There are not too many bigger London rivalries than West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur nowadays – as Graham Potter is about to find out.
Both West Ham and Tottenham have bigger traditional rivals in the shape of Millwall and Arsenal.
But there really is no love lost between the Hammers and Spurs in a clash that’s grown in intensity throughout the Premier League years.
This season the London rivals share a lot in common because they’ve both been abysmal in the league, sitting 16th and 17th respectively ahead of their clash at the London Stadium.
West Ham and Tottenham fans live and work amongst one other. There are even families who have divided loyalties. So bragging rights are a big deal even if neither side has anything to play for in the league.
No love lost between West Ham and Tottenham
The Hammers have been able to gloat about winning a trophy for the last two years. That’s not often been the case given their last major trophy before that was in 1980.
From lasagne-gate through to fighting over the Olympic Stadium and fall-outs between the two boardrooms, it’s really quite simple – West Ham and Tottenham don’t like each other.
England star Kyle Walker made a major claim about Tottenham’s games against West Ham which proves that point.
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But perhaps somebody needs to tell Graham Potter. And fast.
The dislike between the two clubs means most connected with West Ham are nauseous at the prospect of Spurs winning the Europa League.
Football in England always has and always will be tribal at its heart.
So Hammers fans have taken great solace in the fact Tottenham have been just as bad as them this season.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have actually been worse when it comes to Premier League defeats with 19 to West Ham’s 16.
The last thing the Hammers faithful want to see is Spurs end their long trophy drought and qualify for the Champions League in the process.
As the more illustrious competition, Tottenham winning the Europa League would trump West Ham’s Conference League triumph nearly two years ago.
West Ham fans even have a specific chant for Spurs ‘We’ll be running round Tottenham with our European Cup singing I’ve got a trophy haven’t you’.
Potter drops Spurs clanger and West Ham fans won’t be happy
Potter is still getting to grips with being Hammers manager.
After four months he is already feeling the pressure of expectation.
There will be no hiding place for him or his players if they don’t turn up against Tottenham.
But Potter has dropped a major Spurs clanger and West Ham fans won’t be happy at all.
West Ham fans winced as they saw Tottenham put one foot in the Europa League final with a 3-1 win over Bodo-Glimt.
Spurs had already gone one better than West Ham by seeing off Eintracht Frankfurt over two legs.
Now they look set for a final showdown against Man United.
West Ham manager hopes Spurs ‘finish the job’
Quite what Potter was thinking during his pre-Tottenham press conference is anyone’s guess.
Because when asked about Sunday’s opponents, he not only gave Postecoglou a list of excuses but said he hopes Tottenham finish the job and make the Europa League final.
After initially being reluctant to talk about Spurs, Potter then volunteered the bizarre good luck message which won’t sit right with most Hammers fans.
“I’ve got enough on my plate with West Ham rather than comment on Spurs,” Potter told the press.
“They’ve had a tough season, I’m pretty sure if you speak to Ange (he’d agree), you know injuries, young players and the double competition etc etc.
“In this league nothing is a given.
“They’ve done well in Europe and hopefully they can finish the job and get into the final.”
Come again?
This must go down as one of the strangest comments from a West Ham manager in modern times.
He could and should have just stopped at ‘nothing is a given’.
When Mark Noble was asked to comment on Millwall and Spurs on talkSPORT he simply replied ‘no comment’ – even when pushed.
Let’s hope the Hammers’ sporting director has a word in Potter’s ear to emphasise just how big this game is.