Tottenham hosts West Ham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Spurs surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Brighton in their last outing after five successive wins. The Hammers eased early pressure on coach Julen Lopetegui with a 4-1 win over Ipswich before the international break.
Tottenham Form
After five losses in their final seven league matches last season, defeats in rounds three and four this season raised doubts about Ange Postecoglou. They were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle despite having 20 shots, followed by a 1-0 home loss to Arsenal. However, Spurs responded with five consecutive wins, starting with a 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Coventry, and a 3-1 home league win against Brentford, with 3.52 xG.
A 3-0 win over Qarabag in the Europa League was followed by an impressive performance at Old Trafford, where Spurs won 3-0 against Manchester United, producing 4.59 xG and creating nine big chances. After a 2-1 win at Ferencvaros in the Europa League, they suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Brighton, despite leading 2-0, due to a second-half collapse.
Tottenham Team News
Richarlison is ruled out for this match. Wilson Odobert, Heung-Min Son, and young midfielder Lucas Bergvall will require late fitness tests due to various injuries.
Timo Werner is on standby to cover for Son, while Dejan Kulusevski is expected to play as a number ten, with James Maddison playing in a deeper role.
Tottenham Motivation
Ange Postecoglou is unlikely to change his attacking style for this match (or any match). Expect Spurs to push bodies forward in attack.
They will welcome an open game, taking advantage of the gaps in West Ham’s slow midfield.
West Ham Form
West Ham won just two of their final 11 matches last season. This season began with a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa and a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace. A 1-0 home win over Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup was followed by a tough run of results. They lost 3-1 at home to Manchester City and scraped a 1-1 draw against Fulham despite allowing 21 shots.
A 3-0 home loss to Chelsea was a poor showing, and they were humbled 5-1 by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. The Hammers have bounced back since, earning a 1-1 draw at Brentford and cruising to a 4-1 home win against Ipswich, where they registered 23 shots, nine big chances, and 3.79 xG.
West Ham Team News
Coach Julen Lopetegui hopes to have striker Niclas Füllkrug available after a calf injury. The squad is free from suspensions or other major injuries.
Carlos Soler and Edson Álvarez are expected to start on the bench, while Jean-Clair Todibo will likely retain his place in central defense over Konstantinos Mavropanos.
West Ham Motivation
West Ham has adopted an open playing style this season, which could leave plenty of space for Spurs to exploit.
While a draw would be a good result, the Hammers aren’t likely to play defensively to secure a point.
Key Stats
Tottenham has won 5 of their last 6 matches in all competitions.
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson has scored in his last 6 matches.
Spurs have won 11 of their last 15 home league matches, scoring 34 goals.
West Ham has lost 8 of their last 16 EPL matches.
West Ham has seen both teams score (BTTS) in 11 of their last 15 league matches.
Verdict
This should be an exciting match with goals from both sides. Spurs’ pace in attack should be enough to overcome West Ham’s slow midfield.
Best Bet: Tottenham win and Over 2.5 goals at 1.86
Alternate Bet: Tottenham win and both teams to score at 2.50
Goalscorer Tip: Brennan Johnson to score anytime at 2.45