Tottenham can still dream of title, Redknapp and Villas-Boas all square in tactical duel; Sturridge pushes for Euro 2012 start

1. Tottenham can cling on to hopes of winning the title

Ten points behind Manchester City and eight off Manchester United at the start of the evening Spurs knew a win would kill Chelsea’s title aspirations and send a serious message to the north-west regarding their own credentials. A draw leaves this eventuality distant now but not impossible, especially as Spurs have a game in hand. After eight minutes their status as credible challengers appeared apparent when Gareth Bale cruised down the left before playing in Emmanuel Adebayor, who completed the business. The strut and sense of self-determination Harry Redknapp has installed continued to be evident until these qualities were tested when Daniel Sturridge equalised mid-way through the first half but Spurs have still be taken very seriously.

2. Redknapp and AVB drew tactical showdown

Redknapp’s approach is more straightforward than André Villas-Boas who is still tinkering with his style and personnel. For the Tottenham manager selection and tactics when everyone is fit is simple: this team choose themselves then go out and hope to exploit the thrust of Bale, the artistry of Luka Modric, Scott Parker’s midfield brickwall and Adebayor’s killer finishing: Spurs opener derived from this approach after the Welsh flyer shredded Chelsea down their right. Villas-Boas wants more pace injected through his side and left Frank Lampard on the bench for the leaner Raul Meireles. The way in which his team drew level and then soaked up the pressure from the home team will have been heartening to AVB.

3 Sturridge continues to push for Euro 2012 starting place

Even the very best can miss a glaring goal from four yards out, difficult angle or not, as the Chelsea No23 did after 12 minutes – the credit here lay in Sturridge having the cunning and hunger to race in after Juan Mata’s blistering 25-yarder to try and snaffle up a parry from the Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel. As Chelsea’s prime force this season, Sturridge is surely a shoe-in for Fabio Capello’s England squad for Euro 2012 and after 23 minutes he continued to make the case for why he should start in the XI next summer. In doing so Sturridge also illustrated why he will be lethal operating down the middle which is his favoured position, anticipating Ashley Cole’s cross to equalise and take his tally into double figures for the campaign.

4. John Obi Mikel may have blown his chances

He was unlucky to depart near half-time due to an injury, but is this really the player whom Manchester United prised £12m from Chelsea to cancel their option on him so that Mikel could sign for the London club five years ago? The Nigerian had been sharp within seconds of kick-off, snuffing out the threat of Adebayor but the sluggishness of thought and deed allowed Modric to slip past him easily moments later. In this Villas-Boas formation, Mikel was the central midfielder in the middle trident meaning that he was often first receiver and charged with starting the move forward. When short passes or simple lay-offs are required he is comfortable but Mikel lacks the dynamism of a Parker and the time for Oriol Romeu may have come.

5. What a signing Emmanuel Adebayor has been

The close of the first half had Adebayor pirouetting on the edge of the Chelsea area before unloading a left-foot shot that worried Petr Cech, who made the save low down. This followed an early dart down the Chelsea left that caused the visitors their opening scare of the evening. Better still, was the striker’s ninth goal in his 14th Tottenham appearance which came on eight minutes: directing his run with a precision that left John Terry trailing, he finished Bale’s low cross from the left to give Spurs the lead. Taken on loan from Manchester City for the season, the calculation at the Etihad may have been that Tottenham would not be serious enough title pretenders for Adebayor’s goals to hurt them: the jury is still out on that one.

Tottenham HotspurChelseaJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk

• Spurs midfielder shakes off persistent injury problems
• ‘It can give us the belief that we can win the title’

Sandro says Tottenham Hotspur are ready to deliver a statement of title-winning intent by beating Chelsea at White Hart Lane on Thursday. The Brazil midfielder, who feels he is finally over the injury problems that have plagued his season, is conscious that a victory would keep his team on the tail of the league leaders, Manchester City.

The gap stands at seven points and third-placed Tottenham have a game in hand. City entertain Stoke City on Wednesday but Sandro believes that how Tottenham fare against Chelsea in the eagerly awaited derby can set the tone for the remainder of the season.

“It can give us the belief that we can win the title,” he said. “If we win this game, the only way will be up for us. We can make a big statement, although it will be a very difficult game. But we are playing at home and that is very good because the support is very good and that helps us. Yes, we can win the title. Why not? Every single player in the squad is good, we are a strong team and our bench is strong as well.”

Sandro started only his third game of the Premier League season against Sunderland on Sunday, in the 1-0 home win, and his return to fitness felt timely in the absence of the injured Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe, and with Aaron Lennon limping off with a hamstring tear that, according to the manager, Harry Redknapp, will sideline him for “weeks”.

Redknapp’s selection fears for the Chelsea game, though, appear to be easing, with Bale and Defoe expected to be fit. Bale sprained an ankle in training on Saturday and, after a rest at home, he found he could not put weight on it. He had treatment on Monday – the squad had a rest day after Sunderland – and the signs were positive.

Defoe, too, is hopeful of being available for selection after a minor hamstring problem while Redknapp is optimistic that Ledley King, who played 90 minutes against Sunderland, can buck the trend and play two games in four days, despite his chronic knee condition.

It will be interesting to see what Redknapp does to replace Lennon on the right of midfield. He moved Rafael van der Vaart there against Sunderland and he watched the Dutch playmaker create three excellent chances, including the winning goal for Roman Pavlyuchenko. But Redknapp is worried about the pace on the overlap of the Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole and he knows that Van der Vaart does not have a defensive bone in his body.

Sandro hopes to retain his place for a fixture of which he has fond memories and personal ties. He scored his only goal for Tottenham in last season’s 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge and is close friends with Chelsea’s Brazil internationals David Luiz and Ramires. Sandro required surgery after damaging his knee at the Copa América in July and he has since been undermined by muscular problems.

“It has been very frustrating but the injuries are in the past now,” he said. “I’ve worked so hard to be back in this position of being able to play again. My injuries are completely over now and I think I can establish myself in the team.”

Tottenham were strangely subdued for the first hour against Sunderland and the striker Emmanuel Adebayor has demanded an improvement, starting on Thursday. “If we want to be in the top four, we have to play better than that,” he said. “I don’t know what happened in the first half and I don’t really want to know. I’m just glad that the game is over.

“We felt heavy on the pitch and we didn’t have any solution. It was tough but to be champions that’s what it takes. It’s the kind of game that, regardless of what happened, we were just pleased to get the three points.”

Tottenham HotspurPremier League 2011-12Premier LeagueChelseaDavid Hytnerguardian.co.uk