Tottenham Hotspur U21s v West Ham United U21s
Premier League 2, Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground, Saturday 17 February 2024, 12noon GMT
West Ham United U21s continue their Premier League 2 campaign away to leaders Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The young Hammers are currently second in the standings, having lost just two of their 13 league fixtures in 2023/24.
Steve Potts’ side will seek to bounce back after a six-game winning run in the league ended against Chelsea last time out, but to do so they will need to end Spurs’ 100 per cent start to PL2.
Read on for our full preview below:
How To Follow...
A live blog of the fixture will be available on the Club’s website and app, while a match report, highlights, and reaction will also follow shortly after the full-time whistle.
Tickets...
Tickets are not on general sale for this fixture, as it will be played at Tottenham Hotspur's Training Ground in Enfield, north London.
Premier League 2 explained...
The competition has a new format this season, with one division made up of 26 clubs with Category One Academies. Each team will play 20 regular season fixtures, after which the top 16 teams will qualify for a single elimination playoff.
In addition, the teams finishing the regular season in the top 12 will be invited to take part in the next season’s Premier League International Cup.
Opposition…
Tottenham Hotspur are yet to drop a point in Premier League 2, having taken a maximum of 33 points from their first eleven fixtures.
Incredibly, 38 goals have been scored by the young Lilywhites in those matches, with Spurs scoring four or more against Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Sunderland, Norwich City and Aston Villa.
Key to such form has been Will Lankshear, who has found the net on ten occasions in just eleven PL2 games. The 19-year-old forward initially started with Arsenal's Academy before spending the 2021/22 season with Sheffield United, then returning to north London to join Tottenham.
The Hammers will also be aware of the threat posed by Jamie Donley. The forward has returned nine assists and four goals in just nine PL2 outings, earning October Player of the Month honours and making his first-team debut for Spurs late in a Premier League draw with Manchester City in December.
Coach’s View…
Assistant coach Gerard Prenderville admits West Ham will have to be at their best to end Tottenham Hotspur’s perfect start.
The clash represents a chance to not only stop the north Londoners’ 100 per cent record in Premier League 2, but also to return to winning ways in style after only a second league defeat of the season last time out.
A top-of-the-table clash will not be an easy one, although there is plenty of excitement as a match-up involving some of the capital’s best Academy talent awaits.
“You only have to look at the table to see how well Tottenham have done this season,” Prenderville explained. “Their results have been impressive against top sides, so we are aware of their quality and the attacking threat they will pose.
“For our boys, though, it is another great opportunity for them to test themselves against a really strong Academy team and push towards the intensity of senior football, which is what this programme is all about.
“Of course, we expect a real test on Saturday, but that is always the case in this league because, regardless of who the opposition is, you are constantly playing top Academy sides and competing against players with real quality right across the pitch.
“The group have approached this week with a lot of effort and hard work as always, and we are well-prepared for Saturday's fixture."
The Story So Far…
The U21s are currently four points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur, although those in Claret and Blue have played two more games than their north London rivals.
The Hammers fell to their first defeat since the opening day last time out, a 2-0 loss at the hands of Chelsea, but are still in a decent run of form.
Nine wins and two draws across 13 matches have helped Steve Potts’ men move up to second in PL2, behind only Spurs and five points clear of third-place Arsenal.
Finishing high in the table will improve the Irons' seeding for the post-season 16-team single elimination tournament, the winners of which will be crowned Premier League 2 champions for 2023/24.
