The major discussion points as West Ham United prepare to host Premier League title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium...
1. Forward thinking
Slaven Bilic revealed that Andy Carroll’s availability for Friday night’s London Stadium derby with Tottenham Hotspur will not be confirmed until the last-possible moment.
The England man has been sidelined with a groin injury in recent weeks, while Diafra Sakho and Michail Antonio are both out for the season with back and hamstring problems respectively.
With uncertainty over Carroll’s fitness, Bilic’s forward thinking will most likely centre around Argentinian Jonathan Calleri or Ghana star Andre Ayew. Alternatively, against an in-form Spurs, he could take a leaf out of Sam Allardyce’s book and go for the ‘false-nine’ formation which earned the Hammers an unforgettable 3-0 win at White Hart Lane in October 2013.
Alternatively, the Claret and Blue Army sang the name of young Ashley Fletcher at Stoke City last weekend, but would the manager feel comfortable sending the 21-year-old into such a high-profile fixture when he has played just 30 minutes of first-team football in 2017?
2. History repeating…
As it turned out, West Ham United produced one of their best performances of a memorable season to win 1-0 through Michail Antonio’s early header – and such was the quality of the Hammers’ performance that the victory margin could have been far wider.
Fast forward 14 months and Spurs are again vying for the title, with a win on their first visit to London Stadium taking them to within a point of leaders Chelsea.
Every West Ham fan would no doubt love to scupper the north London club’s championship challenge for a second season running, so can history repeat itself?
3. Kane and Alli
If West Ham United are to stop Tottenham Hotspur on Friday evening, they will need to slow arguably the Premier League’s best attacking partnership.
England internationals Harry Kane and Dele Alli have combined for 38 goals – just five less than the entire current West Ham United squad – and eleven assists in the top flight this season.
Add in the craft of Christian Eriksen, the power of Moussa Dembele and Victor Wanyama and the knack of being in the right place at the right time of Son Hueng-Min, and you have a versatile unit that can hurt you at virtually any time.
Kane has five goals in nine career appearances against West Ham, including two late strikes in Spurs’ 3-2 win at White Hart Lane in November
That said, he has not always enjoyed playing against the Hammers, having ended on the losing side in four of those nine matches.
4. Friday night lights
The Hammers have contested four previous Friday games in the Premier League, but all have fallen either on Good Friday or Boxing Day, so have kicked-off in the afternoon.
Friday’s derby will not be West Ham’s first Friday evening match of the season however, as Manchester City visited for an Emirates FA Cup third-round tie in January.
Incidentally, West Ham have faced Tottenham on a Friday three times previously, all at White Hart Lane.
First, on Boxing Day 1958, Jon Bond, John Dick, Vic Keeble and a Ron Henry own-goal scored a 4-1 First Division win for the newly-promoted Hammers.
Then, on Good Friday 1965, Ronnie Boyce, Johnny Byrne, Geoff Hurst and Harry Redknapp got the goals as the Hammers thumped Spurs by the same scoreline in the First Division in N17.
However, the north Londoners got their own belated revenge on Boxing Day 1986, when they ran out 4-0 victors.
5. Top-six target
As every West Ham United fan is no doubt award, the Hammers’ record against the top six was exceptional last season, with the east Londoners collecting 19 points from 12 games against the Premier League’s leading lights.
This season has been a different story. West Ham have won just two points from the ten matches they have played against the current top six so far – from a 1-1 draw at Manchester United and a 2-2 draw at Liverpool.
With home matches against Spurs and the Reds to come, the Hammers have two final chances to chalk up that elusive first win over top-six opposition.
If they do so, Slaven Bilic’s side will also guarantee their Premier League status.