This London derby is usually a tense affair, with both clubs under immense pressure. Tottenham sit 14th in the Premier League, while West Ham are 18th and very deep in relegation trouble. Both managers, Frank for Spurs and Nuno for West Ham are under scrutiny, and defeat could have serious consequences for either side’s future, although Tottenham are not as deep in the mire as we are. Historically, Tottenham have the edge in this fixture, but both teams are struggling for form and confidence.
Tottenham are winless in 2026, with only one win in their last seven games. Their home form is poor, with just two wins in their last ten league matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They were recently knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa. West Ham are winless for even longer, in our last ten Premier League matches in fact, where six have been lost and four drawn. We are seven points adrift of safety, an almost but not yet impossible position. We cannot afford to fall any further behind and need to start closing the gap on teams above us quickly if we are to have any hope of avoiding the drop. Our only recent win came in extra time against QPR in the FA Cup. Defensive frailties are a major concern, with no clean sheets in 19 matches.
Tottenham will be without Richarlison (hamstring), Kudus (thigh), Kulusevski (knee), Maddison (ACL), Bentancur (hamstring), and Sarr (AFCON). Bergvall is also a doubt. New signing Conor Gallagher is available and could debut, Romero returns from suspension. And both Solanke and Udogie are back in the squad.
West Ham will be without Mavropanos (neck), and Diouf (AFCON). Paqueta is doubtful (back, and supposedly unsettled anyway, did I read correctly that he has only provided one assist in the last two seasons?), and Fernandes (don’t think I’ve read why). Wan-Bissaka returns from AFCON and is likely to start at right-back. Kilman will probably partner Todibo in central defence?
Tottenham have struggled to score and win at home, but (I hate to say it) have a slight edge in quality and squad depth. Six of their seven league wins have come with a clean sheet. Their defensive record is shaky, but the return of Romero could help.
Our defensive issues are glaring, especially from set pieces (most goals conceded from corners in the league, a fact that we constantly are reminded of with every corner we concede when shown on TV). We have lost all six London derbies this season and have not won away in 11 games. However, clutching at straws, Nuno has a good personal record at Spurs’ ground from previous roles.
Most experts predict a narrow Tottenham win (2-1 is a common scoreline), but a draw is also seen as plausible given both teams’ struggles. This is really based on Tottenham’s home advantage, West Ham’s defensive woes, and the psychological pressure on both managers.
There is a real sense of crisis and frustration for the fans of both clubs, but more so for us as relegation is now an odds-on probability. I can’t remember where I read of the fixture being described as “The Underachievers Derby,” but it is very true with both sets of fans desperate for a positive result but realistic about the limitations of the teams this season. There’s also the continued speculation about managerial changes and the need for squad rebuilds at both clubs. How long have we needed a squad rebuild at West Ham?
In summary we head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium desperate to halt a winless Premier League run and close the gap on safety. With defensive frailties exposed and relegation looming, the pressure is mounting on Nuno and the squad. Injuries and absences have left the team stretched, but the return of key players may offer a glimmer of hope, especially as Tottenham are missing some key players. Despite a poor record in London derbies and away matches, we know that tightening up at the back and showing resilience could make a difference in this high-stakes clash. All of us as fans are craving a turnaround, but realism tempers expectations as we fight for survival against fellow underachievers. But unless we start to close the gap soon relegation will become an inevitability well before the end of the season, and this is the type of game where we must pick up something if we are to stand any chance of playing in the Premier League next season. It’s looking pretty hopeless isn’t it, but I try to be as optimistic as I can.
Under The Hammers 
To give Nuno a grain of credit, he has made obvious improvements in defending at set pieces when compared to Potter, even if the overall defensive record remains poor. I know the commentators continue to repeat the stats ad nauseam but there is nuance. I believe that half of the set piece goals conceded this season were in the handful of games (four, I think) where the hapless Mads was in goal.
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