West Ham fans are watching a poor team in a terrible stadium with a board they hate
If Tottenham Hotspur supporters thought they had it bad under former chairman Daniel Levy, then imagine how West Ham United fans must be feeling.
The post-Levy era started with a bang for Spurs, but it's same old, same old for West Ham supporters who are stuck watching a poor team in a stadium they cannot stand with a chairman and vice-chair they want out.
Hammers chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady looked uncomfortable as the London Stadium emptied out after Micky van de Ven had scored Tottenham's third goal.
Vivienne Lewis and her son-in-law Nick Beucher, representing Tottenham's new era, did a good job of maintaining a professional front in the stands, but they must have been cock-a-hoop.
Remember it was Levy who proposed knocking down the Olympic arena to build a proper football ground when he considered taking Tottenham to Stratford. Spurs fans must thank their lucky stars that never came to fruition, but West Ham supporters will think he had the right idea after being left watching their team in an athletics stadium.
What a magnificent header from Lucas Bergvall! 🤩
The 19-year-old has his first Premier League goal in style! pic.twitter.com/Bc8lSaoD1y— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
New Spurs signing Xavi Simons had a hand in one of the goals on his debut, as Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall got on the scoresheet before Van de Ven in what proved to be a comfortable evening against 10-man West Ham.
This was the perfect preparation for Tottenham as they head into their Champions League campaign, as manager Thomas Frank was even able to rest Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison. Much more of this and West Ham will be worried about heading into the Championship.
The home side had been in the game until Tomas Soucek was shown a red card, but from that moment it was game over and Sullivan and Brady can expect the protests planned for the coming weeks to gather pace.
"When the scoreline went away from us so quickly and then the red card, you can see it's an uncomfortable evening for us all," said West Ham head coach Graham Potter. "I felt for the supporters, of course, and the players out there because you don't know whether to push on and open yourselves up and it can get even uglier.
"I understand the frustration and it's uncomfortable. We've played two home games against Chelsea and Tottenham, both are competing in the Champions League. And we've had two uncomfortable games. We had a good game against Nottingham Forest, but I understand why there's that feeling. We have to deal with it and play well and win."
Cristian Romero had his first-half goal disallowed for a foul on Kyle Walker-Peters (right) - Reuters/Paul Childs
Such is the dreadful lay-out of the London Stadium that it barely felt like a derby and the home fans who wanted to give former West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus a hard time failed to get into his head.
It was from a Kudus corner in the 19th minute that Tottenham captain Cristian Romero thought he had headed the visitors into the lead. But referee Jarred Gillett ruled the goal out for pushing from Van de Ven on Kyle Walker-Peters and VAR did not decide to overall him.
West Ham started with Lucas Paquetá as a makeshift striker and he should really have put the home side into the lead with the first real chance of the match.
Jarrod Bowen broke down the right, played the ball into Mateus Fernandes who found Paquetá. The Brazilian had time to pick his stop but poked the ball harmlessly wide. Maybe it would all have been very different had he scored.
Simons' first 45 minutes in a Spurs shirt had passed without him causing West Ham too many problems. But it only took the Dutchman two minutes of the second period to make a big impact, as he delivered the corner from which Sarr, completely unmarked, headed Tottenham into the lead.
Tomas Soucek is sent off after his challenge on Palhinha 🟥 pic.twitter.com/PQYoxzd2Kl
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
Bowen tried to provide an instant response for West Ham with a low shot that Guglielmo Vicario had to save before Max Kilman headed a James Ward-Prowse free-kick over the bar.
But the home side's hopes of a comeback were killed off minutes later, as Soucek was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on João Palhinha that ripped the midfielder's sock just above his shin pad. The free-kick was worked back to Romero, who floated the ball into the West Ham area and Bergvall drifted off his markers to nod it into the net.
That was enough for some West Ham fans who trudged towards the exits, as the visiting Spurs fans celebrated wildly. And it was a mass exodus when Van de Ven rifled in the away team's third with 26 minutes remaining.
