Wembley has seen plenty of days of destiny. The national stadium will experience a first on Sunday: a Premier League showdown. And the stakes could not be higher, especially for Antonio Conte.

Chelsea are the first visitors to Tottenham’s temporary home ground and the setting could not be more appropriate for a titanic clash that could — even at this early stage of the campaign — be a defining moment in the season.

The mood at Chelsea is very different from when the teams met at the venue in April in the FA Cup semi-final. Then, Chelsea were closing in on the title with Spurs in splendid but ultimately fruitless pursuit. Conte prevailed because his squad had more depth than Mauricio Pochettino’s team.

The Italian was able to summon Diego Costa and Eden Hazard from the bench at a crucial point in the match and Chelsea powered on to a 4-2 victory and a place in the final.

Four months ago, the possibilities seemed endless for Conte. With a little judicious work in the transfer window, it seemed Chelsea could plug the gaps that their manager had disguised with his tactical acumen. It was possible to imagine another golden age was starting at the Bridge.

The close season has been profoundly disappointing for Conte. Chelsea’s activity in the transfer market has been bewildering. There have been more departures than arrivals. Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rudiger and Tiemoue Bakayoko are useful additions but the 48-year-old needs at least three more players who could slot into the first team. It does not take much for Chelsea to be down to the bare bones and this was illustrated by the 3-2 defeat by Burnley on Saturday.

Five of the 18-man matchday squad had between them just two Premier League appearances to their name. Conte cannot afford his front-line players to pick up suspensions. Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas’s red cards mean they will be missing at Wembley. When the team’s lengthy injury list is taken into account, it’s clear Conte will be short handed.

The madness of Chelsea’s summer was not highlighted by events at the Bridge, though, but at four other Premier League grounds. Five players on loan from the club started for five of their top-flight rivals. Two of those loans, at least, look misguided. Kurt Zouma might have helped solve the problems created by Cahill’s absence but the defender is playing for Stoke. Ruben Loftus-Cheek could be useful as midfield cover for Fabregas but the 21-year-old is battling away for Crystal Palace.

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To make things worse, the game-changers are missing. Costa is in disgrace and will not play for the club again and Hazard is still a long way from recovering from his ankle injury.

The players who are left are beginning to wonder why their squad is so meagre in comparison to the depth of their rivals. The last thing Conte needs is creeping doubt among his available personnel. Defeat by Tottenham would reinforce the growing concerns.

Where does it leave the Italian? He is a far more combustible character than he showed in his first season in England. His irritation with the board — and the Stamford Bridge philosophy of downgrading the manager’s influence in areas like recruitment — is growing.

Chelsea’s two previous title-winning managers were sacked in the season after their victorious campaigns — Carlo Ancelotti in 2011 and Jose Mourinho two years ago.

If Conte erupts, it could be counterproductive and lead to an ignominious hat-trick. There is only ever one winner in Stamford Bridge’s boardroom face-offs and it is never the manager.

Things could not be set up more perfectly for Pochettino. Spurs need a flying start at ‘home’. They won only once in five appearances there last season and a poor performance would throw up more suggestions that they are suffering a Wembley hoodoo. Like Chelsea, Tottenham have had an underwhelming summer in the transfer market. They need to strengthen but Pochettino has a significant advantage over Conte.

The Argentine’s first XI is settled and strong and his game-turners look to be at their dominant best. Dele Alli and Harry Kane were in excellent shape in the 2-0 win over Newcastle.

Pochettino is very keen to bring in players but the 45-year-old’s worries are nowhere near as bad as those affecting his Chelsea counterpart.

It’s fitting that Tottenham’s residency at Wembley should start with such an important game. The result could well determine the course of the season for both teams.