, form guide and key players

Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi warned that the improved run changes nothing about the challenge. "In the last four games we made eight points and we could have made more than eight, said the Spurs boss. We have to be confident and positive. We cannot forget the situation from a month ago. We are not safe yet. We have the quality, we have to show the right mentality. It is difficult, it's a tough stadium because the players at Chelsea have been fantastic. Fantastic players and fantastic managers. They played two days ago [Saturday] very well, maybe they didn't deserve to lose the game. It will be a tough game for us for sure. "

History strongly favours Chelsea in this fixture, especially at Stamford Bridge. Tottenham have celebrated only one win in 35 league visits, a 3-1 success in April 2018 under Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs have won the last two league away games, their best travelling streak since four straight victories between September and November 2020.

Chelsea’s overall Premier League record against Tottenham is dominant, with 38 wins. That is Chelsea’s highest total versus any club in the competition. Tottenham, by contrast, have suffered more defeats only against Manchester United, losing 40 league meetings to that opponent.

Chelsea have also claimed five straight league victories over Spurs, their second-best run in this derby. The only longer sequence came between January 2000 and March 2002, when Chelsea defeated Tottenham six times in succession in Premier League action.

Individual battles could again shape the contest. Joao Pedro has an excellent record in this fixture, scoring four times and adding one assist in just two league starts against Spurs. That includes the winning goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season, when Chelsea edged the reverse meeting.

For Tottenham, Mathys Tel comes into the game in strong personal form. Tel struck a fine goal in the recent 1-1 draw against Leeds United. Tel has now provided goal contributions in back-to-back league matches for the second time, last doing so in April last season with strikes against Southampton and Wolves.

Key numbers suggest a tight contest despite Chelsea’s historical edge. Opta’s model gives Chelsea a 48.3% chance of victory, with Tottenham rated at 27.7% and the draw at 24%. That reflects Chelsea’s dominance in the fixture but also acknowledges Tottenham’s improvement across recent weeks.

Fixture aspect	Chelsea	Tottenham
All-time Premier League wins in this fixture	38	-
Last 5 Premier League meetings	5 wins	0 wins
Current league run	0 wins in 7 (D1 L6)	8 points from last 4
Opta win probability	48.3%	27.7%
Opta draw probability	24%

Team	Player to watch	Key stats vs latest opponents
Chelsea	Joao Pedro	Four goals and one assist in two league starts against Spurs; scored at Spurs earlier this season
Tottenham	Mathys Tel	Scored against Leeds United; goal contributions in successive league games for first time since April last season

With European positions, survival, history and a future managerial era all intersecting, Chelsea against Tottenham offers major tactical and emotional subplots. McFarlane continues to manage the short term, De Zerbi focuses on mentality, and Alonso waits to begin. The outcome will shape both clubs’ immediate outlooks at the end of this Premier League campaign.