Tottenham finally have a new era to look forward to. But West Ham remain stuck in a vicious circle and it is tempting to wonder how often the Hammers will finish the game in front of a full house this season such is the level of dissatisfaction under Sullivan and Brady.
Jarrod Bowen speaking to Sky Sports
"We did OK in the first half, had some good crosses into the box and defended set-pieces well. We knew Thomas Frank at Brentford was good at those. We need to look at the fine details ourselves and take pride.
"We had a red card and then it is a totally different game. Against a side like this, who are in the Champions League, you have to defend well in open play but we switched off for a second from a set-piece. That is where it goes down to the finer details.
"It is difficult then [after the second goal] we are deflated and things change. We needed to dig in and roll our sleeves up; there is nothing else you can do."
On fans walking out early:
"The fans were disappointed as we all were. We were on a high after the last win but you can come down quickly. It is important to enjoy the wins together and when you lose you have to accept it; we cannot change it now. The fans are disappointed, I am disappointed but we cannot change it.
"I have been here nearly six years now and been through a lot of highs and lows. I have experienced both of those and you just have to ride the storm."
Next up
For West Ham they have a week to stew over this defeat and they another London derby to come next weekend when they host Crystal Palace.
Tottenham are in Champions League action on Tuesday when they host Villareal before travelling to Brighton in the Premier League next weekend.
Xavi Simons speaking to Sky Sports
"It has always been a dream of mine to play here"
Xavi Simons reacts to making his debut in Spurs 3-0 win over West Ham 👏 pic.twitter.com/r7J1TKnzyP— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
Across in west London
The final game of the day comes from the Gtech Community Stadium where Thomas Frank's former club Brentford host Chelsea. You can follow all the build-up and action from that game right here.
26th birthday gift for Pedro Porro
The birthday boy enjoyed that one 😄 pic.twitter.com/l6c9AD4Cw3
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 13, 2025
Potter in trouble?
West Ham are down in 18th after that defeat, with just three points from their first four games. In their two home games so far, they have conceded eight goals against London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham. Graham Potter is under big pressure so should he keep his job or should West Ham look to make a change?
Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports
"We said that set-pieces were going to play an important part and it did. West Ham just could not handle them.
"Once they went to 10 men the difference in quality started to show. [Lucas] Bergvall had a great performance, but [Mohammed] Kudus was quality."
This weekend's fixtures
Today:
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Bournemouth 2-1 Brighton
Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland
Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
Fulham 1-0 Leeds
Newcastle 1-0 Wolves
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
Sunday:
Burnley vs Liverpool
Manchester City vs Manchester United
FT stats
Possession: West Ham 36%-64% Tottenham
Shots: 7-14
Shots on target: 4-5
Corners: 2-13
Touches in opposition box: 11-37
Full time
The final whistle goes and Tottenham take the spoils, winning 3-0 at the London Stadium. A great night for Thomas Frank's men but a chastening one for Graham Potter and his side. The pressure once more ramps up on Potter. There are hardly any West Ham fans left in the stadium to boo the home side. Frank has begun his Tottenham tenure with three wins from his first four Premier League games in charge.
Dominant in East London 👊 pic.twitter.com/tnMIVdQDly
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 13, 2025
90+4 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Kilman nearly scores an own goal as his header at the near post nearly ends up in the far corner.
90+3 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Another chance for Kudus to score against his former club but his shot from ten yards out is blocked by Irving.
90+2 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Late West Ham change as Irving replaces Ward-Prowse.
90+1 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Porro's cross from the right picks out Kudus, who volleys first time from eight yards out, but he is denied by a good save from Hermansen, who then saves from Johnson but the offside flag goes up against Johnson. It is already a horrible night for West Ham fans but the only thing that could make it worse for them would be a Kudus goal.
90 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Five added minutes.
89 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Bowen tries to work something on the byline but his touch is heavy and rolls through into the hands of Vicario.
82 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
More and more West Ham fans are leaving as the number of empty seats increases. Tottenham are just casually playing the ball around the back a fair bit, with a 3-0 lead and a man advantage.
