Chelsea face Tottenham this Saturday at Wembley Stadium as the clubs battle for position in the top four.
Just one point separates the two sides after 12 games of the season as third face fourth in the big game of the weekend.
And Nevin, a former Chelsea winger, was writing his weekly column and discussed why derby matches mean so much for fans.
“It may be still only in the first third of the season but it matters, and not just for the bragging rights, the points and the league position,” he wrote on the Chelsea website.
“For posterity too. Oh yes, and if you’re a fan it is quite nice to walk into work in the morning with your head held high instead of skulking around trying not to meet the eyes of opposition fans.
“Maybe that in some ways is the most important point of all in derbies.”
Chelsea go into the game after the goalless draw with Everton while Tottenham have won back to back away matches against Crystal Palace and Wolves.
And Nevin thinks tensions could run wild this weekend.
“Derbies are never mundane, but this weekend’s fixture is a particularly tension-filled one,” he added.
“Not to the level of the 2-2 at the Bridge when Spurs lost their chance of the title that went to Leicester. Strangely I always like to mention that one when I get a chance.
“Nonetheless, with the sides so closely matched and with Arsenal breathing down our collective necks, Wembley will be buzzing as much as any time this season.
“That moment when Marcos Alonso scored the 88th-minute winner in the league in 2017 is another that is seared in the memory and it underlines the importance when looking back in years to come.
“One of the oldest clichés in management is ‘go out there and make yourselves some memories to last a lifetime.’ Well that cliché is never more appropriate than in games like this one.”