Tottenham Hotspur match preview

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2011

KICK-OFF: 12.45PM


FULL AUDIO COVERAGE - WEST HAM TV

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Introduction

• West Ham United travel the seven miles to Tottenham Hotspur aiming to record their third consecutive Barclays Premier League victory for the first time since May 2007.

• Back-to-back wins for the first time since February 2010 over Liverpool and Stoke City saw the Hammers climb out of the relegation zone temporarily. However, Birmingham City's 1-1 draw at Everton meant Avram Grant's men dropped into the bottom three on goal difference.

• West Ham picked up their first Barclays Premier League success of the 2010/11 season when Frederic Piquionne headed them to a 1-0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 25 September 2010.

• West Ham have lost just one of their last six Barclays Premier League matches, defeating Blackpool, Liverpool and Stoke City, drawing at Everton and West Bromwich Albion and losing narrowly at home to Birmingham City.

• The Hammers have not won on any of their previous ten visits to White Hart Lane in all competitions, losing on seven occasions and drawing three times. West Ham have lost on their last four visits, all of which came in the Premier League.

• West Ham's biggest away win at Tottenham came on 2 September 1981, when David Cross scored all of his side's goals in a 4-0 victory.

• West Ham will appear live on television for the 16th time this season, with Saturday's fixture being screened on Sky Sports 2. The Hammers have won five, drawn two and lost eight of their previous 15 live-televised matches in 2010/11.

• A minute's silence will be held before kick-off in respect, solidarity and sympathy for the people of Japan after the earthquake and tsunami disaster in the country on Friday 11 March.

Last time out

Sunday 13 March 2011
FA Cup Sponsored by EON sixth round
Stoke City 2-1 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Tomkins, Upson, Da Costa, Bridge, Parker, Hitzlsperger, Noble (Hines 81), Cole, Piquionne (Spector 35), Obinna (Keane 68)
Subs: Boffin, Jacobsen, Gabbidon, Boa Morte
Goal: Piquionne 30

Wednesday 9 March 2011
UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg
Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 AC Milan
(Tottenham Hotspur won 1-0 on aggregate)
Tottenham Hotspur: Gomes, Gallas, Dawson, Corluka, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Van der Vaart (Bale 66), Modric, Sandro, Pienaar (Jenas 70), Crouch (Pavlyuchenko 82)
Subs: Cudicini, Hutton, King, Defoe

Previous meeting

West Ham entertained Tottenham at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 25 September 2010, with Frederic Piquionne's 29th-minute header proving to be the difference between the two sides. The 1-0 victory was the Hammers' first of the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season.

West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Gabbidon, Upson, Da Costa, Dyer (Barrera 42), Parker, Boa Morte, Noble, Piquionne (Cole 64), Obinna (Kovac 89)
Subs: Stech, Ben Haim, Faubert, McCarthy

Tottenham Hotspur: Cudicini, Hutton, Bale, Bassong, Corluka, Huddlestone, Lennon (Keane 66), Jenas, Van der Vaart (Giovani 78), Modric, Crouch (Pavlyuchenko 80)
Subs: Pletikosa, Sandro, Palacios, Kranjcar

Background

• Saturday's lunchtime meeting will be the 136th competitive meeting between West Ham and Tottenham. The Hammers have won 44, Tottenham have tasted victory on 57 occasions and there have been 34 draws.

• This weekend's fixture will be the 32nd time the two clubs have met in the Premier League. West Ham have won nine, Tottenham have recorded 16 victories and there have been six draws.

• West Ham are seeking to win their third consecutive Premier League fixture for the first time since the tail-end of the 2006/07 season, when the Hammers won four-in-a-row by defeating Everton, Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United.

• Tottenham have not played at home in the Barclays Premier League since defeating Bolton Wanderers 2-1 at White Hart Lane on Saturday 5 February. Since then, they have contested five fixtures, knocking AC Milan out of the UEFA Champions League and, in the league, winning at Sunderland, losing at Blackpool and drawing at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

• Tottenham are unbeaten in their previous eleven home Barclays Premier League matches dating back to a 1-0 defeat by Wigan Athletic on 28 August 2010 and have lost only one of 13 home fixtures in the league. Tottenham are unbeaten in 15 home matches in all competitions dating back to a 4-1 Carling Cup defeat by Arsenal on 21 September 2010.