80 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
This image probably sums up the feeling of all those associated with West Ham right now:
West Ham suffer a third chastening defeat of the season already - Tony O'Brien/Reuters
78 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Thomas Frank continues to ring the changes as he makes his third, fourth and fifth substitutions of the game. Johnson, Danso and Odobert all on for the visitors. Tel, Bergvall and van de Ven head off.
71 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Thomas Frank makes his first two changes of the game as Richarlison and Udogie come on for Simons and Spence.
69 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
Bowen tries to curl one into the far corner from the right side of the box but his effort is easily saved by Vicario.
67 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
West Ham are making their third change of the game as Wilson comes on for Paqueta.
65 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 3
West Ham have not yet finished their fourth league game of the new season and they have already conceded 11 goals, including eight at home. The pressure on Graham Potter seemed to have eased a little after their win at Nottingham Forest before the international break but it hs ramped up again now.
GOAL! Van de Ven adds Tottenham's third
The visitors have their third goal and this could get very ugly for West Ham. Good footwork from Bergvall sees the ball ending up at the feet of van de Ven, who sweeps home a first-time finish into the bottom corner from 10 yards out. Is this game heading the same way as West Ham's defeat to Chelsea? Plenty of home fans have had enough and are leaving.
Micky van de Ven!
Spurs are running away with it at the London Stadium 😤 pic.twitter.com/6hA2ibJP8r— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
61 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 2
Double change for the home side as Guilherme and Magassa come on for Summerville and Fernandes. Magassa is on for his West Ham debut after joining from Monaco this summer.
GOAL! Bergvall doubles Tottenham's lead
Things go from bad to worse for West Ham and that feels like game, set and match. Romero clips a ball in behind the West Ham defence, picking out Bergvall, who may be backpedalling but pulls off a stunning header over Hermansen into the far corner.
What a magnificent header from Lucas Bergvall! 🤩
The 19-year-old has his first Premier League goal in style! pic.twitter.com/Bc8lSaoD1y— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
RED CARD! Soucek sent off
Soucek has caught Palhinha with a nasty challenge and referee Jarred Gillet almost immediately gets his red card out and sends Soucek off. Soucek went for a bouncing ball, missed it and then caught Palhinha quite high, causing a rip in Palhinha's sock. Soucek apologises to the home fans before heading down the tunnel.
Tomas Soucek is sent off after his challenge on Palhinha 🟥 pic.twitter.com/PQYoxzd2Kl
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
53 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 1
Bowen goes down under a challenge down the right not far outside the Tottenham box and West Ham are given the free-kick. Not only that but Spence is shown a yellow card. He cannot really have many complaints about that as Bowen had beaten him.
Ward-Prowse takes and Kilman meets it but his header from no more than five yards out goes over the bar. He should be doing better with that chance.
49 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 1
West Ham looked for an immediate response and they are not far away as Bowen forces Vicario into a save down to his right. A fairly routine save for the Tottenham goalkeeper, who should not really have parried it behind for a corner.
Ward-Prowse sends it in and unconvincingly Vicario punches away.
GOAL! Sarr gives Tottenham the lead
The visitors are ahead from their ninth corner of the game. Simons has an assist on his Tottenham debut, picking out Sarr at the back post. Sarr is in acres of space beyond the far post and powers his header past Hermansen. West Ham's issues from corners so far this season continue.
Pape Matar Sarr heads home the Xavi Simons corner to give Spurs the lead! 💥 pic.twitter.com/Op56IE0C8B
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
47 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham had eight corners in the first half and they already have their first of the second half. Simons will take the inswinger...
46 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Bowen has the first effort of the second half within 30 seconds of the restart from just outside the box but he drags his effort well wide.
Second half
We are back under way at the London Stadium. The last three meetings between these sides on this ground have ended in 1-1 draws.
Should this have been a goal?
Cristian Romero's effort ruled out
Enough for a foul?
Sky Sports crew on Tottenham's disallowed goal
"I don't see it!"
"There's not enough for a foul!"
