West Ham United F.C.

Julen Lopetegui has named an unchanged West Ham United team for Saturday’s Premier League derby at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Head Coach has kept the faith in the same starting XI that faced Ipswich Town before the international break and recorded our first home win of the campaign, and will now hope to build on that momentum as they make the short trip north to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Undefeated away from home in the Premier League this season, Lopetegui’s charges will be focused on claiming a third top-flight victory of 2024/25 and evoke the spirit of the victory in N17 in December 2023, when Jarrod Bowen’s 50th goal for the Club and James Ward-Prowse’s low finish saw the Irons come from a goal down to defeat Spurs 2-1.

The hosts’ start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign to date is the club's worst since the 2008/09 season, having picked up just ten points after seven games. Defeats by Newcastle United and rivals Arsenal, as well as a 3-2 loss away at Brighton & Hove Albion after being 2-0 up at half-time last time out, have raised question-marks again.

Lopetegui sticks with a back four, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Maximilian Kilman and Emerson tasked with stopping the visitors.

In front of them, Argentina international Guido Rodríguez maintains his ever-present record in Lopetegui’s Premier League lineup.

The Argentinean will have Tomáš Souček and Lucas Paquetá in a double pivot in front of him. The Czech, who has mastered the art of scoring in big moments, stepped up to be the West Ham hero for the second time this season in the 1-1 draw at Brentford, and will hoping for another landmark goal in Claret and Blue on his 167th Premier League appearance.

Elsewhere, captain Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus will operate on either flank. The Ghanaian notched his first of the Premier League season against the Tractor Boys and will want to add further goals to his tally.

Michail Antonio is synonymous with leading the West Ham line this season. The Irons’ record Premier League goalscorer became the first player to reach 100 direct Premier League goal involvements at Brentford, before chalking up his first goal of the season against Ipswich.

Midfielder Edson Álvarez could make his 50th appearance in Claret and Blue off the substitutes' bench.

Alongside Álvarez on the bench will be goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański, defenders Aaron Cresswell, Vladimír Coufal and Dinos Mavropanos, midfielders Carlos Soler and Luis Guilherme and forwards Crysencio Summerville and Danny Ings.

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van der Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Maddison, Johnson, Son ©, Kulusevski, Solanke

Subs: Forster (GK), Spence, Dragusin, Moore, Bissouma, Sarr, Gray, Bergvall, Werner

West Ham United: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Rodríguez, Paquetá, Souček, Bowen ©, Kudus, Antonio

Subs: Fabiański (GK), Cresswell, Coufal, Mavropanos, Álvarez, Soler, Luis Guilherme, Summerville, Ings

Referee: Andy Madley

West Ham United U18s v Tottenham Hotspur U18s

U18 Premier League South, Little Heath, Saturday 18 October 2024, 11am BST

West Ham United U18s return to action following the international break by hosting rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Little Heath.

It has been three weeks since our Under-18s last took to the pitch, in a narrow defeat to Chelsea, but the team back in action for their first match in October with an Under-18 Premier League fixture on Saturday and are seeking our first win of the season.

Despite the Hammers being unbeaten in their last three fixtures on the road, having drawn all three, they have lost each of their last two home games, each by a margin of a single goal. Lauris Coggin’s young Hammers will be eager to secure that elusive first three-point haul of the season that their performances have merited.

How To Follow…

After the final whistle, read a full match report on whufc.com, along with exclusive interviews featuring one of our rising stars, plus highlights of all the action.

Opposition…

Tottenham have started the season in fine form with three wins and two draws, which sees them third in U18 Premier League South.

In their six games, they’ve scored 17 goals but conceded twelve. Their opening two games have seen them put on emphatic showings with a 6-4 victory over Crystal Palace in a ten-goal thriller before a 5-1 win away at Fulham.

The sides last in May, with Spurs coming out as 3-2 winners, and the Irons will be looking for revenge on Saturday morning.

Ones to watch...

Two young Hammers were away on international duty over the past fortnight, with both enjoying success - including Airidas Golambeckis, who made his England debut for the U18s last month.

U18s captain Preston Fearon, who signed his first professional deal at the Academy of Football's Chadwell Heath Training Ground earlier this month, has been a crucial presence in midfield for Coggin’s side this season.

The Story So Far…

Several unfortunate injuries and commitments from last year’s standout performers with the U21s have meant a bit of a reshuffle coming into the 2024/25 season.

In truth, the U18s have not been rewarded with the results their performances have deserved in recent games. After the narrow 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, lead coach Coggin said that his side are “going to beat someone with a heavy scoreline sooner rather than later with our performances," and he will be targeting all three points on Saturday.

