Tottenham tipped to drop just one place above the relegation zone

Chris Sutton has made his score prediction ahead of this weekend’s London derby against West Ham, and it is not good reading for Tottenham Hotspur fans.

Since the start of the crucial run-in, Tottenham Hotspur have been playing for pride, as they currently find themselves firmly in the bottom half of the table, with nothing else to play for.

Well, playing for pride has not been going well for the Lilywhites either, as they have managed just one win in their last five outings, with their only victory coming against bottom-placed, relegated Southampton.

Up next for Ange Postecoglou’s men is a trip to the London Stadium, a venue Tottenham last won at in the Premier League back in 2019.

Chris Sutton backs West Ham United to edge Tottenham in London derby

It is 16th against 17th, but it is a London derby, meaning both sets of fans will be desperate to see their teams come out on top.

Chris Sutton, writing in his match predictions column on BBC Sport, has now attempted to predict the scoreline of this East vs North London clash.

The pundit admits that this could be a cagey affair, one that would be far from straightforward for either side, but he believes that West Ham United would just about edge it on Sunday afternoon.

He said: “This is 17th versus 16th in the Premier League which tells you how bad both teams have been this season.

“Everyone knows Tottenham’s focus will be on their Europa League semi-final second leg with Bodo/Glimt so I think West Ham boss Graham Potter needs a result here more than Ange Postecoglou.

“Potter’s results have been poor since he took over from Julen Lopetegui in January and the Hammers fans have not had the upturn they wanted in the way their team play either.

“Spurs can still be dangerous even when they are out of form but Ange is not going to pick his strongest team. That gives West Ham a better chance of getting the win they badly need, but I do not see them doing it in style.”

Chris Sutton’s prediction: 2-1

Europa League distraction and derby edge could decide it for West Ham

Of course, a victory for West Ham United is not far-fetched. Although the Hammers have not come out on top as much in recent encounters, they have managed a victory against Spurs once in the last five outings.

Tottenham’s Europa League involvement is sure to play a role in Sunday’s clash, as Postecoglou could ring the changes, with his eyes firmly fixed on the second leg against Bodo/Glimt.

But, while the League might be a dead rubber, Tottenham fans would still expect to see some fight from their side, as this is a derby game – one that Kyle Walker described as fiercer than any other derby match he was involved in. A win would mean a lot to the Tottenham faithful.

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