Tottenham host Chelsea in a much-anticipated London derby on Sunday
Victor Wanyama achieved cult status during his four-year stay at Tottenham Hotspur.
After arriving from Southampton in the summer of 2016, the former Harambee star became a fan favourite at White Hart Lane for his tenacious tackling, physicality and long-range goals. The defensive midfielder wore his heart of sleeves every time he stepped on the pitch for Spurs.
However, injury problems in his last two seasons in North London limited Victor Wanyama to just 97 appearances across all competitions. Despite having left the club back in 2020, the Kenyan still remains a popular figure among the Tottenham faithful.
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Speaking in an exclusive interview with Telecom Asia Sport, Wanyama previewed Sunday’s mouthwatering London derby between Tottenham and Chelsea on Sunday.
The 33-year-old, currently with Montreal Impact, said he enjoyed playing against Chelsea as a Spurs player and the rivalry between the two clubs is as intense as it gets. He reminded the bitterness between sets of fans is clear, saying that the players always used it for motivation ahead of the big game.
“It’s clear the two clubs don’t like each other, and the fans don’t hide that, so really, it’s one of those dates when everything comes to a standstill, and everyone is looking to get the three points. As players, I remember we used to say, ‘This is the only game we cannot afford to lose,’ because it’s not just about three points—it’s the fight for who owns London,” Wanyama told Telecom Asia Sport.
“To be at Tottenham and to play in these games is a privilege, and one of those games where, when you leave, you take the memories with you. I have a feeling that the boys will turn things around and get it done.”
Tottenham are not in their best moment currently, heading into the clash against Chelsea off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth. They have been hamstrung by injuries to key performers such as Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Richarlison and Guglielmo Vicario, while Rodrigo Bentancur remains suspended.
Chelsea, on the contrary, are flying under new boss Enzo Maresca and have strung three wins in a row. They smashed basement club Southampton 5-1 away and appear to be favourites on paper heading into the derby.
However, Wanyama says Spurs players must keep the fighting spirit up and take responsibility to turn the fortunes around. This is what he and his teammates at White Hart Lane did under former manager Mauricio Pochettino during challenging times.
“When things were tough, we reminded each other that the next game was now or never. There were home truths spoken, and we would go back to the basics. I don’t want to say this was a long time ago, because the basics are still the same. Form doesn’t mean much here. Think about it: last year when they beat us, we went into the game unbeaten and were huge favorites, but they ended up winning, so that won’t count for much,” he added.
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Ange Postecoglou’s side can certainly take Wanyama’s piece of advice and show leadership and accountability on the pitch when facing Chelsea at the weekend. Form generally goes out of the window in derbies, and in front of our fans, the Tottenham players must show great desire, passion and fight to beat the Blues.
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A win over a strong Chelsea side would be fantastic, boosting our players’ confidence and morale ahead of the busy fixture schedule.