Numerous U16s players have been provided the opportunity to play up the age groups and have taken the step up in their stride. Despite being unbeaten away from home, they only have three points to show for their efforts.

With international break behind them, Coggin’s young Hammers will be eager to register their first victory of 2024/25 at the sixth attempt.

On This Day | Lanzini's late, late strike stuns Spurs

On This Day | Lanzini's late, late strike stuns Spurs

History

Maximilian Kilman hopes West Ham United can pick up where they left off with victory over Ipswich Town by making it back-to-back wins at Tottenham Hotspur, outlining the players' determination to maintain their momentum as the intensity of the fixture schedule ramps up.

Julen Lopetegui’s squad returned to the Rush Green this week following the second international break of 2024/25, with the Hammers’ immediate focus now on the weekend clash with rivals Tottenham.

Kilman has been ever-present at the heart of defence in the early stages of the campaign. In fact, he has started and played 90 minutes of every single Premier League and Carabao Cup match under the Spaniard this season.

With a difficult run of games approaching, which includes taking on top-four hopefuls Tottenham and Manchester United before a trip to Nottingham Forest, Kilman is relishing another big date in Claret and Blue and is aiming for the same outcome as last season’s result in north London.

“We can’t wait for it,” Kilman told whufc.com. “I’ve heard from the players what it means to the Club and the fans. But that is something to enjoy. These are the type of games you want to be involved in. As a player, I love the challenge of these sorts of games, so it is a game that we all have to be excited for.

“There’s a lot of pressure in the games, especially with it being a derby, but this is why we play football, and I feel I thrive under the pressure of performing.”

West Ham’s final outing before the international break was, of course, the commanding 4-1 home win over the Ipswich, which secured Lopetegui’s first home win as manager, while the Irons are undefeated away from home in the Premier League this season.

When asked to sum up the mood around Rush Green, Kilman replied: “I think everyone’s becoming closer as a squad, and there is now a real togetherness. I think I can speak on behalf of the new players when I say that we’ve all felt really welcome.

“It was a dominant win [against Ipswich Town], a really good performance, and it was good to get our first home win of the season. It’s given us a lot of confidence as a team, as players, and to the supporters too.

“A win like that can really help us build momentum. The Premier League is the toughest league in the world, and every team is very competitive whether it’s home or away, so it’s important to try and win as many games as possible and be as consistent as we can.

“There’s been ups and downs throughout the early season, but we’ve got a new manager, a new squad, and it’s going to take time, but we’re in a good position now and are getting stronger each week. We’re in a good position now and have been working really hard, and the understanding [of how the manager wants them to play] is getting there, so it’s a great time to go and play this weekend against Tottenham.”

Kilman says the international break provides players who haven't been selected for their respective countries to recharge the batteries and gives them time to reflect on ways the Hammers can get even better.

The defender spent a couple of days with his girlfriend in Rome, Italy, and just so happened to bump into West Ham team-mate Aaron Cresswell while enjoying the sun.

“We had a bit of time to train, and then the players went away with their countries on international duty,” he added. “We were given some time off, so I went to Rome for a couple of days with my girlfriend and ended up meeting Cress [Aaron Cresswell] out there, so we made sure to have a run around Rome together. It was really nice to see a new city and reflect on the opening part of the season. We’re now back to work and raring to go.”

Taking a look back at a classic West Ham United moment on this day in history, in association with Heineken...

It is a moment that will be talked about by West Ham United supporters for generations to come.

Three goals down at Tottenham Hotspur with eight minutes of the 90 left to play on this day in 2020, West Ham looked dead and buried. But Fabián Balbuena’s header and a Davinson Sánchez own-goal gave the visitors hope.

It was hope that Manuel Lanzini cashed in on with a quite magnificent leveller in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Aaron Cresswell’s wide free-kick was headed out to Lanzini, who paid no attention to Harry Winks closing in, fading an unstoppable first time 25-yard shot beyond Hugo Lloris’ reach and into the top corner via the underside of the crossbar, sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and in the Hammers' technical area and dugout.

“I didn’t think anything, I just shot, and man it was so good!” Lanzini smiled.

It will be remembered as a fine individual strike, but Lanzini was quick to point out the role Angelo Ogbonna played in disrupting Harry Winks’ attempts to block his path to goal.

“Angelo did a good job because he gave me the time to shoot and put the ball there,” he said. “Maybe Winks could block without that.”

