Sports Mole

West Ham United could be without five players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur in North London.

While El Hadji Malick Diouf is still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with finalists Senegal, Konstantinos Mavropanos is set to remain sidelined with a neck injury, joining Lukasz Fabianski (back) in the treatment room.

Mateus Fernandes will have an unspecified issue assessed ahead of kickoff, while Lucas Paqueta (back) is also a doubt at a time when he reportedly wants to leave the club amid interest from Flamengo in his native Brazil.

One player who is back and available for selection is defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has finished representing DR Congo at AFCON and has trained with the Hammers this week, so a start at right-back is likely against Spurs.

Max Kilman is expected to replace the injured Mavropanos and start alongside Jean-Clair Todibo at centre-back, as Oliver Scarles continues at left-back an Alphonse Areola starts in goal ahead of Mads Hermansen.

If Fernandes is not fit to start, then Soungoutou Magassa or Freddie Potts could deputise in midfield alongside Tomas Soucek, while January signing Pablo Felipe could start his first PL game in behind fellow new recruit Valentin Castellanos, who scored his first goal for the club in the 2-1 extra-time win over QPR in the FA Cup third round last weekend.

Captain Jarrod Bowen is one of the first names on the Hammers teamsheet and is expected to continue on the right flank, while Crysencio Summerville - another goalscorer against QPR - will likely operate on the opposite wing.

West Ham United possible starting lineup: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles; Magassa, Soucek; Bowen, Pablo, Summerville; Castellanos

Tottenham Hotspur are set to be without at least six players for Saturday’s Premier League clash at home against West Ham United.

Head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed that Richarlison set to be out for seven weeks with a hamstring problem, with the forward joining Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (ACL) and Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring) in the treatment room.

Pape Sarr is still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with finalists Senegal, but Spurs have bolstered their squad with the £34.7m January signing of Conor Gallagher who is available to make his debut this weekend.

Frank has revealed that Lucas Bergvall “could be available” to return from a knock, but a start against West Ham is seemingly unlikely, so Gallagher could be thrown into midfield to link up with Joao Palhinha and Archie Gray.

Cristian Romero was suspended for Tottenham’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, but he is available to return on Saturday to play alongside centre-back Micky van de Ven, while Pedro Porro and Djed Spence are the most likely duo to operate as full-backs.

In attack, Wilson Odobert - who scored against Villa - Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani will all battle for starts, while it remains to be seen whether striker Dominic Solanke will be fit to start his first match since recovering from a six-month injury layoff.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Gallagher, Tel; Kolo Muani

Two Premier League teams with managers under pressure butt heads in North London on Saturday, as Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur play host to Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham United on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs are looking to complete the league double over the Hammers for the first time since 2019-20 after winning 3-0 at the London Stadium in September.

Match preview

It is fair to say that there has been little to smile about on the white side of North London since the turn of year, as Tottenham remain winless in 2026 after dropping points in Premier League clashes with Sunderland (1-1) and Bournemouth (3-2) before losing 2-1 to Aston Villa in the FA Cup last weekend.

Wilson Odobert’s second-half strike pulled one back for Spurs after Villa entered hard time with a two-goal lead, but Frank’s men were unable to restore parity and have subsequently crashed out in the third round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2013-14.

Another setback on home soil has piled more pressure on Frank, who is struggling to get the best out of a Spurs side boasting only four wins in their last 24 Premier League games in front of their own fans (D6 L14) - their two home wins this season is their lowest ever after 10 matches in a league campaign.

Languishing in 14th place in the Premier League table and six points behind Frank’s former club Brentford in fifth, Tottenham can at least take some comfort from the fact that they have lost only one of their last eight league encounters with Saturday’s opponents West Ham (D3 L4).

Keeping a clean sheet could be key if Spurs are to prevail this weekend, as six of their seven Premier League victories this season have been without reply. In addition, they have only won one of their last 21 top-flight matches when conceding at least once (D6 L14) - beating Leeds 2-1 in October.