Jamie Redknapp and Gianfranco Zola don't think there was enough evidence to disallow Spurs an opener against West Ham. pic.twitter.com/hhTRTFQnff— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
HT stats
Possession: West Ham 43%-57% Tottenham
Shots: 2-5
Shots on target: 1-1
Corners: 1-8
Touches in opposition box: 5-14
Half-time
Simons takes the free-kick and it is headed away. Porro gets his shot all wrong from the edge of the box and the half is brought to an end. At the break it remains goalless.
Honestly the referees & VAR have had an absolute shocker of a start to the season. If that goal is disallowed for a foul you will never ever see a corner be taken without referee blowing for something ever again🫣🤷🏻♂️
— James Maddison (@Madders10) September 13, 2025
45+2 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham have a late free-kick in a dangerous area after a silly, needless foul from Paqueta on Spence. One more piece of defending for West Ham to do before half-time.
45 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Two additional minutes at the end of this first half.
42 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham have another corner and Kudus sends in a dangerous delivery, that Hermansen unconvincingly flaps away. Tottenham keep it alive and moments later there is a mad scramble inside the West Ham box but the hosts just about clear their lines.
40 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Van de Ven is a lucky man. Bowen's cross from the right take a deflection and van de Ven attempts to head away but the header is terrible. Vicario was coming out to take the cross but was caught out by van de Ven's intervention. Tottenham are fortunate that the ball does end up in Vicario's arms.
38 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham take a corner out on the right short and Porro whips in a cross to the near post. Sarr meets and heads it on but the last touch comes off Kilman for yet another Tottenham corner, which Soucek heads away. West Ham are certainly being challenged from corners so far and, the last time they were at home, they did not deal with those set-pieces against Chelsea.
West Ham goalkeeper Mads Hermansen looks less than convincing at set-pieces. Everybody looks little from the press box at the London Stadium, but he seems to lack a physical edge.
35 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
There is plenty of grappling going on in the West Ham box from Tottenham corners, in particular between Fernandes and van de Ven. From the latest corner, it appeared Fernandes had his arms wrapped around van de Ven and he is lucky to escape without conceding a penalty. He is taking an almighty risk by doing that and is asking for trouble. Tottenham captain Romero is expressing his frustration to the referee.
32 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Spence, a few days on from his England debut against Serbia, wins a corner off Walker-Peters out on the left, which Simons will take.
The delivery is sent into the near post but West Ham deal with the danger.
30 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Porro, on his 26th birthday, clips a ball to the back post trying to pick out Bergvall but there is too much on the cross and it goes out for a goal-kick. Bergvall was offside anyway.
Xavi Simons just passed to absolutely nobody while in a decent position. It will take Tottenham's new signing a bit of time to build a relationship with his team-mates, but that was a strange one.
25 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tel has got back on his feet but is still not moving entirely comfortably.
24 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham are probably going to be forced into a change here as Tel is down and appears to be in some pain. He smashes the ground in frustration.
19 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Tottenham have it in the back of the West Ham net but the whistle is blown for a free-kick. Kudus sends in a dangerous inswinger into the six-yard box and Romero heads it home but there is adjudged to have been a foul in the build-up. VAR has taken a look at it and deemed there was a two-handed push so no goal. It is soft to say the least.
Christian Romero has his goal ruled out for a foul after being judged to have pushed Walker-Peters out of the way in the build-up ❌ pic.twitter.com/SE97wE8Vod
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
#WHUTOT – 19'
The referee's call of no goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that van de Ven pushed Walker-Peters in the back and impacted his ability to play the ball.— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) September 13, 2025
18 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Simons cuts in from the left and tries to curl one towards the far corner. It looked like the shot was going wide but Mavropanos was taking no risks, heading it behind for a corner...
16 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Diouf sends in his second good cross of the game that picks out Fernandes at the back post but the touch on the stretch is loose and the chance is gone. Diouf had a strong game for Senegal in a friendly against England at the City Ground back in June and on that night he played in some delightful crosses, like he has done in the early stages here.
14 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Big chance for West Ham and they probably should be ahead. It is a lovely move from the home sides as they come down their right. Bowen fires the ball into Fernandes on the edge of the box and the new summer signing then plays the ball onto Paqueta, who should at the very least hit the target but he drags his shot wide. Paqueta scored a stunner against Chelsea in their first home game but he did not have his shooting boots on there.
