Chelsea and Tottenham meet at Stamford Bridge, each hoping to dent their London rivals’ European ambitions.
Mauricio Pochettino is facing such an injury crisis that his team has practically been chosen for him.
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou will have to shake his players out of their stupor after consecutive defeats, although his inspired second half in their 3-2 defeat to Arsenal gives hope.
If any of the coaches are in doubt about who to choose, they would do well to listen to Mail Sport’s authoritative advice below.
Without further ado, we present the Mail Sport combined XI. What can go wrong?
Tottenham and Chelsea renew themselves in the London derby on Thursday night
Son Heung-min leads the line flanked by Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer in our combined XI
FORMATION: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)
As long as you don’t let anyone take your gloves off, Vicario is a pretty easy pick here.
He is the archetype of the modern goalkeeper, ranking high in distribution statistics and capable of sweeping if necessary.
There are doubts over his ability to control his area: Micah Richards was unimpressed by his timidity in the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal and Spurs conceded two goals from corners.
Djordje Petrovic is a good goalkeeper option for Chelsea in a mid-table season, but Mail Sport prefer Vicario.
Guglielmo Vicario brings modern qualities for a goalkeeper but can improve his presence
Right back: Pedro Porro (Tottenham)
Porro has found a happy home at Spurs and suits their style of play well.
He has been a good creator carrying down the wing for Ange Postecoglou, recording seven assists, although the last one was in January.
It would have been a face to face against Malo Gusto, whose crossing has been worth seeing, but he is out after suffering a knee injury against Manchester City.
Pedro Porro is a dynamic full-back and, with Malo Gusto out, he fills that position with ease
Central defender: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
It has its imperfections, but Romero’s partnership with Micky van de Ven is something Spurs can build on in the coming seasons.
Aggressive, bully and a good leader, Romero has won over the fans after initial doubts.
He has also become a big contributor going forward – his goal against Arsenal took his tally for the season to five goals.
For much of the second half he played so high that he was practically a striker, but his initiative paid off and he got his team back into the game.
Cristian Romero has contributed five goals this season and has raised his status among the fans
Central defender: Micky van de Ven (Tottenham)
He’s been a really solid signing for Postecoglou, £43m well spent.
His rhythm is amazing. Against Brentford in January, he recorded a top speed of 23.22mph, the highest ever recorded in the Premier League.
He also brings that coveted attribute of being left-footed, which allows him to step out when receiving the ball from Vicario and distribute the ball more expansively.
Of course, the Dutchman had a bad game against Newcastle and was arguably at fault for three of their goals, going down twice, but it has been a positive debut season for him.
Micky van de Ven has recorded the fastest pace in Premier League history and has impressed in his first season with Spurs.
Left back: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)
Destiny Udogie or Ben Chilwell would normally fill this role, but both are absent.
Cucurella has improved this season and has put together a solid run of games in Chilwell’s absence.
Seen as something of a loose cannon after his arrival at the club, he has made progress in reconciling his offensive instincts with his defensive duties.
Marc Cucurella is in our team due to absences but has improved his form this season
Central midfielder: Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham)
Sarr’s energy in the Spurs engine room is indispensable.
He had to wait a while to make his debut for Spurs, which he did in January last season, but this year his industriousness and ball-winning ability have served them well.
Yves Bissouma is a similar player and has every right to say he deserves this spot, but he hasn’t had as many minutes lately, so Sarr simply outclasses him.
Pape Matar Sarr’s energy in midfield is a huge asset for Spurs, as is his ability to win the ball.
Central midfielder: Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)
It will be a huge shame for Chelsea if they part ways with Conor Gallagher because he has been a rare orb of consistency in a year of disarray.
He must enter the final year of his contract without any progress in talks and, although Mauricio Pochettino is interested in keeping him, Chelsea bosses may lick their lips at selling a youth product for profit.
Their box-to-box efforts will mesh well with Sarr’s enthusiasm for running.
Conor Gallagher has been a rare constant in a turbulent season for Chelsea, but he could leave
Right Wing: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Unstoppable in this team no matter who is fit.
A total of 25 goals and 13 assists this season speak for themselves. Palmer is electric and conjures moments of magic out of nowhere.
Mail Sport’s Ian Herbert believes Palmer should overtake Phil Foden for the Footballer of the Year award. At the very least, he figures prominently in the conversation.
Remember you are doing all this in a turbulent Chelsea team. You are thriving in conditions that are hostile to success.
Mail Sport’s Ian Herbert thinks Cole Palmer should make Phil Foden Footballer of the Year
Attacking midfield: James Maddison (Tottenham)
Has Madison been the same player since his midseason ankle injury? No.
Ten games into his Spurs career, he has three goals, five assists and his new employers were top of the Premier League.
In his last six league games he has not scored goals or assists and has been substituted in the last nine.
However, his quality is undeniable and fans are confident that he will improve sooner rather than later.
James Maddison has not regained his pre-injury form but remains a key player for Spurs
Left winger: Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
It was a toss-up between Jackson, Raheem Sterling, Timo Werner and Mykhailo Mudryk for this one. Perhaps it would have been better to leave the space empty.
Jackson has taken a lot of criticism this year, but he has shouldered the burden respectably from the start.
He arrived for £32m in what was essentially an eye-catching two months at Villarreal and, at the age of 22, scored 13 goals. That’s no shame.
Mail Sport moves it to its less familiar left. He hasn’t been a prolific goal scorer but his technical ability is evident.
Nicolas Jackson has tried hard to finish, but he is young and has redeeming qualities.
Son Heung-min has assumed his new role as forward very well and is an ideal captain
Forward: Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Son is not a natural striker and has had to replace Harry Kane since he left for Bayern Munich, but he is doing very well.
He has 16 goals and nine assists this season, leading the line and adjusting to a new tactical style.
The 31-year-old is a talismanic captain and a perfect ambassador for the club. Mail Sport also makes him our captain.
