14th-placed Tottenham Hotspur host relegation-threatened West Ham on Saturday, in a game that could prove decisive for Thomas Frank’s future at the club.
Despite many Spurs supporters half-expecting to wake up to a photo of a corner flag accompanied by a familiar ‘club statement’ caption following their FA Cup exit last weekend, that moment did not arrive. That was largely down to the fight the players showed in the second half of their 1-2 defeat to Aston Villa, although it was still not enough to make amends for a woeful first.
That result severely dented Tottenham’s hopes of silverware this season, with the club already out of the Carabao Cup, sitting 14th in the Premier League table, and a Champions League trophy would be too much to expect from a side of their quality.
With half the month already gone, Spurs are yet to win in 2026, having picked up two draws followed by two defeats. With the new year already bringing surprise sackings to big names like Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca, Thomas Frank is not far away from joining that list himself, having lost the backing of a large portion of the Spurs fan base.
West Ham, meanwhile, are enduring their worst season in more than a decade. The Hammers currently sit 18th in the table, seven points behind Nottingham Forest. However, they did manage to put an end to a two-month winless run last weekend, with a 2-1 win over QPR in the third round of the FA Cup.
What time does Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham kick off?
Location: London, England
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Date: Saturday, 17 January 2026
Kick-off time: 3pm BST
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham: Head-to-head record
The two sides met earlier this season in the reverse fixture back in September, when Tottenham won at the London Stadium for the first time in six years, courtesy of a convincing 3-0 victory.
Moreover, West Ham have managed just one win in their last eight Premier League meetings with Spurs (D3 L4) since a 2-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December 2023.
Tottenham team news
The defeat to Aston Villa was made worse by an injury to Spurs’ top scorer Richarlison, who was forced off with a hamstring issue and is expected to be sidelined for some time.
There was, however, a boost as Dominic Solanke made his first appearance in almost five months, although he looked understandably rusty after coming on. Destiny Udogie was also named on the bench following his injury but did not feature.
Tottenham’s injury list remains lengthy, with James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus all unavailable. Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma also remain absent, having not yet returned from AFCON duty.
The January transfer window has, however, brought a major addition, with the signing of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, and there is a strong chance the midfielder could be thrown straight into the starting XI.
West Ham team news
Konstantinos Mavropanos is a doubt for the visitors after picking up an injury in their FA Cup win at the weekend.
Aside from that, West Ham do not appear to have any major fitness concerns heading into this game.
Predicted line-ups
Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gallagher, Simons, Palhinha; Odobert, Kolo Muani, Tel
West Ham: Areola; Walker-Peters, Kilman, Todibo, Scarles; Wan-Bissaka, Paqueta, Soucek; Bowen, Wilson, Summerville
Our prediction
New signing Conor Gallagher will be one to watch, given he is the type of profile Tottenham have been lacking in midfield. The England international will be keen to make an immediate impression on his debut in front of the home crowd.
Mathys Tel will also be looking to impress, with interest building around a possible loan move, and the Frenchman will want to show why he deserves minutes.
For West Ham, Jarrod Bowen has not enjoyed a strong season so far, but as has often been the case, struggling players tend to rediscover form against Spurs. His duel with Djed Spence will be one to keep an eye on, particularly with England manager Thomas Tuchel expected to be watching closely ahead of future international decisions.
From the dugout, Thomas Frank will know that defeat against a struggling London rival could leave his position untenable. The fans would not forgive it, and nor would the board.
Despite Nuno Espirito Santo having a history of causing Spurs problems, this feels like a game the hosts should have enough to get through.
Predicted score: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 West Ham