West Ham’s 14-year spell in the Premier League is in serious danger of coming to an end this season, as they sit 18th in the table and seven points adrift of safety following a painful 2-1 home defeat to 17th-placed Nottingham Forest last time out.

The Hammers are now winless in their last 10 top-flight matches (D4 L6) and this miserable run represents their longest streak without a victory since a run of 11 between December 2006 and March 2007 - losing 4-3 against Tottenham in their 11th game back then.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has only won three of his 17 matches as West Ham boss since replacing Graham Potter in September, and the latest of those was a morale-boosting 2-1 extra-time success at home to Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the FA Cup last weekend.

Still, Hammers supporters are right to feel concerned by first-team performances, especially in defence as West Ham have not kept a single clean sheet in their last 19 matches in all competitions. In the Premier League, they have conceded a league-high 11 headed goals this season, with only Arsenal (nine) scoring more headers than Saturday’s opponents Spurs (nine).

West Ham have also shipped more goals from corners than any other PL team this term (12), with no side scoring more than Tottenham (11). On a positive note, Hammers boss Nuno has won three of his previous five away league games against Spurs, including a 2-1 victory with former club Nottingham Forest in April last season.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

West Ham United Premier League form:

West Ham United form (all competitions):

Team News

Spurs boss Frank has confirmed that Richarlison set to be out for seven weeks with a hamstring problem, with the forward joining Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (ACL) and Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring) in the treatment room.

Pape Sarr is still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with finalists Senegal, but Spurs have bolstered their squad with the £34.7m January signing of Conor Gallagher and he is available to make his debut.

Lucas Bergvall “could be available” to return from a knock, but a start against West Ham is seemingly unlikely, so Gallagher could be thrown into midfield to link up with Joao Palhinha and Archie Gray.

Cristian Romero was suspended for Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa, but he is available to return on Saturday to play alongside centre-back Micky van de Ven, while it remains to be seen whether striker Dominic Solanke will be fit to start his first game since recovering from a six-month injury layoff.

As for West Ham, El Hadji Malick Diouf is still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with finalists Senegal, while Konstantinos Mavropanos is set to remain sidelined with a neck injury, joining Lukasz Fabianski (back) in the treatment room.

Mateus Fernandes will have an unspecified issue assessed ahead of kickoff, while Lucas Paqueta (back) is also a doubt at a time when he reportedly wants to leave the club amid interest from Flamengo in his native Brazil.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has finished representing DR Congo at AFCON and has trained with the Hammers this week, so a start at right-back is likely against Spurs. Max Kilman, meanwhile, is expected to replace the injured Mavropanos and start alongside Jean-Clair Todibo at centre-back.

January signing Pablo Felipe could be handed his first PL start in behind fellow new recruit Valentin Castellanos, who scored his first goal for the club in the FA Cup win over QPR last time out.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha; Simons, Gallagher, Tel; Kolo Muani

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles; Magassa, Soucek; Bowen, Pablo, Summerville; Castellanos

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 West Ham United

Saturday’s fixture is an important one for both teams who are desperate to claim all three points for different reasons. While Spurs’ home record leaves much to be desired, they will be regarded as favourites for this one.

West Ham are boosted by the return of Wan-Bissaka and a couple of new attack-minded signings, but their defensive frailties are a concern and we can see the hosts outscoring their opponents on this occasion.

Tottenham Hotspur have announced the surprise appointment of a Premier League winner and World Cup finalist to Thomas Frank's coaching team.

The Lilywhites recently waved goodbye to former assistant coach Matthew Wells, who left in December to take up the position of head coach with MLS side Colorado Rapids.

Spurs also lost Ryan Mason to Championship club West Bromwich Albion - who recently sacked the former midfielder - last year, although Frank still had Justin Cochrane, Andreas Georgson and Chris Haslam by his side.

However, the Europa League winners quickly sought a replacement for North America-bound Wells, and the club have now announced the shock arrival of ex-Liverpool assistant Johnny Heitinga.