The Tottenham man could not get there, though, with an unforgettable result, and Lanzini rates the goal as the finest he has ever netted: “It was a difficult shot, the first goal I’ve scored like that in my career. We were 3-0 down and had nothing to lose. It’s probably the best goal I’ve ever scored!”

West Ham United mark their return to Premier League action from the October international break with a mouthwatering London derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon.

The Irons will look to take the bragging rights against our near-neighbours from north London and build upon the 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town prior to the hiatus as our national team players return from commitments around the globe.

That success against the Tractor Boys secured our first home points of the new campaign, and now Julen Lopetegui and his team are aiming to extend an unbeaten away record which has seen us claim positive derby results at Crystal Palace (2-0), Fulham (1-1) and Brentford (1-1).

Lopetegui is under no illusion as to the fact the Irons will need to be at our very best to make sure that happens - and secure a second straight win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the 2-1 win there last term.

The boss answered questions on our opponents, his thoughts on the season so far and more in his pre-match press conference...

The win against Ipswich is in the past

These matches are the past for us. Now the present is the more important thjing and to be ready for the next challenge.

We were happy to have the victory, but now we are focused 100 per cent on the next challenge, which will be a very hard challenge against in my opinion one of the best teams in the Premier League.

They have big, big intensity, very good players and very good ideas so we have to be ready to have the right answer.

Ange Postecoglou has changed a lot for Tottenham

In my opinion he has made the players on the team better, and that’s why I like to see them.

They have very good players, but they all work as a team. But we have to put the focus on us and be ready to have a good answer, because we will have to be close to perfection to compete with them.

Our fans will always demand the best from us and this is a good thing for us. In the same way they support us always, and we have to be ready to play football, to defend and attack well, to be a strong and solid team. To be able to beat them there is not going to be easy, but this is our aim, always.

We need to focus on our job

Tottenham are a very compact, very narrow team, very aggressive and we have to be able to beat this kind of team.

They do a lot of very good things, but I prefer to put the focus on what we have to do. For me that is more important.

We will try to use our decisions too. We will try to beat this kind of situation playing well, understanding each moment and playing out of mini-matches well.

Tottenham is a team that has a lot of big intensity always and we have to be ready to have the right answers, but I won’t talk about tactics here!

Home or away, all games are important

We don’t make a difference between them.

Saturday’s match will be different from those we have played away so far, in the same way that Ipswich was different to those at home.

We put the same importance on all the matches, home or away.

The best thing so far has been the commitment of the players

They work hard and they know that if we want to achieve good things we have to work very hard every day and have the team feeling. This is the first step.

I am happy with this commitment and we are trying to improve in different ways, with and without the ball, but always with the feeling of hard work as a team.

Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Saturday 19 October 2024, 12.30pm GMT

West Ham United make the short trip to north London on Saturday afternoon to face Tottenham Hotspur for a fixture that will be broadcast live in the UK by TNT Sports, looking to build on the momentum from their resounding 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town before the international break.

Undefeated away from home in the Premier League this season, Julen Lopetegui’s charges will be focused on claiming a third top-flight victory of 2024/25 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where they will look to replicate last year’s 2-1 success thanks to second-half goals from Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse.

Victory for the Hammers could see them climb above Ange Postecoglou’s side, who have struggled for consistency so far this season and threw away a two-goal lead to lose at Brighton & Hove Albion in their last outing.

The London derby between West Ham and Spurs has delivered drama on many occasions in the Premier League, and all signs point to an enticing match-up, with both teams eyeing a positive result that could fire them up the Premier League ranks.

Tickets…

West Ham fans are advised that the Club’s allocation of 3,038 tickets have sold out.

The first 90 per cent of tickets sold out to Bondholders and Season Ticket Holders with 21+ Loyalty Points. The remaining ten per cent (303 tickets) were then made available by a ballot process to Season Ticket Holders who had yet to purchase for this fixture.

Travel…

With an almost complete lack of parking and busy London streets surrounding Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it is strongly recommended that supporters take public transport rather than driving to the game.

It is a simple journey from central London too. Just head for Liverpool Street and hop on a London Overground train to White Hart Lane or Greater Anglia service to Northumberland Park. From either, it’s about a ten-minute walk to the Away supporters’ turnstiles in the north east corner of the ground.

If you’d like a slightly longer walk, take the London Underground Victoria line to either Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters, from where it is a 25 to 30-minute stroll north up Tottenham High Road. Tottenham Hale is also on the Greater Anglia network.

Seven Sisters is also on the London Overground, as is Bruce Grove, which lies midway between Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane, but is served by fewer trains.

Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.

