Verdict: Tottenham to win
Best Odds: 1/2
Bookmakers: Bet 365
Tottenham host London rivals West Ham at Wembley in a round of 16 clash in the Carabao Cup. The Hammers head into this game having lost 0-3 to Brighton at the weekend and manager Slaven Bilic is under huge pressure to turn his side’s season around. Spurs meanwhile have dispelled any sense of a Wembley curse with a 4-1 victory over Liverpool at Wembley Sunday, though Mauricio Pochettino will likely rest the majority of his key players with a huge game against Manchester United coming up at the weekend.
Tottenham
The side from North London have had a fantastic start to the season and currently sit third in the Premier League table, level on points with Manchester United. Recent results have amplified the confidence around the club and having gone toe-to-toe with Real Madrid and returned with a well-earned draw there is a real sense that this Tottenham team can really achieve something special.
Despite their inconsistent start to the season at Wembley, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have beaten both Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool in their temporary home, but it was arguably the 1-0 win over Bournemouth that sparked their renewed confidence and form. The result proved that Spurs can beat the lesser teams in the impressive stadium and they will look to continue that trend against their London rivals West Ham in the Carabao Cup.
Tottenham saw off Barnsley at Wembley in the previous round of the competition but only managed to score once, despite taking 27 shots in the game. They will have to be more clinical against better opposition this time around, but with Fernando Llorente having proved what a valuable asset he is against Real Madrid it will be Spurs’ game to lose.
Team News
Danny Rose will likely feature in this game having recently returned from injury. Mousa Dembele has also overcome injury, though the Belgian may not feature in this fixture as he will be lacking match fitness. Erik Lamela is still out with a hip injury.
Mauricio Pochettino will undoubtedly make a myriad of changes, especially with a Premier League game against Manchester United coming up at the weekend. The likes of Kyle Walker-Peters and Michel Vorm should feature.
West Ham
The Hammers have had an incredibly inconsistent season thus far and manager Slaven Bilic could be considered lucky to still be in a job. His side find themselves down in 16th place in the league having lost five and drawn two of their nine games this season. The defence has been a real issue for Bilic and he has watched his team concede 17 times in the league while scoring only eight goals so far.
However the game against Tottenham is a London derby and the Irons treat the fixture as almost a cup final of its own every season. The two sides have already met in this campaign and it was Spurs who came out on top in a thrilling game at the London Stadium. Serge Aurier was sent off in that game and West Ham managed to score twice, which will certainly give them confidence going into this fixture. However with all of Tottenham’s quality and discipline it will be a difficult game for the Hammers and they will likely struggle to keep Spurs’ attackers at bay.
Team News
Slaven Bilic has already confirmed that he will make changes for this game, one of which will see Adrian replace Joe Hart in goal.
The Hammers will be without Michail Antonio due to a bruised rib, as well as James Collins and Diafra Sakho who recently returned to training.
Key Factors to Consider
- The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 2-3 victory for Tottenham.
- Tottenham have lost just one of their seven home games in all competitions this season.
- Tottenham managed 27 shots in their last Carabao Cup game but only managed a 1-0 win over Barnsley.
- West Ham have won just one of their six away games in all competitions this season.
- West Ham’s last away win against Spurs came in the 2013 League Cup.
Conclusion
West Ham have lost five of their 11 games in all competitions this season and are coming off a disastrous home defeat to Brighton at the weekend. Slaven Bilic faces a difficult task trying to get the Hammers back on track, especially given that the London side have conceded 17 goals already this season. Their abysmal form, coupled with Tottenham’s superior talent and disciplined, suggests that this will be a routine victory for Pochettino’s team.
Verdict: Tottenham to win
Best Odds: 1/2
Bookmakers: Bet 365
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