Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to return to winning ways when they host West Ham United at home on Thursday.
Gameweek 15 of the 2023/24 Premier League season will end on Thursday, with two matches on the show. The action on the day will start with the match between Everton and Newcastle United at Goodison Park before Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United round off the latest matchday with a high-octane London derby.
Tottenham Hotspur began the 2023/24 season with a bang, dropping points only twice in the first ten games in an unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign. Ange Postecoglou had seemingly wielded the magic wand despite losing Harry Kane.
But the North London giants have come back down to earth after failing to win their last four games, three of those being defeats. That run of results has dropped Tottenham from the summit to fifth in the Premier League standings. On the other hand, West Ham United have a nearly exact opposite recent record compared to Tottenham.
The Hammers have not lost a game in their last three outings, beating Nottingham Forest and Burnley. Club the UEFA Europa League, and David Moyes’s men are currently on a five-game unbeaten run, although their winning streak snapped this past weekend after playing out a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-0 win for Tottenham Hotspur, with West Ham managing only one shot on target. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against West Ham United on Thursday, the Tottenham Hotspur manager will be bereft of the services of eight first-team players.
Cristian Romero is available after serving a three-match suspension. Meanwhile, Pape Matar Sarr faces a race against time to be available to take on West Ham. But Alfie Whiteman (ankle), Eric Dier (groin), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Micky van de Ven (thigh), Ivan Perisic (knee), Rodrigo Bentancur (ankle), James Maddison (ankle), and Manor Solomon (knee) remain on the sidelines.
Guglielmo Vicario will take his spot between the sticks, with Tottenham lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against West Ham United. A defensive quartet of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, and Destiny Udogie will protect the Italian international.
As for the midfield unit, Yves Bissouma and Giovani Lo Celso will retain their partnership in the double pivot. The duo will look to control the proceedings from the centre of the pitch, with the latter providing the creative impetus. Finally, Son Heung-min will lead the line for Tottenham against West Ham, with Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, and Bryan Gil supporting him.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Bissouma, Lo Celso; Johnson, Kulusevski, Gil; Son
West Ham United
Like his counterpart in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout, David Moyes does not have any new issues hampering his preparations ahead of the short trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The West Ham United will be without only one first-team player on Thursday.
Michail Antonio is the only absentee, with the experienced attacker recovering from a knee injury. He should be available for selection within the next two weeks. But Kurt Zouma should feature on Wednesday.
Zouma will be Nayef Aguerd’s central defensive partner, with the duo joining Vladimir Coufal and Emerson Palmieri in the backline. The defensive quartet will protect Alphonse Areola, who will take his spot between the sticks.
As for the midfield unit, James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, and Tomas Soucek will retain their roles. The trio will form a fluid trifecta, holding the fort in the middle of the park while also providing the forward thrust. Finally, Jarrod Bowen should spearhead the West Ham attack against Tottenham, with Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta joining him in the offensive department.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Kudus, Soucek, Paqueta; Bowen
Key Stats
- Since becoming the first visiting team to win a Premier League game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April 2019, West Ham United have lost on three of their four league visits.
- Tottenham lost 4-1 against Chelsea in their most recent Premier League home London derby. They have not lost consecutive home league games against fellow London sides since November 2004.
- West Ham United did not win their six midweek Premier League games last season, losing the most recent three in a row.
- Son Heung-min has been involved in eight goals in eight Premier League home games against West Ham United, scoring at least once in his last three outings against them at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
- Jarrod Bowen has six goals in six Premier League away games this season, having netted just four in his first 69 on the road beforehand. The only West Ham players to score more away from home in a single Premier League campaign are Trevor Morley (seven in 1993/94) and Paulo Wanchope (seven in 1999/00).
Player to Watch
Dejan Kulusevski
Son Heung-min remains Tottenham’s most pivotal figure, producing excellent performances almost every week. But he needs more support from those around him to deliver consistent results, especially until James Maddison remains on the sidelines. That brings Dejan Kulusevski into the picture.
The Swedish international has blown hot and cold since joining Tottenham from Juventus. A tally of four goals and one assist this season does not inspire much confidence. But his performance against Manchester City this past weekend might be the catalyst to inspire better displays. That begins with Wednesday’s clash with West Ham United, and he needs to step up again.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 West Ham United
West Ham United have a sub-par record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. So, despite boasting a superior form to the North London club, the mental block coming with the visits to such grounds is also a factor. But the Hammers should give their hosts a run for their money.
There should not be much to separate Tottenham and West Ham on Thursday. But Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski should deliver the goods and three points to the home side. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Ange Postecoglou and his charges.
