West Ham United proceed their 2020/21 Premier League marketing campaign with a London derby at dwelling to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday at 12noon.
The Hammers welcome their near-neighbours to London Stadium searching for to consolidate their place within the high 5 following Monday’s 3-0 dwelling win over Sheffield United..
The Irons have misplaced simply one in every of their earlier ten top-flight matches heading into this fixture, and have gained six of their final eight to climb into the race for European qualification.
Tottenham, in the meantime, have dropped from the highest of the standings in November to their present place of ninth forward of the weekend, having misplaced 4 of their final 5 Premier League video games. Nonetheless, a 4-1 UEFA Europa League Spherical of 32 first leg win over Wolfsberger of Austria in Budapest on Thursday night can have given Jose Mourinho’s squad a lift.
The reverse fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again on 18 October was an unforgettable one, as Spurs raced right into a 3-0 lead inside 16 minutes, then conceded 3 times within the final eight minutes of the second half to attract 3-3, climaxing in Manuel Lanzini’s inch-perfect last-minute equaliser.
With England now again below a nationwide lockdown as a result of ongoing pandemic, this implies the sport might be performed with out supporters current. Nonetheless, the match might be proven dwell within the UK by Sky Sports activities, that means our followers will be capable of observe the motion, safely, from dwelling.
You possibly can learn your free 116-page digital problem of the Official Programme for Sunday’s sport on-line forward of the sport. Alternatively, order your print copy right here!
Crew information
West Ham United supervisor David Moyes will certainly be with out Angelo Ogbonna (excessive ankle sprain) and long-term absentee Arthur Masuaku (knee).
Nonetheless, Michail Antonio (fatigue) and Andriy Yarmolenko (knee) might be accessible, whereas Fabián Balbuena (calf pressure) faces a race to be match to face the Spurs facet he scored towards in October.
Hypothesis is rising that Jose Mourinho could hand Gareth Bale a Premier League begin on Sunday after he impressed towards Wolfsberger on Thursday night with a aim and an help.
Harry Kane missed that tie as a precaution after lately getting back from an ankle harm however must be match to play at London Stadium.
Full-backs Sergio Reguilon and Serge Aurier might return from harm, however attacking midfielder Giovani Lo Celso (thigh) is unlikely to function.
The opposition – Tottenham Hotspur
On 13 December, Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace to go high of the Premier League.
With 25 factors from 12 matches and a league-best +14 aim distinction, it appeared Spurs had been on the right track to mount a sustained problem for his or her first title in 60 years – and simply the third of their 139-year historical past.
Within the two months and eleven matches since then, nevertheless, that title problem has not a lot slowed, however derailed, with Spurs attaining simply three wins and struggling six defeats to slide to ninth within the desk.
An Emirates FA Cup fifth-round defeat at Everton implies that, relatively than the 4 trophies Tottenham had been within the hunt for as 2021 dawned, simply the Carabao Cup, the place they face Manchester Metropolis within the remaining in April, and UEFA Europa League, the place they’ve reached the Spherical of 32, stay.
So, what has gone mistaken for José Mourinho’s squad? There are a selection of things that might be at play.
First, Tottenham could merely be bodily and mentally drained. After lengthy, draining 2018/19 and 2019/21 seasons and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Spurs have performed 39 matches since kicking-off their 2020/21 marketing campaign with a 1-0 dwelling Premier League defeat by Everton on 13 September – a mean of a comparatively gruelling eight matches per thirty days.
Tottenham have additionally misplaced key gamers to accidents at varied factors of the season, together with centre-back Toby Alderweireld, attacking midfielder Giovani Lo Celso and centre-forward Harry Kane.
Former hero and one-time West Ham nemesis Gareth Bale has not but found his high kind since returning on mortgage from Actual Madrid, whereas England worldwide Dele Alli and full-backs Serge Aurier and Danny Rose have fallen out of favour.
It could all come again collectively as rapidly because it did earlier than Christmas, when Spurs gained 5-2 at Southampton and 6-1 at Manchester United, then beat Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal to go high.
Tottenham are nonetheless in two cup competitions and, in fact, the 12 months ends in a single…
How will they play?
On paper, Spurs’ assault is a balanced as soon as, with precisely 36% of their raids coming down every flank, however they spend extra time in their very own third of the pitch than the attacking third – 30% to 24%.
That’s as a result of José Mourinho has employed a counter-attacking model that cedes possession and territory to the opposition and depends on the tempo of the likes of Heung-min Son and the medical ending of Harry Kane to get the job carried out.
That method labored earlier this season, regardless of Tottenham creating simply 10.8 pictures per sport – thirteenth highest – however the thinner margin of error means much less targets and extra defensive errors have led to a marked downturn in outcomes.
Earlier conferences
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur have met 49 occasions within the Premier League, with Spurs successful 24 to the Hammers’ 15, with ten attracts.
At this time, Spurs develop into the Hammers’ second opponent to succeed in 50 Premier League conferences after Liverpool, who visited London Stadium on the finish of January.
The Irons did develop into the primary visiting workforce to win at Tottenham’s new stadium when Michail Antonio (pictured) netted the one aim of the sport in April 2019. Antonio has scored 4 targets in 9 appearances for West Ham towards Spurs.
West Ham have twice crushed Tottenham by a three-goal margin within the Premier League – a 4-1 victory in April 1994 and a 3-0 win in October 2013 – with each victories coming away from dwelling in north London.
The Irons have twice crushed Spurs 2-0 in dwelling Premier League conferences, in March 2003 and Could 2014.
David Moyes has confronted Tottenham on no fewer than 30 events as a supervisor, successful seven, drawing ten and shedding 13.
