Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
In the first two rounds the results for the two teams were poles apart, but on the final weekend before the international break West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur ended up level in the standings. There is no clear favourite or underdog in their head-to-head.
West Ham United
The first managerial departure was widely linked to West Ham United, but Nottingham Forest beat them to it. Graham Potter remains in charge, largely thanks to a surprise 3:0 win over Nottingham Forest. For three quarters of that game the team did nothing remarkable; the hosts were wasteful — 11 shots with only three on target. West Ham United opened the floodgates only on 84 minutes, when the goals started to flow. Can all those missteps be put down to bad luck? We would not say so. A combined six conceded against Sunderland in the Premier League (0:3) and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup (2:3) hints at defensive issues.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur unexpectedly lost at home to AFC Bournemouth (0:1) while coming into the round in the top three. Bournemouth caused chaos in the penalty area, and Guglielmo Vicario had to work hard to keep the score down. It was a strange off-day in attack for Tottenham Hotspur — 0.19-1.59 in xG. Tottenham Hotspur have sometimes struggled with the final ball against AFC Bournemouth, but right at the transfer deadline they signed top playmaker Xavi Simons, so the chances should come.
West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur Prediction
Against a back line like the one they face in this London derby, those chances should certainly arrive. Last season both teams scored in both meetings — (1:1) and (4:1) to Tottenham Hotspur. We expect the Total Over here.
