Undefeated since the opening day narrow loss to Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur will be feeling incredibly confident as they take on West Ham at home. The home team has pleased the neutrals and their impressive display against Arsenal warranted a win. They had to settle for a draw as fatigue set in eventually. Nevertheless, the North London side has been very impressive this season.
West Ham have also played very well on occasion and surprisingly enough, done even better against tougher opposition than “easier” teams. They have defeated Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool. However, Bilic’s side will be missing Dimitri Payet for a considerable amount of time. The Frenchman has been an absolute sensation and has become a crowd favorite at Upton Park. He will be a major miss for the side and it will be interesting to see how well they can do without the former Marseille attacker.
Team News
Tottenham Hotspur
Nacer Chadli and Alex Pritchard remain on the sidelines. Erik Lamela has done really well this season and has become a crucial player for Pochettino in recent weeks. The Argentinean will miss the game as he has been booked five times this season. The good news for Spurs fans is that Heung-min Son is back and will start in his place. Nabil Bentaleb was subbed off while on international duty with Algeria but the player who only recently returned from injury, should be fit for selection against West Ham. Clinton N’Jie and Mousa Dembele’s participation in this game is doubtful but they could be deemed fit to play after a test closer to kick-off.
West Ham United
Bilic has plenty of absentees, something which will definitely be causing him a fair share of worry before this trip. Dimitri Payet is going to be the biggest miss for the Hammers. The 28-year-old, who has scored five goals and grabbed three assists so far, was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Everton’s James McCarthy, for which the Toffees midfielder has received a lot of social media abuse. Enner Valencia will miss the game while Pedro Obiang and Diafra Sakho remain doubts. James Collins will be missing through suspension. James Tomkins and Winston Reid are likely to be seen in a defensive partnership at the back. West Ham fans will be pleased to hear Alex Song stepped up his training but this match could be a bit too soon for the Cameroonian.
Key men
Dele Alli (Spurs)
The 19-year-old has performed incredibly well for Spurs this season. His good form earned him a call-up to the England team and boy did he justify Roy Hodgson’s decision! Alli scored a belter of a goal against France, which has prompted many to say that England have finally found the answer to their midfield woes. Alli will be in a confident mood for this game and will be key for Spurs.
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United)
The 22-year-old on-loan Argentine will be even more crucial for the Hammers in Payet’s absence. The midfielder has done very well so far, scoring four goals. His good form has earned him some interest from Liverpool. His influence will be significant in West Ham’s quest for three points.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 2 West Ham United 1
Spurs are undefeated in 11 games and are overall in terrific form, so it is slightly difficult to predict an outcome that doesn’t involve a favorable outcome for them. Moreover, West Ham will be missing many key players with Dimitri Payet being their biggest miss. A Spurs win seems more probable in these circumstances.
