Tottenham host Premier League leaders Chelsea this evening (8pm kick-off) looking to record a fifth successive league victory.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men ended 2016 with a 4-1 win over his former employers Southampton at St Mary’s, which was the first of two 4-1 successes in the space of five days, as they then kicked off 2017 with a thumping victory at Watford on New Year’s Day.

It means that Spurs go into their meeting with Antonio Conte’s men having won four in a row in the league, and indeed four in a row at White Hart Lane, having beaten West Ham, Swansea, Hull, and Burnley at home since their 1-1 draw with champions Leicester back in October.

However, they will face their sternest test yet as league leaders Chelsea will go in search of a record-breaking 14th consecutive victory at White Hart Lane this evening.

Conte’s men overcame Stoke 4-2 on New Year’s Eve to equal Arsenal’s record of 13 straight wins in a single Premier League season, yet they’ll look to break that record in North London tonight.

The Blues will also look to extend their lead at the top to eight points should they get the win, given that second placed Liverpool could only manage a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on Monday.

In what is likely to be an intriguing encounter at White Hart Lane, here are THREE reasons why Tottenham will end Chelsea’s excellent run and secure the three points this evening…

Good run of their own

Chelsea may be on one of the best winning streaks the Premier League has ever seen, yet Spurs are also on a good run of their own.

Pochettino’s men have won their last four league matches, and have scored 13 goals in that time, including four goals in each of their last two games.

Back-to-back 4-1 successes away from home suggests that Spurs are certainly finding their feet going forward, this all after there were concerns earlier in the campaign that they didn’t score enough goals.

Add in the fact that they have won their last four games at White Hart Lane, and that they are unbeaten there this season, and Spurs are in good enough form to end Chelsea’s excellent run this evening.

Alli’s growing influence

Prior to Spurs’ meeting with Chelsea at the end of November, Dele Alli had managed just three goals in the Premier League, but his form since that game has been excellent.

The England international, who shot to prominence in his first season in the top-flight last time out, has netted six times in the seven matches since that 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge, including five goals in his last three games.

Braces against Southampton and Watford suggest that Alli is beginning to rediscover last season’s form ahead of the Chelsea visit, and the Blues backline will know that his link-up play with Harry Kane, as well as his own ability in the final third, could fire Spurs to victory tonight.

Walker and Vertonghen to return

Tottenham had the joint-best defensive record in last season’s Premier League, and they’ve started this season in equally impressive fashion.

Pochettino’s side have conceded just 14 goals thus far – only Wednesday’s opponents Chelsea have conceded less in the top-flight (13) – and a big part of that have been the performances of Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen, both of whom were suspended for the Watford game on New Year’s Day.

However, both are set to return to the starting line-up against the Blues, which will give the team a massive boost as they are set to reunite with Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose in the backline, the back four that have performed so well over the last few years.

Vertonghen and Alderweireld are arguably the best central defensive partnership in the division, while Walker and Rose are two of the best full-backs in the top-flight.

All four will need to be at their best to thwart the likes of Diego Costa and Eden Hazard this evening.