- Tottenham has not conceded in PL in 438 minutes
- West Ham won at home last year 1-0
- Hammers have not scored in 223 PL minutes
It’s crazy to say that Spurs, after nine wins in a row, has to win a game. Nevertheless, that is the current situation. With Chelsea’s soft schedule down the stretch and a four point gap at the top of the table, Tottenham likely has to win out the season to have a shot at the title. Dropped points on Friday (Watch live at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com) - or anywhere else, for that matter, likely ends the race altogether.
So, here we sit, with Spurs needing a win at a place they lost last season. Travel is light, having played a home London derby last week and now playing another on the road. Mauricio Pochettino will likely have Danny Rose and Kyle Walker to choose from, with the former out since the end of January.
The Hammers, meanwhile, seem to have turned their misfortunes around somewhat as they sit unbeaten in four, but a closer inspection reveals all may not be well. A pair of 0-0 draws against Everton and struggling Stoke earned two points, they failed to beat the bottom team, and pipped Swansea by a single goal.
West Ham has struggled with injuries all season long, and that’s no different here, as Andy Carroll and Arthur Makuatsu are doubts, while Michail Antonio is out for sure. Slaven Bilic will have Manuel Lanzini at his disposal, a big boost as eight of his 13 goals this Premier League season have come within the confines of the English capital.
What they’re saying
Slaven Bilic on his job security: “It is not about individuals, it is about the club. I am calm and totally focused on the game. The only thing I am thinking about is the match against Spurs. This is a big match anyway,” Bilic said. “It is a derby, whether you need the points or not; it’s a derby game against Spurs at our stadium. They need points, we need points, so it is a massive game for us and a massive game for them.”
Mauricio Pochettino on West Ham stadium: “I have a very good relationship with [Bilic] and he is a great guy as well as a very good manager. It is always difficult when you move stadiums and you saw that with us and Wembley — we tried to make Wembley our home but it is just so difficult. So I think he is doing a really good job and it will be good to see him on Friday.”
Prediction
Sure, West Ham would like to secure its mathematical safety, but Tottenham needs the points here far more. Mauricio Pochettino is one of the best at preparing his teams for a particular challenge, and he will do that here. Spurs wins comfortably 2-0 against a Hammers side struggling for every single point.