Zarate ready for derby duel

Mauro Zarate is fired up for his first taste of a London derby when West Ham United take on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The summer arrival from Velez Sarsfield already has experience of English atmospheres from his spell with Birmingham City in 2008, but is looking forward to it stepping up a notch at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday.

Tottenham appointed Zarate's countryman Mauricio Pochettino as manager this summer and the new Hammers No10 is keen to make sure his Spurs debut is a miserable one.

He explained "It's not an easy match for us - a derby. We have to win because we're playing at home, so we have to do our best and win.

"Pochettino is a good manager, I don't know him, but people say he is like Marcelo Bielsa. He attacks always, and he did very well at Southampton so it's a new chance for him."

Zarate revealed a former Tottenham - and West Ham - frontman used to catch his eye when watching English football.

He added: "For me, Defoe was great for Spurs, fantastic. He is small, very fast and he showed that you don't need to be big to play as a striker in England.

"Now they have a lot of good players, another from Argentina in Erik Lamela - he is much better this year, and has got over his injury."