Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: Match Preview, Latest Team News and Score Prediction | OneFootball

Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United

The stakes feel heavy for a fixture that, on paper, might once have looked routine. When Tottenham Hotspur welcome West Ham United to north London, both clubs arrive with pressure simmering rather than boiling, yet threatening to spill over.

Tottenham come into this Premier League meeting still bruised by an early FA Cup exit and drifting in 14th place. The mood around the club has darkened since September’s emphatic 3-0 win at the London Stadium. That afternoon now feels like a snapshot from a different season, before injuries mounted and before questions began to circle around Thomas Frank’s suitability for a rebuild that looks increasingly complex.

West Ham, meanwhile, are not simply glancing over their shoulders. They are staring directly at the drop zone. Failure to win here could leave them ten points from safety, a margin that tends to harden anxiety into panic.

Context shaping this London derby

Frank has at least the comfort of a points cushion over the Hammers, but that offers little insulation if home form continues to falter. Spurs have won only four of their last 24 Premier League games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, numbers that tell a story of fragility rather than fortress.

Across the technical area, Nuno Espirito Santo already carries the label of West Ham’s second manager of the 2025-26 campaign. Another defeat would inevitably turn up the volume on the discontent. This fixture, then, sits in that uncomfortable middle ground where neither side can afford a misstep, yet neither looks convincing enough to control events with authority.

Photo IMAGO

Team news and tactical notes

Tottenham may hand Conor Gallagher an immediate debut following his £34million move from Atletico Madrid, a signing that hints at a desire for greater intensity in midfield. Richarlison remains a concern after his early withdrawal against Aston Villa with a hamstring issue, leaving Randal Kolo Muani or Dominic Solanke as alternatives up front.

There is more stability at the back, with Cristian Romero returning from suspension to partner Micky Van de Ven, while Pedro Porro continues on the right. Destiny Udogie’s fitness is being managed, which could again open the door for Ben Davies or Djed Spence.

West Ham travel with their own uncertainties. Konstantinos Mavropanos is expected to miss out after a neck injury, likely pushing Max Kilman into the starting side alongside Jean-Clair Todibo. Further forward, Taty Castellanos has made an immediate impact since arriving from Lazio, and Crysencio Summerville’s sharp display in the FA Cup suggests he should start as he looks for a first league goal of the season.

Prediction and likely outcome

Form points to a nervy contest. Spurs have just one win from their last five matches in all competitions, West Ham the same. Yet the broader trends lean towards the hosts. West Ham are winless in ten league games and have lost all six of their Premier League London derbies this season. They have also taken only one win from their last eight league meetings with Tottenham.

Quality, rather than cohesion, may decide this. Gallagher’s arrival adds legs to a stretched midfield, and Romero’s return should steady a defence that has looked unsure without him. It may not resemble September’s one sided affair, but Tottenham should find a way.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur to win 2-1.