For months, Tottenham Hotspur fans felt a very specific fear, one even worse than the thought of relegation itself. And that was the prospect of getting relegated at Stamford Bridge.
It almost felt inevitable, but Spurs have now avoided it. Whatever happens at Chelsea, they cannot go down on Tuesday night. And they are now realistically just a point from safety.
And yet the fact of this huge game being at Chelsea gives it even more weight, even more pressure, than if it were anywhere else.
Because there has been something about this fixture, especially when played at Stamford Bridge, that has exerted a painful hold over the Tottenham psyche in recent years.
📝
@JackPittBrooke
nytimes.com/athletic/7278829…