Premier League football returns from the international break with an intriguing London derby on Saturday lunchtime, as Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham United in the lunchtime kickoff.
The Lilywhites suffered a calamitous capitulation in a 3-2 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion before the hiatus, while the Irons restored a sense of pride by thumping Ipswich Town 4-1.
Match preview
© Imago
Successive win number six was on the cards for Tottenham at the Amex Stadium last weekend, where the red-hot Brennan Johnson and James Maddison propelled the Lilywhites into a two-goal advantage versus Fabian Hurzeler's side, but not even the most pessimistic Spurs supporter could have envisaged the collapse that followed.
Indeed, Yankuba Minteh's response just three minutes into the second half offered Brighton a glimmer of hope, which became more than just a glimmer when Georginio Rutter brought the Seagulls back on level terms, before ex-Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck gave Gooners around the land a good laugh with a heroic winner.
Always one to cut a calm demeanour both before and after matches, Ange Postecoglou did not follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Antonio Conte in his post-game press conference, but it did not take a body language expert to determine that the Australian was apoplectic.
Postecoglou admitted that the South Coast calamity was his worst defeat since becoming manager of Tottenham, who had started to rediscover their golden touch but now reside in an unspectacular ninth place in the Premier League table, already losing three of their seven top-flight matches in 2024-25.
Furthermore, each of Spurs' last seven Premier League home games has seen them win one then lose the next, and with the Lilywhites sinking Brentford 3-1 in their last top-flight match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, those of a superstitious nature may fear the worst on Saturday.
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While Tottenham suffered an embarrassing defeat after a string of successes a fortnight ago, West Ham coincidentally snapped a string of failures with an emphatic thrashing of Ipswich, whose backline was breached by Michail Antonio after just 48 seconds.
The Hammers' earliest Premier League goal on record was cancelled out by Liam Delap just a few moments later, but the Tractor Boys talisman had only triggered a West Ham onslaught, as Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta fired the Irons to their first top-flight win since late August.
There should not have been a more relieved man inside the London Stadium than Julen Lopetegui at the final whistle, as his hitherto under-performing side ended a chastening five-game winless run across all tournaments to move up to 12th in the rankings, just two points behind upcoming opponents Tottenham.
As heavily criticised as West Ham have been this season, the Irons head to North London unbeaten in their last three Premier League away matches - winning one and drawing two of them - all of which have come against fellow teams from the capital in Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was also the site of a 2-1 come-from-behind victory for West Ham in December 2023, but the last time the Hammers won back-to-back away league games against Spurs, England won the World Cup in between both of their triumphs.
Team News
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The news that all Spurs fans were waiting for was delivered on Thursday, as Postecoglou confirmed that Son Heung-min is back in contention after making a full recovery from a thigh injury.
Son is one of three hopefuls for the London derby alongside Richarlison and Lucas Bergvall, who suffered a minor calf injury on Sweden duty but would not have been expected to start on Saturday either way, but Wilson Odobert (hamstring) remains unavailable.
In spite of their atrocious second half at the Amex two weekends ago, Spurs should field a near-identical starting XI, although Timo Werner will almost certainly make way if Son is given the thumbs-up from the medical team.
West Ham's solitary selection concern also lies in attack, as summer signing Niclas Fullkrug is still nursing an Achilles problem and was unavailable to Germany over the international period; Lopetegui has confirmed that he will miss this one too.
The Hammers coach will surely be loath to alter a winning formula, as Antonio endeavours to haunt Tottenham once more; the Jamaica international has scored six times against Spurs, his best record against a single opponent.
Antonio's first-minute strike against Ipswich was assisted by Bowen, who in that game became the first West Ham player to have five shots and create five chances in one Premier League match since Antonio himself in March 2021, against Spurs' North London rivals Arsenal.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio
We say: Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 West Ham United
The first Premier League game back after the international break promises entertainment, as both Spurs and West Ham are forces to be reckoned with in the final third while also possessing defensive weaknesses for the other to exploit.
Another 3-2 involving Postecoglou's side is not beyond the realm of possibility, but on this occasion, we expect a refreshed Spurs to come out on the right end of such a scoreline.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