Lucas Paqueta drags his shot wide - Yui Mok/PA
9 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Summerville slides in to block Kudus' cross, which is met by probably the biggest cheer of the game so far by the home fans. The corner is then headed away by Mavropanos. You would have to expect that Kudus knew he was going to get some boos.
6 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Diouf whips in a dangerous ball from the left, trying to pick out Bowen, but van de Ven is on hand to head away.
4 mins: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
As Matt Law has mentioned, Paqueta is lining up certainly in the early stages as a false nine, with Bowen on the right, Summerville on the left and Fernandes playing in behind Paqueta. Fullkrug was a doubt for the game so is only fit enough for the bench whilst Wilson probably was not fit enough to start either.
1 min: West Ham 0 Tottenham 0
Kudus, who is being booed by the home faithful, takes on a shot from the edge of the box but it is blocked, much to the delight of the home fans. He was sent off for West Ham against Tottenham last season in the reverse fixture.
An early touch and an early boo from the home crowd for Mohammed Kudus. Fortunately for him, the fans are about 10 miles from the pitch at the London Stadium. It looks like Lucas Paqueta is playing as a makeshift striker for West Ham.
Frosty reception for Kudus on his return to the London Stadium - Tony O'Brien/Reuters
Kick-off
We are under way at the London Stadium. The last time West Ham played at home was in another London derby; they took an early lead against Chelsea through Lucas Paqueta but succumbed to a heavy 5-1 defeat. The home fans will be hoping for a different outcome this evening.
Kick-off fast approaching
Both sides emerge from the tunnel at the London Stadium and we are just moments away from kick-off in this London derby. Here is a reminder of the teams:
West Ham: Hermansen, Diouf, Kilman, Mavropanos, Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Fernandes, Paqueta, Bowen, Summerville.
Substitutes: Areola, Julio, Wilson, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Magassa, Fabianski, Potts, Irving.
Tottenham: Vicario, Spence, Van de Ven, Romero, Porro, Sarr, Palhinha, Bergvall, Simons, Tel, Kudus.
Substitutes: Kinsky, Danso, Richarlison, Udogie, Johnson, Odobert, Bentancur, Davies, Kolo Muani.
Graham Potter speaking to Sky Sports
"We had a tough start"
Graham Potter explains his team selection ahead of facing Spurs 🗣️👇 pic.twitter.com/jJ1TQuVtFx— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
Visitors gearing up
Let's do this ✊
🌟 @BetMGMUK pic.twitter.com/PMirY9AfFC— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 13, 2025
Late change on the West Ham bench
Łukasz Fabiański comes onto the bench in place of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is out through illness. https://t.co/756kUmVnPX
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 13, 2025
Change at the top for Tottenham
This is the first Tottenham game of the post-Levy era and the Lewis family are represented at the London stadium today by Vivienne Lewis and her son-in-law Nick Beucher. Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham is also here.
Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports
"Daniel Levy has left this club in a really good way"
Jamie Redknapp on the departure of Daniel Levy from Tottenham Hotspur 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/n4lEfISxgN— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 13, 2025
Much-needed clean sheet last time out
After conceding eight goals in their first two league games, summer signing Mads Hermansen and his West Ham teammates would have been relieved to have kept a clean sheet at Nottingham Forest just before the international break.
