Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Tottenham’s trip to West Ham, fifth playing seventh, when a victory for the visitors by more than two goals, their first at the London Stadium since the 3-2 victory in 2019 in Jose Mourinho’s debut as Spurs’ manager. That was under Manuel Pellegrini but since then David Moyes has won two and drawn one of three home Premier League games against Tottenham and oversaw the comeback victory last December at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that left Son Heung-min remarking: “It was unacceptable. We were soft.”
West Ham’s surrender of a 3-1 lead at Newcastle on Saturday ended a run of four unbeaten and once again emphasised that they don’t have an alternative centre-forward who can do the attacking and defensive work the 34-year-old Michail Antonio can manage for about an hour of each match. Newcastle harnessed a whirlwind to overwhelm them but there was appalling game management from Moyes’ side to go with the costly individual errors of Messrs Phillips and Coufal. All eyes will be on Phillips on the bench after he disgraced himself by ‘flipping the bird’ at a critical supporter. Fancy a proud son of Wortley lowering himself with such an Americanism. Save it for the Yanks. Please remember we use two fingers here…
Spurs have had a ropey record on the road since Christmas, losing two and drawing two of five having won five of nine before, but absolutely marmalised Aston Villa in a wonderful performance that gave them the initiative in the race for fourth before they collapsed at Fulham. Even so they are on Villa’s coat-tails and could go level on points with eight to play if they win tonight or climb above them on goals scored if they win by two or goal difference if they manage to win by more.
Tottenham are at full strength save for their three long-term absentees – Fraser Forster, Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon – but West Ham lost their first choice Premier League goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola, at Newcastle, the influential Edson Alvarez is still suspended but Nayef Aguerd, who returned from international duty with Morocco under the weather, trained yesterday and should be available.