Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 3/4
Bookmaker: ZetBet
After their thrilling six-goal encounter with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, Tottenham Hotspur will be back in North London to face their city rivals West Ham United in the upcoming Premier League fixture on Thursday night.
West Ham also head into this match following a draw, having secured a point against Crystal Palace in their previous game, which took place at their home ground last Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham faced doubts about their ability to compete against Manchester City due to numerous injuries, but Ange Postecoglou’s team impressively held their ground and secured a dramatic 3-3 draw last Sunday.
In an eventful match, Son Heung-min surprisingly scored at both ends within the first eight minutes, followed by Phil Foden putting Manchester City ahead. Spurs, however, fought back and leveled the score at 2-2 with a superb strike from Giovani Lo Celso in the 65th minute, marking his second goal in two matches. Although Jack Grealish’s late goal seemed to secure victory for Manchester City, Spurs’ Dejan Kulusevski equalized in the 90th minute, setting the final score. The match ended in controversy with the referee Simon Hooper’s whistle for a foul on Erling Haaland denying Jack Grealish a chance to run through on goal, sparking a heated reaction from the home side.
Postecoglou praised Tottenham’s resilience in the second half, commending their determination to secure a positive result and avoid a fourth consecutive loss. Although Spurs hold the fifth position in the Premier League, they’re just two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. However, there’s a six-point gap between them and the top spot, currently held by North London rivals Arsenal.
Spurs are now gearing up for successive home matches at North London, facing West Ham and sixth-placed Newcastle United within three days. Their aim is to break their recent winless streak at home against West Ham, having lost their last two home games against Chelsea and Aston Villa. Yet, historically, Tottenham hold the advantage over West Ham, winning four of their last five home meetings in all competitions, including the last three with an aggregate score of 7-2.
Team News
Tottenham face an extensive list of injured players, including Rodrigo Bentancur (ankle), James Maddison (ankle), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Pape Matar Sarr (muscle), Manor Solomon (knee), Ivan Perisic (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Ashley Phillips (ankle), and Alfie Whiteman (ankle). Additionally, Eric Dier is uncertain for selection due to a muscle problem sustained in training, which caused him to miss the match against Manchester City.
However, Spurs will welcome back Cristian Romero after serving a three-match suspension. The Argentinian centre-back is expected to return to the heart of the defence, potentially replacing Emerson Royal.
Postecoglou is unlikely to make significant changes to the starting lineup. Richarlison is available again after coming off the bench against Manchester City, just 24 days following groin surgery. Nevertheless, Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, and Bryan Gil are likely to maintain their positions in the attacking setup.
West Ham
West Ham’s impressive four-game winning streak in various competitions came to a halt after they settled for a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace in their recent home match.
Mohammed Kudus scored West Ham’s opener in the 13th minute, marking his fifth goal for the Hammers. However, Odsonne Edouard leveled the score for Crystal Palace with a 53rd-minute equalizer, seizing an opportunity from a defensive error by Konstantinos Mavropanos.
David Moyes expressed disappointment over Mavropanos’s “terrible” mistake and was frustrated that West Ham couldn’t capitalize on their early lead. Despite this setback, the Hammers hold a respectable ninth position in the Premier League table, trailing three points behind the top seven and six behind their upcoming opponents.
Moyes’ team will reflect on their memorable 1-0 victory at Spurs in April 2019, when Michail Antonio’s goal secured their first-ever win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, their subsequent four visits to Tottenham ended without a win, including three defeats.
West Ham have struggled in recent London derbies, losing nine out of their last ten such matches in the Premier League. Their lone exception during this run was a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham in April. This record includes a 2-0 loss against Tottenham in February, emphasizing the challenge West Ham face on Thursday.
Team News
Antonio remains sidelined due to an ongoing recovery from a knee injury, while uncertainty surrounds defender Kurt Zouma’s availability following a recent robbery at his family home, resulting in valuables worth over £100,000 being stolen. The incident led to Zouma missing the match against Crystal Palace.
West Ham received a boost with the return of key forward Jarrod Bowen against Crystal Palace. Bowen, who has netted goals in all six of his Premier League away appearances this season, is expected to lead the attacking line in Antonio’s absence. Supporting him in the attacking setup is likely to be the trio of Mohammed Kudus, Tomas Soucek, and Lucas Paqueta.
If Zouma is unable to play, former Arsenal player Mavropanos might retain his spot in central defense alongside Nayef Aguerd. Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse are expected to continue operating in the midfield.
Conclusion
Given the fact that the last five Spurs games featured at least three goals each and West Ham’s track record of scoring in 10 of their last 11 meetings against Spurs, an expectation for goals is reasonable for Thursday night’s match.
Tottenham showcased their ability to compete at a high level against Manchester City despite their extensive injury list. While West Ham is a formidable opponent, Spurs, playing at home, should be capable of outscoring their rivals and securing a victory, which would be their first since October 27.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 3/4
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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