Overall record

v Tottenham Hotspur (all competitions) W 44 D 34 L 57

Team news

• Frederic Piquionne is doubtful after suffering a foot injury in the 2-1 FA Cup sixth-round defeat at Stoke City. Demba Ba missed that game and it remains to be seen if he will be involved at Tottenham.

• Robbie Keane is ineligible as he is on loan from Tottenham and Premier League rules do not permit him to play against his parent club.

• Gary O'Neil is available after being cup-tied last weekend. Jack Collison continues to train regularly as part of his comeback after a year out with a knee injury.

• West Ham manager Avram Grant will also be without long-term absentees Peter Kurucz (both knee) and Junior Stanislas (groin). Stanislas is hoping to return to training by the end of March.

• Kieron Dyer (Ipswich Town), Jordan Spence (Bristol City), Frank Nouble and Matt Fry (both Charlton Athletic) are out on loan at present.

• Tottenham will be without centre-backs William Gallas (hamstring) and Jonathan Woodgate (groin) and midfielders Wilson Palacios (knee) and Tom Huddlestone (ankle).

Ten-year records

West Ham United

2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)

Tottenham Hotspur

2009/10 Premier League 4th (70 points)
2008/09 Premier League 8th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 11th (46 points)
2006/07 Premier League 5th (60 points)
2005/06 Premier League 5th (65 points)
2004/05 Premier League 9th (52 points)
2003/04 Premier League 14th (45 points)
2002/03 Premier League 10th (50 points)
2001/02 Premier League 9th (50 points)
2000/01 Premier League 12th (49 points)

Referee

• Sunday's referee is Mike Dean, who will be taking charge of his fifth West Ham Barclays Premier League fixture of the 2010/11 season.

• Dean was also the man-in-the-middle for the 3-0 opening-day defeat at Aston Villa, the 2-2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion, the 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers and the 5-0 defeat at Newcastle United.

• The 43-year-old was also referee for three of Tottenham's Barclays Premier League fixtures - the 2-1 win at Fulham, the 1-1 home draw with Chelsea and the goalless home draw with Manchester United.

• Dean began refereeing in 1985, starting out his career in senior football in the Northern Premier League.

• In 2004, Dean took charge of his first international match, a friendly between the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Amsterdam Arena. That same year, he took control of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester United.

• In May 2006, he refereed the Championship play-off final between Leeds United and Watford at the Millennium Stadium. In 2008, he was the man-in-the-middle for the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium.

Old boys

• Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp made 175 appearances for West Ham between August 1965 and April 1972, scoring eight goals. Redknapp served as assistant manager under Billy Bonds before taking charge in August 1994. He remained as manager until May 2001, overseeing 327 matches.

• Spurs striker Jermain Defoe came through the ranks at West Ham before scoring 29 goals in 93 league appearances between 1999 and 2004. He is in his second spell at White Hart Lane after returning in January 2009.

• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Calum Davenport, Ilie Dumitrescu, Dave Dunmore, Matthew Etherington, Les Ferdinand, Jimmy Greaves, Fred Griffiths, Pat Holland, Chris Hughton, Bill Joyce, Bill Kaine, Frederic Kanoute, Kenny McKay, Fred Massey, Fred Milnes, John Moncur, Jimmy Neighbour, Tony Parks, Martin Peters, Sergei Rebrov, Mark Robson, Peter Shearing, Teddy Sheringham, Mauricio Taricco, Mitchell Thomas, Michael Carrick, and Bobby Zamora.

General information

• All standard tickets for this fixture have SOLD OUT.

• Supporters travelling to White Hart Lane should note that the London Underground Victoria line is closed on Saturday for improvement works. Fans should take National Express services from Liverpool Street to White Hart Lane or Northumberland Park. Supporters could alternatively take the London Underground Piccadilly line to Finsbury Park or Manor House, where a replacement bus service will take them to Seven Sisters. London Underground tickets will also be accepted on National Express services to Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters and a number of scheduled bus services. Click here for full details.

• The forecast is for a sunny day. Temperatures are set to peak around 9C.