West Ham – Tottenham Hotspur
Mohammed Kudus returns to London Stadium as a Tottenham player for the first time since his controversial £55 million transfer in the summer, where a heated derby will take place on Saturday evening. The first direct transfer between the two clubs since January 2011 caused a stir after a Tottenham video featured the line: “I only wanted Spurs.” West Ham has even banned half-and-half scarves for this match and introduced additional security measures. The Hammers welcome their rivals in 16th place in the table with only three points, while Spurs are in 4th place with six points. Graham Potter is under massive pressure as West Ham manager after only six wins in 23 games, especially after the recent 0-1 defeat to Bournemouth. Thomas Frank’s Tottenham, on the other hand, gained confidence with a 3-0 away win at Nottingham Forest. The last meeting in May ended 1-1, with both teams scoring and conceding in each of their last five encounters, which suggests goals at both ends this time around.
- Venue: London Stadium, London
- Date and time: 09/13/2025, 6:30 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 4)
West Ham form & record check
West Ham are going through a difficult phase and are in 16th place in the table with only three points after three league matchdays. The only ray of hope came in a convincing 3-0 away win against Nottingham Forest at the end of August, when Bowen, Paquetá (penalty) and Wilson led the Hammers to an important victory. However, the previous defeats against Sunderland (0-3) and Chelsea (1-5) revealed the structural problems under Graham Potter. The debacle against Chelsea at London Stadium was a particular shock for the fans. Defensive vulnerability has been a recurring theme in all of their matches, with West Ham failing to keep a clean sheet in the first half in their last five games. After the break, the team shows significantly more attacking intent, with four of five games ending with more than 1.5 goals in the second half. These patterns suggest tactical adjustments at half-time, but they cannot hide the fundamental weaknesses. With Summerville, Luis Guilherme, and Füllkrug, three important offensive players are out. Summerville could possibly return in time for the Tottenham game, but the return of the other two players remains uncertain. The pressure on Potter is growing noticeably. Reports of possible talks with Frank Lampard as his successor show that the club’s management is already considering alternatives. Fans are already planning protests against the club’s management, further fueling the tense atmosphere around London Stadium.
West Ham are expected to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, even though Graham Potter has some personnel concerns. The absences weigh heavily: Summerville is still out until mid-September with thigh problems, while Füllkrug and Luis Guilherme are also unavailable. Hermansen is expected to start in goal, with a back four of Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, and Diouf, and the central duo of Souček and Ward-Prowse. The attacking trio could consist of Bowen, Paquetá, and the young Fernandes, while Wilson, as the only available striker, is likely to take the front position. However, this lineup is only an assessment of the possible team lineup.
Tottenham Form & Record Check
After three league games, Spurs are tied for fourth place in the table with six points, level on points with Arsenal above them and Everton below them. A respectable start, but one that reveals some notable patterns on closer inspection. Thomas Frank’s team has two completely different faces. While the first half is regularly a Spurs show, they noticeably collapse after the break. In four of their last five games, they led at halftime only to falter in the second half. The recent 0-1 home defeat to Bournemouth was symptomatic of this problem. Despite falling behind early on to Evanilson’s goal after five minutes, Spurs dominated for long periods but failed to convert their chances. The substitutions of Palhinha and Johnson did not bring about the hoped-for turnaround. On the positive side, however, was the surprise 2-0 win at Manchester City, which showed flashes of this team’s quality. The 3-0 opening win against Burnley underlined the strength of the attack, with Richarlison and Johnson as goal scorers, while Kudus shines with his assists. However, the personnel situation is causing headaches. Due to Champions League regulations, key players such as Kulusevski, Maddison, and Bissouma are unavailable for Premier League action. Added to this is Scarlett’s absence due to a groin injury. Frank has to get creative, but he has some interesting new signings at his disposal in Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons.
Tottenham are likely to line up in their usual 4-3-3 formation, but with significant personnel restrictions. Several regulars are missing due to ineligibility for the Champions League, including Kulusevski, Maddison, and Bissouma. These absences are forcing coach Thomas Frank to find creative solutions in midfield and attack. In defense, the back four could consist of Porro, Romero, van de Ven, and Udogie. The midfield is likely to feature Bentancur, Palhinha, and Sarr, while Kudus, Richarlison, and Johnson could start up front. New signing Kolo Muani is available as an option off the bench, as is Simons for added creativity.
H2H West Ham – Tottenham Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The recent record between West Ham and Tottenham shows a balanced relationship with two wins for the Hammers, one for the Spurs, and two draws in the last five encounters. The last meeting in May 2025 ended 1-1 at the London Stadium. Both teams have scored and conceded goals in all five games, which suggests open matches. Particularly striking is the series of five games with more than 1.5 goals, which supports the expectation of high-scoring encounters between these London rivals. Tottenham’s only clear victory came in October 2024 with a convincing 4-1 win at home. West Ham, on the other hand, triumphed both away in 2023 and in a friendly match. The two draws show how close the balance of power often is. The first half has also been eventful in most cases, with at least 1.5 goals scored by halftime in four of the five games. This trend could also suggest a fast pace from the start this time around.
Spurs’ impressive accuracy in the first half, where they led four times in a row at the break, comes up against a West Ham defense that has conceded eight goals in their last two home games. The absence of Füllkrug significantly weakens the Hammers’ offense, while Richarlison and Johnson are in scoring mood for the visitors. The markets see Tottenham as clear favorites at 2.1, but our analysis suggests even better value, as West Ham are significantly weakened without Summerville and with a leaky defense. At the same time, West Ham’s consistently high-scoring games this season and Spurs’ consistent scoring rate of 80% in recent games clearly point to “Both teams to score: Yes” at 1.6. However, the derby atmosphere and protests from Hammers fans could also cause nervousness, making the draw at 3.5 a very attractive alternative, especially since four of the last five direct duels were decided by only one goal.
