Tottenham will make their short trip to the London Stadium where they will meet West Ham United as Mauricio Pochettino targets a fourth league win in a row.
Tottenham’s overall display across competitions remains a patchy affair, but Mauricio Pochettino’s men have enjoyed a three-match winning run in the Premier League. A visit to London rivals West Ham is up next as Pochettino hopes to secure a fourth successive win and keep pace with the teams above them in the table, with Spurs just two points off the summit.
Tottenham may be struggling with a few issues of their own. But, their hosts, West Ham United, have their own set of problems to deal with and might not fancy Spurs at this point in time.
The Hammers recorded a terrific victory over Manchester United a few weeks ago, only to lose their clash against Brighton and Hove Albion before heading into the international break, undoing a recent revival.
Manuel Pellegrini will have to set a full strength team to stifle the threat posed by Tottenham and will hope to get a result against their London rivals. Pellegrini will focus on telling his players how to turn to their natural style, considering West Ham’s major problems this season has not been against top teams, but rather lesser ranked ones.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
Manuel Pellegrini will lead his team into the clash against Tottenham bearing in mind that he still has many injuries to contend with. Carlos Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll, Manuel Lanzini and Winston Reid are all still facing time on the sidelines and remain unavailable for Saturday’s tie. Additionally, Arthur Masuaku is also a major doubt due to an ankle problem.
In case Masuaku passes his late fitness test and is available, Pellegrini should go with the same starting lineup he fielded during their recent loss to Brighton. That lineup will also depend on the fitness of key striker, Marko Arnautovic, who is still reeling from the knee problem he suffered last month.
Should Arnautovic not feature from the start, former Arsenal striker, Lucas Perez is likely to get the nod to start up front. That apart, Lukasz Fabianski is set to retain his place in goal, having been impressive so far, while Fabian Balbuena and Issa Diop will likely be West Ham’s central defenders.
Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang and Declan Rice will continue their midfield partnership while Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson will support either of Arnautovic or Perez up front in attack.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Fabianski; Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku; Noble, Rice, Obiang; Yarmolenko, Arnautovic, Anderson
Tottenham Hotspur
The international break might have come as a boon for Tottenham and manager Mauricio Pochettino as it helped some of his key stars return from their injuries. Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama have all returned to training and could be available to play against West Ham on Saturday.
But, Spurs still remain short of their full strength squad, with Dele Alli, Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen still on the treatment table. Of the three missing players, Pochettino suggested that Alli and Rose might make their returns soon.
But, Vertonghen will miss another month owing to his hamstring injury. The Belgian’s absence leaves Spurs thin at the back, with Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez the only recognised centre-backs who are fit, with a tight schedule looming large in the coming weeks.
Yet, Spurs will have a strong squad to field against West Ham with the likes of Hugo Lloris, Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies shoring up the other parts of the defence. Pochettino will take a late call on his midfield pairing, although he should field Lucas Moura, Christian Eriksen, and Son Heung-min to support central striker Harry Kane against the Hammers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Dier, Dembele; Lucas, Eriksen, Son; Kane
Key Stats
- West Ham United have 14 victories against Tottenham – more than they have against any other side in the Premier League (level with Southampton).
- Tottenham are looking to record consecutive away wins against West Ham for the first time since August 2009.
- West Ham United are winless in their last seven London Derbies in the Premier League.
- The Hammers will be aiming to avoid losing consecutive Premier League games at the London Stadium for the first time since December 2016.
- Harry Kane has scored seven goals in his last seven Premier League games against West Ham.
Betting Odds
Favourable Bets
1. Tottenham to beat West Ham @ 1.80
Underdog Bets
1. A red card in match – YES @ 5.00
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
Despite being among the top scorers after the first two months of action, Kane’s form has been quite patchy. However, this is typically the time when the England captain hits top gear for his side and as we have seen in the last few seasons, probably even make a cause for a Tottenham charge at the title. It’s not to say his goals have dried up, but they are coming far less than their usual rate.
However, in West Ham, Kane faces a familiar opposition against whom he has been highly prolific, scoring seven in his last seven games. The summit of the Premier League is just two points away and it would be Kane’s performance and goals that could momentarily take Spurs there.
Prediction
West Ham United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham might have endured a tough start to their Premier League campaign, but they have been on the rise of late. The problem with the Hammers though, is usually their form against lowly opposition, with East Londoners impressing with their performances against top sides. Spurs, on the other hand, are sitting in the fifth position on the table despite a patchy form out of the league.
This London derby should be a tough one and considering the quality both sides have, we expect Tottenham and West Ham to share the spoils from this game. This might not be a goal fest as we predict the match to finish 1-1.