Tottenham host West Ham United this weekend in one of the more underrated London derbies in the Premier League. The two sets of fans hate each other and it will be a hotly contested affair during the late kick-off on Saturday. There is a quality difference as Tottenham are established as one of the league’s top six, while West Ham are currently placed in the bottom half. The Hammers have ambitions of challenging the likes of Tottenham on a regular basis, but they are still some distance away from achieving that. Here are three things to look out for this weekend.
Will Tottenham be able to score from open play?
The North London club have struggled in attack this season and that is why they are slightly behind the leading pack. They have a defence that is the envy of every other side in the league, but they haven’t been able to score with the regularity required to be a serious contender for the title. They haven’t scored from open play in any of their last three Premier League matches and that is a huge concern for Mauricio Pochettino. This is the first minor attacking crisis during the Argentine’s period as Tottenham manager and he needs to show that he has the ability to correct the team’s woes in front of goal.
Harry Kane should be fit to lead the line, which should improve the side’s attack considerably. He is emerging as the team’s leader and his influence was only realised once he was out of the side due to injury. The Englishman has been lucky with injuries since breaking into the first team and Tottenham will be hoping that he will be able to maintain his fitness for the remainder of the campaign. A break away from football could have had a positive effect on Kane as he looked jaded before his injury. If he returns at his best, Tottenham have a great chance of challenging for the title.