Mark Lawrenson is backing Spurs to beat West Ham 2-0 this evening.
Mark Lawrenson
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Tottenham Hotspur will beat West Ham United 2-0 this evening – and had his say on the situation regarding Harry Kane’s contract.
Spurs head into the game with their unbeaten Premier League record still intact, having avoided defeat in all 11 of their league games so far this season, but their recent form has been a concern.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men are without a win in their last seven games in all competitions, though the way they fought back from 1-0 down to get a draw in the North London derby with Arsenal before the international break will give Pochettino cause for optimism.
Tonight, they host a West Ham side who have really struggled so far this season. The Hammers drew 1-1 with Stoke City last time out, meaning they sit just one point clear of the relegation zone after a disappointing start to the campaign.
Slaven Bilic needs results quickly to ease some of the mounting pressure on him, and a London derby against Tottenham may give him the chance he needed to get fans back on board.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Arsenal
Bilic’s side lost 4-1 in the corresponding fixture last season, but the last time the two sides met, West Ham claimed a 1-0 win at Upton Park thanks to Michail Antonio’s header – and Bilic will hope for the same again tonight.
Ahead of this evening’s game, pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Spurs will win the game 2-0, leaving West Ham to wait for points to pull clear of the bottom three.
Lawrenson did add that Spurs have a problem with the contract situations of Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris, stating that whether they can match their wage demands will show just how ambitious they really are.
West Ham United’s Adrian celebrates with West Ham United’s Cheikhou Kouyate
“The contract situation at Tottenham concerning Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris is a really interesting one,” said Lawrenson. “How Spurs deal with that problem, and whether they match their wage demands or not, will be a sign of the club’s ambition.”
“As for the game, Kane’s fitness will have benefited from being allowed to leave the England camp early. He should start, like he did against Arsenal before the international break, and he should be a bit sharper now. Spurs have drawn their past four league games but I fancy them to win here. West Ham will have to wait to pull clear of the relegation zone,” he added.
What’s your prediction for Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United?
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