By the numbers
9 West Ham United’s main scorer in aggressive fixtures towards Tottenham Hotspur is Johnny Byrne. ‘Budgie’ netted 9 occasions in simply 9 Division One appearances towards Spurs, regardless of not discovering the web in any of his first three! After firing three blanks, Byrne hit one in a 4-0 dwelling win in February 1964, then a hat-trick in a 3-2 victory on the Boleyn Floor in September of the identical 12 months. After discovering the web in a 3-2 defeat at White Hart Lane in January 1965, he was heading in the right direction in a 4-1 away win and acquired each in a 2-0 dwelling success in April 1966. And in November 1966, Byrne made it six video games in a row with at the very least one aim towards Tottenham with one in a 4-3 win in north London.
4 Byrne is one in every of 5 gamers to have scored senior hat-tricks towards Tottenham, with the others being Arthur Winterhalder in a 4-2 dwelling Southern League Division One win in December 1906, Vic Watson in an FA Cup third spherical win on the Boleyn Floor in January 1927, John Dick in a 3-3 FA Cup sixth spherical draw at White Hart Lane in March 1956 and David Cross, who acquired all 4 in a 4-0 First Division away win on 2 September 1981.
1 Amazingly, only one participant – Tony Cottee (pictured) – has scored on his West Ham United debut towards Tottenham Hotspur. Cottee was simply 17 when he headed in throughout a 3-0 Division One win on the Boleyn Floor on New Yr’s Day 1983. Cottee went on to attain 5 targets towards Spurs for the Hammers.
2011 Ryan Fredericks made his Tottenham Hotspur debut alongside Harry Kane in a UEFA Europa League draw with Scottish facet Coronary heart of Midlothian at White Hart Lane on 25 August 2011. Fredericks, who performed on the precise wing that evening, went on to make 4 first-team appearances for Spurs earlier than transferring to Bristol Metropolis in 2015.
1 Only one man managed each golf equipment on a everlasting foundation. Plaistow-born Harry Redknapp performed for West Ham as a winger in the course of the late Sixties and early Nineteen Seventies earlier than embarking on a profitable administration profession. He arrived at Tottenham in 2008 and led Spurs into the UEFA Champions League, whereas keen Premier League Supervisor of the Yr honours in 2010. He departed in 2012. West Ham participant Jack Tresadern, who was capped by England, began the 1923 FA Cup remaining and helped the Hammers acquire election to the Soccer League in 1919, went on to handle Spurs between 1935-38 earlier than leaving for Plymouth Argyle.
47 The next 47 gamers have been on the books of each West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur: Clive Allen, Paul Allen, Leslie Bennett, David Bentley, Mark Bowen, Christopher Carrick, Michael Carrick, Calum Davenport, Jermain Defoe, Ilie Dumitrescu, Dave Dunmore, Matthew Etherington, Les Ferdinand, George Foreman, Ryan Fredericks, Jimmy Greaves, Frederick Griffiths, Almer Corridor, Joe Hart, Chris Hughton, Invoice Joyce, Willian Kaine, Frederick Kanoute, Robbie Keane, Paul Konchesky, Percy Mapley, Frederick Massey, Kenny McKay, Mido, Frederick Milnes, John Moncur, Jimmy Neighbour, Scott Parker, Tony Parks, Martin Peters, Sergei Rebrov, Mark Robson, Neil Ruddock, Peter Shearing, Teddy Sheringham, John Smith, Mauricio Taricco, Mitchell Thomas, Jimmy Walker, Simon Webster, Steve Walford and Bobby Zamora.
Ambition, Aspire, Obtain
At Sunday’s sport, we might be highlighting the work of our Official Charity Associate, Ambition, Aspire, Obtain (AAA).
AAA are primarily based only a stone’s throw from the London Stadium, in Hermit Recreation Floor E16 4JT, the place West Ham United performed their first ever matches as Thames Ironworks FC.
AAA’s work focuses on supporting kids and younger people who find themselves experiencing drawback and poverty, to beat their a number of difficulties and observe optimistic pathways ahead to attaining their full potential.
They’re making a distinction and altering the lives of over 800 kids yearly and we’re happy to be dedicating the Tottenham Hotspur fixture to serving to them elevate consciousness.
If you want to study extra about Ambition, Aspire, Obtain and how one can assist them to proceed to make a distinction, head to their web site at www.theaaazone.com or contact AAA’s Founder (and Season Ticket Holder) Kevin Jenkins OBE at [email protected].
Match officers
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistant Referees: Harry Lennard and Richard West
Fourth Official: Graham Scott
VAR: Darren England
Assistant VAR: Andrew Halliday
Craig Pawson takes cost of a West Ham United fixture for the primary time within the 2020/21 season, and the primary time at London Stadium for the reason that 8-0 EFL Cup win over Macclesfield City in August 2018.
The 41-year-old was born in Sheffield and is affiliated to the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Soccer Affiliation.
After beginning his profession as a 14-year-old in his native South Yorkshire, Pawson kicked-off his Soccer League profession as an assistant referee earlier than being promoted to the Soccer League referee’s checklist on a everlasting foundation in 2008.
He took cost of the 2012 League Two Play-Off remaining between Crewe Alexandra and Cheltenham City earlier than being appointed to the Choose Group of Premier League officers the next 12 months.
In 2015, he was added to the FIFA Worldwide Referees Record and he has since refereed a bunch of UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches.
Pawson has refereed West Ham United on 16 events, the primary of which was a 1-1 Championship draw at Bristol Metropolis in April 2012.
He additionally took cost of the Hammers’ 2-0 Premier League defeat at at the moment’s opponents Tottenham Hotspur in north London in June final 12 months.
