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North London meets East London this weekend as Tottenham host West Ham at White Hart Lane.
Both teams need the points for different reasons, with Spurs still chasing a Champions League place and the Hammers fighting for their lives towards the bottom of the Premier League table.
Harry Redknapp’s men will need to focus on domestic matters once again after a famous European night last week saw them dump AC Milan out of the Champions League and secure their place in the last eight.
Should they want nights like this one again next season, they will need to start performing more consistently in the Premier League. Between the two games against Milan, they lost to Blackpool and drew with Wolves – not the form of a top four side.
Chelsea now have the advantage in the race for 4th, with Tottenham three points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s men as things stand.
As for West Ham, they will be looking to continue the good form that has given them an extremely realistic chance of surviving this season. They have won their last two league games, scoring six goals and showing exactly what they can do when on song.
Scott Parker will be in the thick of things again for them this weekend as they look to move out of the relegation zone. The Hammers are currently level on points with Birmingham in 17th, so every game from now to the end of the campaign is crucial.
Looking at the team news for this one, William Gallas could miss out for Tottenham with a hamstring injury, while Wilson Palacios is defintley out after knee surgery. Gareth Bale could feature.
West Ham will have to make do without the services of Robbie Keane, with the on-loan striker unable to feature against his full-time club. Gary O’Neil is available again though after being cup-tied for the FA Cup defeat to Stoke last time out.
There is no doubt that Tottenham will be favourites to win this game, but considering their recent form against teams in the bottom half and the desire West Ham will undoubtedly show to get something from the game, it should be a tense and competitive contest.
