Premier League football resumes in North London this Saturday lunchtime as Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham United.
This rivalry has always conjured up drama over the years with late goals and stunning strikes making it one of the most entertaining fixtures in English football.
Welsh winger Brennan Johnson will be looking to score for the eighth successive match after he extended his prolific run on international duty with a goal against Iceland.
It’s positive news on the injury front for Spurs as captain Heung-min Son and Richarlison have both returned to training over the international break.
West Ham will be without summer signing Niclas Fullkrug as he continues to nurse an Achilles tendon issue.
Tottenham vs West Ham – Match Preview and Team News
Form
Tottenham: WWWWL
Tottenham’s momentum was sensationally halted a fortnight ago as they threw away a two-goal half-time lead to lose 3-2 at Brighton.
Ange Postecoglou candidly stated it was the worst defeat of his tenure at the North London club and the Australian looked bewildered as to how his side let the three points slip out of their grasp.
The Lilywhites were more than good value for their advantage at the interval with goals from James Maddison and Brennan Johnson putting Spurs in control.
The Pape and Sonny bromance 🤗
💪 @BetMGMUK pic.twitter.com/ftT87eZRco
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 18, 2024
But after the break there was a complete shift as they submitted to their opponents with Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck all netting to complete the comeback.
The shocking element of the defeat was the unforeseen nature of the performance, as Spurs had won their last five games in all competitions and looked on course for a sixth consecutive triumph at half-time.
Postecoglou has revealed he was ready to ‘explode’ on his players after sitting on that performance over the break and West Ham will be the side attempting to weather that potential storm.
West Ham: DLLDW
The Hammers earned a much-needed win before the international break, with a 4-1 hammering of Ipswich Town.
Prior to that triumph, Julen Lopetegui’s outfit had gone five games without tasting victory in all competitions, resulting in a wave of unrest surrounding the club.
The East London club were hotly tipped ahead of the campaign after heavy investment in the summer, signing the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Crysencio Summerville.
Ten of our finest finishes against Spurs ⚽️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 18, 2024
However, the Hammers have looked like a team struggling for identity, having lost at home to Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa, alongside elimination from the Carabao Cup.
Lopetegui will be hoping the fortnight-long break has afforded him the time he needed to implement his style of play and change the mood at the London Stadium.
A win over their fierce rivals this weekend could be the perfect platform for progression.
Last Meeting: West Ham 1-1 Tottenham, Premier League, 2nd April 2024.
The spoils were shared the last time the two sides went to battle, as West Ham and Tottenham cancelled each other out under the lights in East London.
Brennan Johnson opened the scoring inside five minutes when he had the simple task of tapping home from three yards out, after Timo Werner’s pinpoint cross.
However, their lead was short-lived as the hosts equalised less than 15 minutes later through a clever header from Kurt Zouma.
After restoring parity, David Moyes’ team proceeded to impose themselves on their opponents as they dominated possession and tested the Spurs defence.
Michail Antonio spurned a glorious opportunity in the second half to claim all three points when he broke clear of the Tottenham backline but struck his effort directly at Guglielmo Vicario.
Ultimately, a point apiece was a fair outcome as both sides defended resolutely to frustrate each other.
Predicted Lineups
Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Maddison, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
West Ham: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek, Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.
Who is the referee?
Andy Madley is the match official. He will be assisted by Nick Hopton and Wade Smith while Craig Pawson will be the fourth official. The VAR is Chris Kavanagh and he will be assisted by Mat Wilkes.
What channel is Tottenham vs West Ham on?
Saturday lunchtime’s London Derby will be available to watch on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and Discovery+.
What time is kick off?
Kick off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be at 12:30 BST on Saturday 19th October 2024.
Odds
Tottenham Hotspur: 9/20
Draw: 4/1
West Ham United: 19/4
