Chelsea vs Tottenham: On Battle of the Bridge’s anniversary, Mauricio Pochettino needs new team to show fight

On the eighth anniversary of the Battle of the Bridge, Chelsea’s head coach Mauricio Pochettino will be back where it all happened, but this time on the opposite side of English football’s fiercest rivalry.

The intense match between Chelsea and Pochettino’s Tottenham in 2016, where Chelsea made a comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2, remains unforgettable. It’s part of why Pochettino is still trying to win over most Chelsea fans.

Dele Alli recently explained that for Pochettino’s Spurs, the rivalry with Chelsea became even more personal than their rivalry with Arsenal. Pochettino’s role in fueling this rivalry hasn’t been forgotten at Stamford Bridge, but he’s never denied it.

Pochettino seems to feel more connected with his current club than with Spurs, which he was with for nearly six years, compared to his current tenure of 10 months.

Pochettino admired Tottenham’s passion during the Battle of the Bridge and never suggested they went too far, even though they got nine yellow cards and one player, Mousa Dembele, got a six-match ban for an incident with Diego Costa.

Pochettino always shows his emotions during big matches like this. He’ll try to use the intensity of tonight’s game to get a positive result for his current club, who are still aiming for a spot in European competitions.

However, Ange Postecoglou, his successor at Spurs, has a different approach. He wants commitment from his players but also wants them to keep cool heads.

Postecoglou doesn’t believe in getting overly passionate about one game over another. He wants his players to approach every game with the same focus and determination.

In their last match in November, it seemed like Postecoglou’s team got carried away by emotions, leading to a big defeat. If they lose again, especially to another London rival, Postecoglou might feel some pressure, especially with a tough game against Liverpool coming up.

A win, especially if they play their usual attacking style, could be a big boost for Spurs, especially because fans would love to see them beat Pochettino.

Similarly, Pochettino knows he’s always under pressure, especially after bad results. But he believes most of the criticism comes from people on social media rather than true fans.

Tonight’s game will test this theory, especially if Chelsea struggles against Spurs. Chelsea’s squad is heavily depleted, with many key players out injured.

For Spurs, they have their own problems, especially at left-back with two players sidelined. Emerson Royal might have to step up, facing off against Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer.

It’s sure to be an intense match, with both managers feeling the pressure to come out on top.