The 42-year-old joins Tottenham after a short-lived stint at Ajax head coach from July to November, taking charge of just 15 games for the Eredivisie giants and earning a mere five victories.

Prior to his unsuccessful time at the Amsterdam helm, Heitinga helped Liverpool win the 2024-25 Premier League as Arne Slot's right-hand man, and he also assisted David Moyes at West Ham United in 2023-24.

Johnny Heitinga joins Tottenham coaching team as Thomas Frank reacts

Speaking to the official Tottenham website, head coach Frank highlighted Heitinga's defensive experience and confirmed that his main job will be to shore up a leaky Spurs defence.

"John is a great addition to our coaching staff. His ability, personality and character will add huge value both on and off the pitch," Frank said. "He had an impressive playing career across Europe – including five years in the Premier League – and with the Dutch national team.

“As a former defender, that will be one of his main responsibilities on the training pitch, and he brings great coaching and management experiences from all levels of the game, which will really help us moving forward."

Heitinga joins Spurs with the Lilywhites sat in 14th place in the Premier League table, having won just one of their last six games in the competition, and he will be in the dugout against former club West Ham this Saturday.

As a player, the 42-year-old made 129 Premier League appearances during spells at Everton and Fulham, and he started every game for the Netherlands during their run to the 2010 World Cup final, in which he was sent off in extra time.

Deja vu for Liverpool as Spurs make shock Heitinga appointment

Heitinga's Tottenham appointment may not directly impact Liverpool, but Reds fans have now seen two former assistant managers join the ranks of a Big Six rival after a failed spell as a head coach.

Jurgen Klopp's lieutenant Pepijn Lijnders endured a disappointing spell at Red Bull Salzburg in 2024, before being hired by Manchester City to serve as one of Pep Guardiola's assistants in the summer.

Liverpool and Spurs are unlikely to find themselves in direct competition for European football anytime soon, though, as the Reds are 10 places and eight points better off than Spurs in the table.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to end a four-game winless run when they play host to London rivals West Ham United on Saturday.

Spurs saw a potential trophy opportunity disappear at the earliest opportunity in last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round.

That defeat only piled the pressure on Spurs head coach Thomas Frank, whose team are sitting in 14th spot in the Premier League table after mustering 27 points from 21 matches.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest against a West Ham team managed by former Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Rodrigo Bentancur

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Rodrigo Bentancur sustained a hamstring injury in Tottenham's defeat to Bournemouth earlier this month. The Uruguayan has since undergone surgery and is expected to be out for a significant period.

Mohammed Kudus

Status: Out

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: Unknown

Mohammed Kudus will not be available to face his former club after he picked up a thigh injury in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on January 4. Frank does not expect the Ghana international to return until after March's international break.

Richarlison

Status: Out

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: Unknown

Richarlison is the latest player to be added to Tottenham's injury list. The striker was forced off in the first half against Aston Villa on Saturday with a hamstring problem, which is currently being assessed to establish the severity of the injury.

Lucas Bergvall

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Muscle

Possible return date: January 17 (vs. West Ham)

Lucas Bergvall picked up a knock in the defeat to Bournemouth and was subsequently left out of the squad for the FA Cup loss to Aston Villa. Bergvall will now be doing all he can to prove his fitness in time for the weekend.

James Maddison

Status: Out

Type of injury: ACL

Possible return date: Unknown

Maddison is currently working on his rehabilitation from the ACL injury he sustained in August. The 29-year-old's focus will be on returning to fitness for pre-season ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Dejan Kulusevski

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Kulusevski has not played since April due to a long-term knee injury. Frank recently revealed that the attacker could back on the grass in the next three to four weeks, but he still seems some way off from returning to first-team action.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Spurs have no players suspended for this fixture, but Pape Sarr remains away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, with his country set to face tournament hosts Morocco in Sunday's final.

After suffering an early FA Cup exit, Tottenham Hotspur will be looking for a positive response when they play host to relegation-threatened West Ham United on Saturday.