How To Follow…

West Ham United’s away Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur has been selected for broadcast in the United Kingdom by TNT Sports.

If you live outside the UK, click HERE for details of Premier League listings in your territory.

You can follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app, and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media.

Live audio commentary will be available in the UK on BBC Radio London and talkSPORT.

Team News…

Forward Niclas Füllkrug has missed the Hammers’ last five games in all competitions since he suffered an injury in his calf and Achilles area while on international duty in September, and will be assessed ahead of kick-off once again.

For Tottenham, Postecoglou is expected to provide an update on Son Heung-min and Richarlison in his pre-match press conference after the two forwards missed recent fixtures through injury, along with summer signing Wilson Odobert.

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall will hope to feature for Spurs. He was forced to pull out of the Sweden squad over the international break.

Opposition…

Tottenham Hotspur are the Premier League’s great enigma. We have no idea what to expect of them.

For the first ten matches of last season, they looked unplayable as Postecoglou’s side briefly gave Spurs fans hope of a title push, but starting from late October, Spurs won 40 points from 28 matches, the ninth-most in the Premier League.

Spurs stumbled during the run-in last season to miss out on a top-four finish, falling just three points short of the UEFA Champions League spots, while the club's trophy drought now stands at 16 years.

However, a fifth-place finish in Postecoglou’s debut campaign secured Europa League qualification, meaning European football will return to north London, while the Australian has significantly improved Spurs' style of play, with his bold approach winning over supporters, despite the loss of the club's all-time leading scorer Harry Kane.

Preparations for the new season saw a mix of high-profile arrivals, a significant clear-out and a focus on youth, as Spurs have made a clear statement about their direction under manager Postecoglou.

Dominic Solanke‘s arrival from Bournemouth for a club-record fee is the headline signing for Tottenham this summer, as he arrived to belatedly replace Kane, while their trio of new teenage midfielders - Archie Gray, Bergvall and Odobert - are exciting both for the future and present, meaning there is hope within the fanbase of a season of progress.

However, the start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign to date is the club's worst since the 2008/09 season, having picked up just ten points after seven games. Defeats by Newcastle United and rivals Arsenal, as well as a 3-2 loss away at Brighton & Hove Albion after being 2-0 up at half-time, has raised question-marks again.

Previous Meetings…

West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur have met 56 times in the Premier League, with Spurs winning 26 to the Hammers' 18, while 12 matches have been drawn.

The Hammers, of course, became the first visiting team to win at Tottenham’s new home when Michail Antonio fired past Hugo Lloris to secure a 1-0 Premier League victory back in April 2019, before Manuel Lanzini rescued a point with a screamer as the Hammers wiped out a three-goal deficit to draw 3-3 there in October 2020.

Tottenham did beat West Ham three times on the trot at home in all competitions between December 2021 and February 2023, before Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse strikes powered David Moyes’ men to a 2-1 win in north London in early December of last year, in the sides’ most recent meeting.

The reverse fixture at London Stadium at the beginning of April saw Kurt Zouma’s header cancel out Brennan Johnson’s fifth-minute opener to secure a 1-1 draw for the Hammers.

Match Officials…

Referee: Andy Madley

Assistant Referees: Nick Hopton & Wade Smith

Fourth Official: Craig Pawson

VAR: Chris Kavanagh

Assistant VAR: Mat Wilkes

Andy Madley has been confirmed as the man in the middle for Saturday’s short trip to London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Originally from Huddersfield, the 41-year-old has been a part of Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s (PGMOL) Select Group One since 2019, having made his refereeing debut in the top flight during 2017/18.

He took charge of the 2015 and 2019 EFL League One Play-Off finals, won by Preston North End and Charlton Athletic respectively, while he held the whistle during May’s FA Cup final earlier this calendar year, which saw Manchester United defeat bitter rivals Manchester City 2-1.

In total, he has taken charge of nine West Ham matches during his career, while so far in 2024/25 he has refereed five games, including the Hammers’ 5-1 Carabao Cup third-round defeat against Liverpool.

For more information about the officials, click HERE.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Saturday 19 October 2024, 12.30pm GMT

West Ham United make the six-mile journey to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for yet another London derby on Saturday.

The eighth of a record nine straight fixtures in London to kick-off the new Premier League season will see the Hammers visit Spurs’ newish home for the eighth time since it opened in early 2019.

West Ham, of course, became the first visiting team to win at Tottenham’s 62,850-capacity home when Michail Antonio fired past Hugo Lloris to secure a 1-0 Premier League victory back in April 2019.

The Irons also won on their most-recent trip to N17, as second-half goals from Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse saw the visitors come from behind to triumph 2-1 in December last year.

