For subscribers
On The Ball
Blues clash has Spurs raring to show they are league's third force
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
The presence of Antonio Conte is the leading reason for such rare optimism around Tottenham.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Should either Manchester City or Liverpool falter - or even both - then who might be the third force in this season's English Premier League? Today at Stamford Bridge, early in the season as it is, can offer some guidance.
Last season, the answer to the question was Chelsea, though the then-European champions did not sustain their challenge to the big two. This season, a wide belief is that Tottenham Hotspur can fulfil that role, and perhaps come between City and Liverpool.