Spurs are sitting in 14th spot in the Premier League table, while the Hammers are languishing in the bottom three.

Here, Sports Mole provides details of how to tune into the Premier League fixture.

What time does Tottenham vs. West Ham kick off?

The match will kick off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.

Where is Tottenham vs. West Ham being played?

West Ham will head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which can hold up to 62,850 spectators.

Mohammed Kudus, who joined Spurs in the summer, scored West Ham's only goal in a disappointing 4-1 defeat in their most recent away meeting with Tottenham in October 2024.

How to watch Tottenham vs. West Ham in the UK

TV channels

Unfortunately, this will not be available to watch live due to the UK's 3pm blackout rule.

Streaming

The blackout also means that the game will not be streamed live for UK audiences.

Highlights

There will be highlights of the game shown on Match of the Day, which will start at 10:30pm on BBC One on Saturday. BBC Sport will also upload the match's highlight package on their website from around 8pm on the same day.

Alternatively, you can also head over to the Sky Sports app or Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel to find a recap of the game.

What is at stake for Tottenham and West Ham?

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is under pressure to spark a turnaround, with his team in the bottom half of the table and winless in four competitive matches.

In fact, they are looking to avoid a third consecutive loss after losing to Bournemouth and Aston Villa in the league and FA Cup, respectively.

Like Frank, former Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo has also seen his position come under scrutiny, having overseen a 10-game winless run in the top flight.

The Hammers will at least enter Saturday's fixture on the back of a win after beating Queens Park Rangers in extra time of their FA Cup third-round clash.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly determined to keep hold of Mathys Tel beyond the end of the winter transfer window.

Tel joined Spurs on a permanent transfer from Bayern Munich in the summer after he spent last season on loan with the North London club.

The 20-year-old penned a long-term deal until the summer of 2031, but he is already being linked with a potential move away.

Tel is believed to be open to a winter exit after growing frustrated with his lack of minutes under Spurs boss Thomas Frank.

The Frenchman has started just five of his 14 Premier League appearances this season and was initially left out of Tottenham's squad for the Champions League league phase.

Spurs outline Tel exit stance

The fact that he has featured in Frank's last two Premier League lineups has not stopped him from being the subject of interest from elsewhere.

According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, French side Paris FC are 'working' on a loan move for the Tottenham forward.

The Ligue 1 outfit are willing to offer Tel the chance to play in his preferred position as a number nine.

The update claims that are Tottenham are currently 'blocking' any proposals, as they look to keep the attacker at the club.

Should Tottenham consider Tel exit?

Tel has struggled to produce his best football during his time with Tottenham, having scored just six goals in 39 competitive appearances.

With that in mind, there may be sense in the suggestion that he should head out on loan to play regular football and develop his game.

But while a loan move could have long-term benefits, Spurs can ill afford to lose any more attackers at this current stage.

Tottenham sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace before Mohammed Kudus suffered an injury that is set to keep him out until April.

As a result, Spurs are unlikely to sanction any attacking exits without bringing new arrivals through the door first.

After being the victims of a high-profile transfer hijack in the summer - missing out on now-Arsenal playmaker Eberechi Eze - Tottenham Hotspur have now become the hijackers if reports are to be believed.

The Lilywhites and Aston Villa were in a two-horse battle for Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher, whom the Lions appeared to have stolen a march in the race for, reaching an agreement with Los Rojiblancos over a fee.

However, Gallagher turned his nose up to a move to Villa Park in favour of joining Spurs, who have now agreed a £34.7m deal with Atletico for, and the ex-Chelsea man will soon return to his homeland for a second stint of Premier League football.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the shirt numbers available to Gallagher in North London.

Can Conor Gallagher keep current shirt number for Tottenham?

For club and country, Gallagher currently dons the number four jersey; a peculiar number for a central midfielder and one that he should not be bestowed with at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Indeed, centre-back Kevin Danso has been in possession of the '4' since his original loan move from Lens, and the Austrian defender should not cede his shirt to the new arrival so soon.

