After a lackluster performance in Holland put the skids on any kind of resurgence Tottenham was building, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men will be hoping to set the ledger straight against a West Ham side they failed to defeat both home and away last season.
The first team options should be well-rested as the majority of them were given the night off against Vitesse. First-team stars such as Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane didn’t even make the trip, so they should be raring to go for this one.
West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur FYIs:
Kick-off time: 2 PM GMT, 24 October Sunday
Premier League Preview Podcast: go here
Team News: West Ham Tottenham Hotspur
Starting XI Predictions: West Ham Tottenham Hotspur
Form Guide (All Competitions): West Ham (WWLWW) Tottenham (LWWWL)
Let’s take a look at the injury news for Spurs.
Ryan Sessegnon and Matt Doherty are still some ways away from returning to first-team action. Both were mentioned by name by the gaffer in the pre-match press conference.
Santo had this to say when asked if both would miss this one:
“Yes. Unfortunately. Matt’s improving. Sess also but they’re not in the group yet. Next week, we’ll see if we have good news.”
Their other injury worry, Steven Bergwijn, made his return from injury in the disappointing defeat against Vitesse and is expected to make the bench for the Premier League clash against West Ham.
I’d also expect the likes of Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris who were both rested and did not even make the trip to Holland to face Vitesse to return to the starting lineup in place of Pierluigi Gollini and 17-year-old Dane Scarlett respectively.
This is a massive clash between the London rivals with the winner almost certainly gaining the upper hand in the race for the Europa League spots come season’s end.