After a win over Brentford on 15 December, Chelsea were second in the table, four points clear of Arsenal and just two behind leaders Liverpool.

Maresca protested the idea they were in the title race at the time, but suggestions to the contrary felt sincere following a stellar start to the season.

But they’ve picked up just four wins in thirteen league games since - only beating Wolves, West Ham, Southampton and Leicester at home.

Silverware is still in their sights, in the form of the Conference League, but a pack of teams are closing in on them in the fight for Champions League football.

Cole Palmer has been passed fit to play, having missed England’s games with Albania and Latvia due to a muscle issue, as well as Chelsea’s 1-0 loss at Arsenal before the break.

But the Blues’ star man had been struggling to maintain his impressive goal involvement numbers even before illness and then injury struck - he has just one assist since mid-January, while having failed to score in any of his last 10 matches, too.

He had a penalty saved in a recent 1-0 win over Leicester, while the 4-0 victory over Southampton seemed to sum up the 22-year-old’s current woes - having seven shots without success, even affording himself a resigning smile after one notable miss.

On Instagram, following the game, he posted, 'don’t worry, I’ll be back' - and having been so influential in the 4-3 win at Spurs in December, one suspects he’ll relish the chance to return tonight.

'We always say that going with the international team is the best thing for a player,” said Maresca, of Palmer missing England duty last month. “But overall, some days off for Cole and for the rest was a good thing.”

Nicolas Jackson is set to return too after two months out with a hamstring injury, but despite his record of four goals in three games against Spurs, someone else may be tasked with leading the line.

“To be honest…I don’t have to run as much, running back,” winger Pedro Neto joked about his recent stint as Chelsea’s centre-forward. "I have more energy to run in front. I have a free role as well to play there.”

The Portugal international is a dynamic runner and was pivotal in Wolves’ win at Spurs last season, chasing passes in to the channels.

He’s very different in profile to Jackson, whose absence as a link-up player has been sorely missed.

Marc Guiu would be a suitable positional back-up, but has been out with a hamstring problem - while Christopher Nkunku, a player with striker experience at RB Leipzig, has been preferred on the wing.

Maresca’s full-backs were crucial with Leicester last season, inverting into midfield and getting forward, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Marc Cucurella has been amongst the goals of late.

He came so close to finding the net at Arsenal, with David Raya fortunate his miscalculated save still pushed the ball just wide of the post.

It would have seen Spain international score for the third Premier League game in a row, after his long range winner against Leicester, and a sharp finish from near the penalty spot against Southampton.

Having the right boots on would certainly help, with the left-back guilty of slipping in the build-up to two of Spurs’ three goals against Chelsea back in December.

On the right-side, Reece James is back too and marked his England return with a remarkable free-kick against Latvia.

“We still need to manage Reece,” cautioned Maresca recently. “You need to be careful with him in this moment. We want him fit until the end so we will manage him until the end and then we will see in the future."

Spurs have enjoyed incredible starts in the two home games under Ange Postecoglou against Chelsea - going at them from the first whistle to march in to respective 1-0 and 2-0 leads.

But on both occasions, the Blues’ turned it around - following a number of key injuries.

Despite that, there should be encouragement for Spurs to implement their high energy and aggressive style early at Stamford Bridge.

Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez looked uncomfortable against Arsenal before the break, guilty of giving the ball away when playing out and failing to command his area from crosses - one area Spurs will look to exploit.