Tottenham Hotspur has been a happy hunting ground for unforgettable strikes from Hammers over the years.
There was Manuel Lanzini’s belter to rescue a point in unforgettable circumstances in October 2020. There was also Pedro Obiang’s rocket at Wembley Stadium two years earlier.
Going further back, Ian Pearce also found the top corner in April 2002, while Steve Jones netted a worldie of his own back in 1994.
Michail Antonio's boots, Anton Ferdinand's head, and Ravel Morrison's dribbling have all given the Claret and Blue Army reason to cheer in N17. As have André Ayew, Modibo Maiga, and, of course, Angelo Ogbonna.
The experienced Italian centre-back netted a memorable winner in a 3-2 triumph in October 2017, helping West Ham from two goals down to secure progression in the Carabao Cup.
“At half-time, we were 2-0 down and the dressing was so quiet. We didn’t know what to do”, Ogbonna told whufc.com. “After that, we came back, and I scored the last goal, the winner. It was unbelievable. The atmosphere was crazy too.
“I wish to get another goal like that on Sunday. It was a really good moment for me and for the Club.”
A five-goal thriller might be too much for the Claret and Blue Army to ask for this weekend, but a repeat of a famous victory against the north London side should not feel out of reach.
The Hammers have been playing with more conviction, confidence, and poise since the turn of the year and results have followed too.
One defeat has come in 2023 and the Irons are now four games without a loss, with valuable points picked up at home to Everton, away to Newcastle United, and back at London Stadium versus Chelsea.
David Moyes' men therefore head into a second successive London derby in good spirits and Ogbonna is quietly confident of another good result on the road this Sunday.
“Every time when we play against them it is a huge game, for us, for the fans,” he stated. “It is a massive game.
"We create our own pressure in this game because we know how important it is, so we are focused for Sunday.”
But while the results have picked up since the turn of the year, the Hammers have fallen to slow starts in recent matches, something Ogbonna insists the team are desperate to rectify in this weekend's fixture.
Despite recovering 1-1 draws in their last two league matches against Newcastle and Chelsea, the Irons have done so after conceding early in both games. It is a task the team is determined to avoid this weekend.
While comeback results are embedded in West Ham's history with Tottenham Hotspur, Ogbonna is looking to build some consistency in the performance.
“Every game is important from now on, not just games against the [top clubs]” added the centre-back, who also scored versus Spurs at London Stadium in November 2019.
“You have to perform well first. When you perform well, sometimes you are unlucky, but the majority of the time you get results.
"We are looking to get more than one point, but the first thing we need to do on Sunday is to perform well.”
