West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur renew their rivalry in this London Derby, as both teams will want to capitalise on recent form.
West Ham United endured a disastrous start to the season following a disappointing defeat at the hands of newcomers Sunderland and then the trashing handed out by Chelsea. Having scored once and conceded eight goals in their opening two games, talk of a dragged-out relegation battle was already rife in the media and their supporters.
However, Graham Potter’s charges had a fruitful outing away at Nottingham Forest, which has boosted their confidence. While the game away at the City Ground felt like it was heading to a boring draw, the Hammers popped up with three late goals to snatch the full points.
Despite the win, there is still tremendous pressure on Graham Potter to deliver in the immediate term, and with some tough fixtures ahead, this might be a testing period for the Hammers boss. West Ham United now host Tottenham at the London Stadium, and a win in this one would further improve their confidence levels on all fronts.
Meanwhile, Thomas Frank’s exceptional start as the Tottenham manager was derailed by a well-drilled Bournemouth outfit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the international break. In their opening two games, Spurs managed to see off Burnley, and they put in a terrific display away at the Etihad while proving to be Manchester City’s bogey side once again.
That result against Manchester City brought about talks of an early title challenge for Frank’s team, but the Bournemouth defeat has possibly given them a reality check of sorts. However, Spurs now make the short trip to the London Stadium to take on an under-pressure West Ham side, and a big result could put their recent disappointing result behind them for good.
Frank will now enter a new realm in his management as he will taste UEFA Champions League football next week, with a home clash against Villarreal. Hence, winning games like this one against West Ham will be imperative for their league form, as all eyes will be on Tottenham and how they fare in a crunch period.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
Niclas Fullkrug picked up a calf strain while representing Germany, so his fitness will be assessed before the Spurs clash. West Ham United re-signed Lukasz Fabianski to have goalkeeping cover following the form of summer arrival Mads Hermansen, although the latter is widely expected to start in goal.
Meanwhile, there are some more injury concerns, such as Luis Guilherme and George Earthy. There is a chance Graham Potter goes with a similar team that defeated Nottingham Forest the last time out, with Lucas Paqueta staying put on deadline day, another big boost for the Hammers.
The Brazilian will likely feature on the left side of the attacking third, with Mateus Fernandes operating centrally, while Callum Wilson could lead the line for West Ham against Tottenham. Jarrod Bowen will operate from his right wing position, while Potter will prefer the midfield setup of James Ward-Prowse and Tomas Soucek.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Killman, Diouf; Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Bowen, Fernandes, Paqueta; Wilson
Tottenham
There has been a new arrival in North London in the form of Xavi Simons, and Thomas Frank will find ways to get the Dutchman into the starting lineup for this clash. Injury-wise, Spurs have a rather long list, with Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and new arrival Kota Takai all out of contention.
There are some lingering doubts about Yves Bissouma, mostly due to his relationship with Frank as well as striker Dominic Solanke. The latter may yet sit on the bench as Richarlison’s form makes it difficult to drop the Brazilian striker.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha will marshal the midfield, while Pape Matar Sarr will continue in that advanced role he has excelled this season under Frank. Simons will start on the left, with Mohammed Kudus on the right, as Richarlison completes the front three for Spurs.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Palhinha; Kudus, Sarr, Simons; Richarlison
Key Stats
West Ham United have drawn their last three home matches against Tottenham in all competitions.
West Ham United have only one win over Tottenham in their last 8 meetings.
Tottenham have only won twice on their travels in the Premier League in 2025.
Tottenham Hotspur are winless in their last five trips to West Ham United.
Jarrod Bowen has had a hand in nine Premier League goals in his last nine appearances (6 goals, 3 assists). Since his first appearance under Graham Potter in early February, only Mohamed Salah (15) has scored and assisted more goals than Bowen (9 goals, 4 assists) in the Premier League.
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Xavi Simons
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The Dutchman arrived in North London with a glowing reputation following his stellar career so far at different clubs. There were many other important suitors, but given the timing of the window and the circumstances around it. Spurs took advantage and got the player’s signature over the line.
Now, it is a big test for a player like Simons to come into this Tottenham Hotspur side and perform at the highest levels. The pressure here will be like nothing he has experienced so far, as fans will want a glimpse of his talents on the field.
Prediction
West Ham United 1-3 Tottenham
West Ham may have secured a stellar win over Nottingham Forest the last time out, but some glaring problems still exist on Graham Potter’s side, which the window could not solve. Whether they are building differently under Potter remains to be seen, as their performance against Tottenham will be a big test.
Spurs may have had a small stumble against Bournemouth, but they are a well-drilled side under Frank, and they could return to winning ways. There is an argument that they are in the title race, and now, they have a chance to make their presence felt with a huge victory in the London Derby.
Tottenham are the favourites to take three points, although they could concede an odd goal at the London Stadium. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Thomas Frank and his charges.