The Premier League resumes this weekend with a highly anticipated London derby as Tottenham Hotspur welcome West Ham United to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Both sides will be eager to bounce back from contrasting results prior to the international break, with Spurs looking to recover from a disastrous collapse against Brighton, while the Hammers will aim to build on their emphatic victory over Ipswich Town.
Match Preview
Tottenham were cruising to a comfortable win at the Amex Stadium a fortnight ago, leading 2-0 thanks to goals from in-form duo Brennan Johnson and James Maddison.
However, a remarkable second-half capitulation saw the Lilywhites surrender their advantage, eventually succumbing to a 3-2 defeat.
Manager Ange Postecoglou was understandably livid with his team’s capitulation, describing it as his worst result since taking charge.
The Australian will be desperate to see his side rediscover their early-season form, having started the campaign strongly before that South Coast setback.
For West Ham, the international break provided a much-needed respite after a difficult start to the season. The Hammers snapped a five-game winless run in emphatic fashion, thrashing Ipswich 4-1 at the London Stadium.
Michail Antonio’s early opener set the tone, and further goals from Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta ensured a comfortable victory for Julen Lopetegui’s men.
The Hammers will now look to build on that result and climb the table, with a win at Tottenham potentially taking them level on points with their London rivals.
Head to Head
The recent head-to-head record between these two sides makes for interesting reading.
West Ham have enjoyed the upper hand in recent years, winning the two of the last three league meetings between the clubs.
In fact, the Hammers’ 2-1 comeback victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December 2023 was their last away win against Spurs.
However, the last time West Ham won consecutive away league games against Tottenham was in the 1990s, with England winning the World Cup in between those two triumphs.
Team News
Spurs fans will be anxiously awaiting news on the fitness of talisman Son Heung-min, who picked up a thigh issue while on international duty with South Korea.
The forward is one of three players, alongside Richarlison and Lucas Bergvall, who Postecoglou will be sweating on ahead of the weekend. Bergvall suffered a minor calf problem while representing Sweden, but was unlikely to start in any case.
Defender Wilson Odobert remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
West Ham’s only selection concern is the fitness of summer signing Niclas Fullkrug, who is still nursing an Achilles problem.
However, Lopetegui is unlikely to tinker with a winning formula, with Antonio set to lead the line once more against the London rivals.
Prediction
This match has the potential to be an entertaining affair, with both teams possessing potent attacking threats.
Spurs will be determined to bounce back from their disastrous collapse against Brighton, while West Ham will be buoyed by their recent victory over Ipswich.
Given the defensive vulnerabilities on display from both sides, we could be in for another high-scoring encounter. Ultimately, I expect Tottenham to edge this one, with the home advantage proving crucial in a tightly contested London derby.
Betting Tips
This looks set to be a closely fought encounter, with both teams capable of finding the net. I would recommend considering the ‘Both Teams to Score’ market, as this has landed in four of the last five league meetings between Spurs and West Ham.
In terms of the final result, I believe Tottenham will emerge victorious, but it may require a narrow one-goal margin.
As for the total goals, given the attacking prowess and defensive vulnerabilities on display, I would suggest looking at the ‘Over 2.5 Goals’ market as a strong possibility.
