Chelsea vs. Tottenham: Preview, Live Stream, Start Time and More

Though four teams are in the FA Cup semifinals, only two cities are represented with Everton and Liverpool both hailing from the Northern metropolis by the same name, and Chelsea and Tottenham from the capital to the south.

The latter two are meeting for the second time in three weeks. Their last match was a dull draw in league action Stamford Bridge. The 0-0 score line on that day, which had many wishing they had spent the two hours of their lives doing more constructive things, will hopefully not play out again in this single elimination format.

For both teams, the FA Cup presents somewhat of a quandary. Neither is willing to put it secondary on their list as it is Tottenham’s only hope for silverware and Chelsea’s best shot. Though at the same time, both clubs are locked into a tight race for fourth place in the league, which has more implications for the future and finances with Champions League next season on the line.

But none of this forward thinking will matter when the two teams take the pitch Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Their rivalry has become heated over the years as Spurs fans do not take to kindly to the sudden wealth their neighbors have gained over the past decade in terms of both money and quality.

The fans have been flamed even further this season as neither side can make a claim to be superior to the other.

Here is everything you need to know about the match.

Where: Wembley Stadium, London

When: Sunday, April 15, 1 p.m. EDT

Watch: Fox Soccer Channel

Player to Watch: Whoever is the Chelsea Striker

It has been even more difficult to predict who will start in the striker role for Chelsea under Roberto Di Matteo than it was under Andre Villas-Boas. With neither Didier Drogba or Fernando Torres playing particularly well this season, both managers have needed to rely on dumb luck more than anything, hoping that who they put up top on any given day will come through.

Drogba has had his moments, like when he arguably had one of his best performances of his career the night Chelsea overturned a three-goal deficit to advance past Napoli in the Champions League. But then again, he is just as capable of putting out a stinker like he did against Tottenham back in March.

Torres shows shades of his former self, but they rarely last long. Di Matteo has continued to give him the start, hoping that he can continue his good play and figure out how to overcome his woes. However, it seems to backfire more often than not as he struggles mightily against bigger, more physical defenses of the EPL.

In nearly every game where Chelsea has had a poor result, you can point to the forward who played and make a good argument for why the other should have started, but it is all just speculation. But what is not up for debate is the importance of having the right striker against Tottenham on Sunday.

Whether it be Torres or Drogba, their performance will be what decides the outcome of the match. If they find themselves in good form and a constant threat on the Spurs' goal, then Chelsea could cruise to victory. If not, odds are they will find themselves eliminated from yet another cup.

Stats Tell the Story

Chelsea have conceded a staggering 20 goals in the last 15 minutes of FA Cup and League matches. That amounts to 48 percent of all their goals against coming with the game nearly over, by far the worst in the league and the tournament. However, they have also scored 17 of their own in that same window.

This does not bode well for Spurs as they rarely make a point of late-game heroics. They have only scored ten goals in that frame. Their best time to score is between the 61st and 75th minutes, where they have netted 20. However, Chelsea has been nearly perfect then, allowing only three.

Interesting Fact

Chelsea have faced off against their London rival 343 times in both clubs' history, but only ten times has it been in the FA Cup.

What They’re Saying

Former Chelsea player/manager Glenn Hoddle is looking at the tough schedule Chelsea face in the coming weeks. With only one full day to rest before the Blues welcome Barcelona to Stamford Bridge for their Champions League semifinal, Hoddle expects Di Matteo to field a weakened side:

"

Had it been an early afternoon kick-off, it would have been different. But it must be running through Robbie's mind to play a weakened team in the sense that one or two key players will be held back as long as possible for Barcelona.

In reality, the only thing that matters to Chelsea come the end of the season is finishing in the top four. Let's face it, it's a tough ask to overcome Barcelona over two legs, and then go on and win the final of the Champions League - that's asking too much perhaps.

"

Hoddle is expressing the very same fear that many Chelsea supporters have over the past few weeks. If the level of quality the Blues face in the coming games does not get to them, the incredibly condensed schedule will.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham

It will be one of the most exciting games in this rivalry's recent history as both teams put all the pressures of finishing fourth behind them and just go out and play.

Tottenham will score early to ignite the northern part of London, but steady play will get Chelsea back in it. There will be one moment of brilliance by the Chelsea forward in extra time, followed by "park the bus" defensive play to see out the win.

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