Tottenham’s home form in the Premier League has been up and down so far, with wins over Everton and Brentford sandwiching a North London derby defeat by Arsenal.

How to get there…

With an almost complete lack of parking and busy London streets surrounding Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it is strongly recommended that supporters take public transport, rather than driving to the game.

It’s a simple journey from central London too. Just head for Liverpool Street and hop on a London Overground train to White Hart Lane or Greater Anglia service to Northumberland Park.

Services leave Liverpool Street for both every 15 minutes and take between 15 and 22 minutes to reach their destination. From either, it’s about a ten-minute walk to and from the Away supporters’ turnstiles in the north-east corner of the ground.

Services depart regularly for Liverpool Street after the game, too, leaving White Hart Lane at 14.47, 15.02, 15.17 and 15.32, and departing Northumberland Park at 14.43, 14.49, 14.59, 15.06, 15.13 and 15.19.

If you’d like a slightly longer walk, take the London Underground Victoria line to either Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters, from where it is a 25 to 30-minute stroll north up Tottenham High Road. Tottenham Hale is also on the Greater Anglia network.

Seven Sisters is also on the London Overground, as is Bruce Grove, which lies midway between Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane, but is served by fewer trains.

Finally, a shuttle bus will run between Wood Green station on the London Underground Piccadilly line.

Where to stay…

If you are travelling to London from outside the capital, or simply fancy an overnight stay, there are literally thousands of hotels, guest houses, apartments and more to choose from if you need overnight accommodation .

What to do…

London, of course, has attractions for all the family and to suit all budgets and tastes.

While the capital’s top tourist spots are well-known, let’s concentrate instead on things to do in and around north London.

You could have a walk up to Alexandra Palace and take in the superb view southwards across the London skyline.

If you’d rather do something nearer the centre of the city before jumping on the train or Tube, why not have a stroll around Regent’s Park and visit London Zoo?

Directly north of Regent’s Park is Primrose Hill, which also offers fantastic views across central London to the south. Further north of Regent’s Park is the trendy Borough of Camden, which is home to a wide variety of eateries, pubs, bars and independent shops.

What’s happened there before…

We’ve already mentioned Michail Antonio’s historic strike in April 2019, but there has been plenty of other drama in our other visits to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The most dramatic of them all occurred in October 2020, when games were being played without supporters present due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, but no Hammer will ever forget our miraculous comeback from three goals down in the final nine minutes, capped by Manuel Lanzini’s unstoppable strike in the fourth minute of added-time.

After that drama, Tottenham won the next three meetings in N17, two in the Premier League either side of EFL Cup fifth round tie played in December 2021, before Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse scored to secure derby bragging rights in December last year.

Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United

Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Saturday 19 October 2024, 12.30pm BST

Referee: Andy Madley

Assistant Referees: Nick Hopton & Wade Smith

Fourth Official: Craig Pawson

VAR: Chris Kavanagh

Assistant VAR: Mat Wilkes

Andy Madley has been confirmed as the man in the middle for Saturday’s short trip to London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Originally from Huddersfield, the 41-year-old has been a part of Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s (PGMOL) Select Group One since 2019, having made his refereeing debut in the top flight during 2017/18.

He took charge of the 2015 and 2019 EFL League One Play-Off finals, won by Preston North End and Charlton Athletic respectively, while he held the whistle during May’s FA Cup final earlier this calendar year, which saw Manchester United defeat bitter rivals Manchester City 2-1.

In total, he has taken charge of nine West Ham matches during his career, while so far in 2024/25 he has refereed five games, including the Hammers’ 5-1 Carabao Cup third-round defeat against Liverpool.

Nick Hopton and Wade Smith will serve as the assistant referees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Hopton has run the line at six Premier League games so far this campaign, having been a top flight assistant referee since the 2017/18 season. He also worked the 2022 Community Shield between Liverpool and Manchester City.

Smith, meanwhile, was a new addition to the Premier League ahead of 2020/21, and has officiated 13 games in all competitions so far this season, including West Ham’s 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea last month.

Craig Pawson will work as the fourth official on Saturday.

One of the Premier League’s most experienced officials, Pawson has been a part of the Select Group of Referees since 2013 and has officiated four Premier League games so far this campaign, most recently Everton’s 0-0 draw with Newcastle United.

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | All You Need To Know

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | All You Need To Know

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Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | All You Need To Know

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United | All You Need To Know

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Fantasy Premier League - Gameweek Eight hints and tips

Fantasy Premier League - Gameweek Eight hints and tips

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