West Ham United welcome London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur on matchweek four of the Premier League on Saturday for a 5.30 pm kick-off at London Stadium and will be looking to claim their first home win of the 2025/26 campaign following an emphatic 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest before the international break.
One of the players whose contention for this clash remains contentious is Niclas Füllkrug, who is looking to open his account for the season after an improvement in his performances.
The former Borussia Dortmund striker returned early from international duty after picking up a calf injury, with the forward only able to take part in light training sessions.
The 32-year-old endured hamstring and Achilles setbacks throughout last season after completing his £27m switch from Dortmund, and while this fresh problem raised concerns, Graham Potter insists it is not a significant setback, though he remains a doubt for the clash with Tottenham.
Speaking during his pre-Tottenham press conference, the former Chelsea boss said, ‘He’s had a slight issue with his calf from international duty,’ Potter explained. ‘So he came back early. He’s trained lightly today, but we’ll see how he reacts.’
Injury update
Despite a productive pre-season, Füllkrug is still waiting to register his first goal of the campaign. His absence could present an opportunity for Callum Wilson, who found the net as a substitute in West Ham’s 3-0 victory over Forest.
The Hammers will now be hoping to replicate their strong away performance on home turf when they host Spurs at the London Stadium on Saturday evening.
Their emphatic 3-0 triumph away at Forest eased some of the mounting pressure on Potter, who will now be hoping his side can carry that momentum into the London derby.
However, heavy defeats against Sunderland and Chelsea in the opening weeks have left Potter under scrutiny, with Saturday’s clash still carrying significant weight for the former Brighton manager.
On a positive note, Soungoutou Magassa and Igor Julio are in line to make their debuts for the club, and the new arrivals will be eager to impress quickly in front of the home crowd, while Luis Guilherme remains sidelined until October after fracturing his collarbone in training.