However, a handful of Tottenham midfielders have sported the number four shirt down the years, such as Oliver Skipp, Didier Zokora, Glenn Hoddle and the late Terry Yorath.

Shirt numbers Conor Gallagher could take at Tottenham

In terms of available numbers, Gallagher could still take another shirt usually associated with defenders, as Spurs' '5' has been vacant since Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg left the club for Marseille.

Should the former Chelsea man be handed that jersey by the Lilywhites, he would emulate all of Sol Campbell, Jan Vertonghen, Edgar Davids, Gary Mabbutt and even Sir Alf Ramsay, England's World Cup-winning manager who sported that number in the 1950s.

Gallagher could also have his pick of the 12, 16 or 18 shirts, although the latter two have most recently been in the possession of two loan players in Luka Vuskovic and Yang Min-hyeok respectively.

The '22' is also awaiting its next owner following Brennan Johnson's exit to Crystal Palace earlier in the January window, but the '23' that Gallagher sported at Chelsea and Crystal Palace is currently held by Pedro Porro.

Kota Takai and Manor Solomon's loan exits have also left the 25 and 27 vacant, but the 26 has been unofficially retired since Ledley King hung up his boots in 2012.

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mathys Tel is reportedly open to leaving the club in the January window after getting frustrated with a lack of game time.

Tel joined Spurs initially on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2025 and made 20 appearances for the north London club last season, scoring three goals.

As part of the deal, Tottenham had an option to buy the forward for £45m, but they renegotiated and reduced the fee to £30m to secure his signature on a six-year deal.

The 20-year-old has been restricted to five Premier League starts this season, scoring three goals, and has made only one substitute appearance in the Champions League.

Tottenham stance on Tel amid interest from several clubs

According to a report from The Guardian, Tel has informed Spurs that he is open to leaving on loan this month.

Paris FC and Turkish clubs Fenerbahce and Galatasaray have reportedly registered interest in signing the French striker on loan.

Tel initially had set his sights on the World Cup and hoped to be part of the French squad, but that dream is almost over due to a lack of regular game time.

Although the young striker wants a move away from Spurs, the north London club are unlikely to let him go after they sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace.

Tel unlikely to leave Tottenham

The report claims that Tel has given no indication that he wants to leave them permanently, but at the same time, he is seeking more first-team action.

With Mohammed Kudus also out injured, and Richarlison also picking up a hamstring problem, Frank could give Tel more opportunities in the coming matches.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly looking to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, and they have been told the terms for signing him.

The 25-year-old joined Rojiblancos from Chelsea in 2024 and made 50 appearances in his first season, scoring four goals, mostly playing on the left flank.

This season, the England midfielder has been restricted to substitute appearances, managing only four starts in La Liga, and has made a further 15 appearances from the bench, scoring two goals.

Gallagher has started in three of his six Champions League appearances, and his lack of starts could cost him a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup.

Tottenham told terms to sign Conor Gallagher

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Spurs have been told they cannot sign Gallagher on loan without a clear obligation to buy.

Spurs have reportedly asked about signing Gallagher this month, but the La Liga club have made it clear that a straight loan deal is not on the table.

Atletico have clearly told them that either Spurs will have to sign him permanently or a loan with an obligation to buy next summer, but they are willing to consider selling him this month.

The north London club could reportedly face competition from Premier League rivals Aston Villa, who are in talks to reach an agreement.

Tottenham's injury crisis deepens

Spurs suffered a big blow after midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur picked up a hamstring injury, for which he requires surgery.

The 28-year-old is reportedly set to miss at least the next three months of the season, and as a result, a new midfielder is required.

Spurs are also without James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, both of whom are long-term absentees, and now Richarlison has also picked up a hamstring injury.

This is going to be a busy month for Spurs, as they are reportedly close to landing Santos' left-sided full-back Souza, with the Brazilian talent due to undergo a medical before completing his £13m transfer.