Locked in 🔒 pic.twitter.com/ZY7vdvzEfY
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 13, 2025
Tottenham's selected transfer business
INS:
Xavi Simons ⇠ RB Leipzig
Mohammed Kudus ⇠ West Ham
Joao Palhinha ⇠ Bayern Munich (loan)
Randal Kolo Muani ⇠ PSG (loan)
OUTS:
Heung-min Son ⇢ LAFC
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg ⇢ Marseille
Bryan Gil ⇢ Girona
West Ham's selected transfer business
INS:
Mateus Fernandes ⇠ Southampton
El Hadji Malick Diouf ⇠ Slavia Prague
Mads Hermansen ⇠ Leicester
Callum Wilson ⇠ Newcastle (free)
Kyle Walker-Peters ⇠ Southampton (free)
Igor Julio ⇠ Brighton (loan)
OUTS:
Mohammed Kudus ⇢ Tottenham
Nayef Aguerd ⇢ Marseille
Edson Alvarez ⇢ Fenerbahce (loan)
Emerson Palmieri ⇢ Marseille
Visitors in the house
Arrivals 📸 pic.twitter.com/BHe3BBSjU6
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 13, 2025
Hosts arriving
Let's go ✊ pic.twitter.com/uxZJxlVX9W
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 13, 2025
'Life after Levy – the main issues facing Tottenham's owners in new era'
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has received assurances from the Lewis family and hopes to map out the club's new era with them.
As revealed by Telegraph Sport, members of the Lewis family are expected to be at London Stadium for Tottenham's game against fierce rivals West Ham United on Saturday in a public demonstration of the post-Daniel Levy era.
Frank spoke to Levy after the announcement of the chairman's departure last week and has since held discussions with the Lewis family, the majority shareholders who will now control the club.
"I've spoken to a few from the Lewis family and Peter Charrington, the new non-exec chairman," said Frank. "I also spoke to him before, of course he was already on the board. So there's been good, constructive conversations and I feel the backing and they're happy."
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Full team news
West Ham make one change to the side that won 3-0 in the Premier League at Nottingham Forest before the international break as Crysencio Summerville comes in for Niclas Fullkrug. Igor Julio is on the bench for the hosts after signing on loan from Brighton on deadline day.
West Ham: Hermansen, Diouf, Kilman, Mavropanos, Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Fernandes, Paqueta, Bowen, Summerville.
Substitutes: Areola, Julio, Wilson, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Magassa, Wan-Bissaka, Potts, Irving.
Tottenham make three changes to the side that lost 1-0 at home to Bournemouth last time out. Xavi Simons makes his debut from the start, with Mathys Tel and Lucas Bergvall also coming into the starting XI. Mohammed Kudus starts against his former club. Deadline-day loan signing Randal Kolo Muani is on the bench.
Tottenham: Vicario, Spence, Van de Ven, Romero, Porro, Sarr, Palhinha, Bergvall, Simons, Tel, Kudus.
Substitutes: Kinsky, Danso, Richarlison, Udogie, Johnson, Odobert, Bentancur, Davies, Kolo Muani.
Jim White: Well done West Ham for banning the worst item of football memorabilia
Well done West Ham. Thanks to a smart bit of action by one of their executives, when they play their London derby against Tottenham on Saturday evening, the London Stadium will be free of one of the most irritating sights of modern football: half-and-half scarves.
The club cite "increased security measures" around what is always a tense encounter as the reason. The fear is that anyone sporting Tottenham colours in the home sections of the ground – albeit only on half their scarf – creates a potential for provocation. So fans attempting to gain access having bought a half-and-half scarf will have it taken from them, and not returned.
For some of us, that is about time. The half-and-half scarf is as ludicrous an item of memorabilia as has ever been thought up, one which undermines the emotional heart of the game: its tribal instinct. When you go to watch a football match you are there to support one side or the other. And if you are not, well neutrality is not something that needs to be advertised.
'The real Daniel Levy: What it was like to work for the Tottenham chairman'
Daniel Levy has a favourite story about himself. It is from a parents' evening when he was 16 and the headteacher told his mother and father that he should leave school as he was not academic enough. "The next day I said to myself 'I'm not going to be beaten'," Levy says. "From that moment onward I got As in my exams and I went to university. I'm a fighter."
It is a tale that Levy recalls to Tanguy Ndombele in the Amazon Prime All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur series, as the pair talk about the (disastrous) record signing's struggles at the club. And, tellingly, it is a tale Levy also recounted when he spoke at the Cambridge Union, returning to the university where he gained a first-class degree in Economics and Land Economy.
"I had to fight to get to where I am today and everyone said I wouldn't make it," Levy told the students.
Tottenham team
Your Spurs side at West Ham 🤍
🔢 @krakenfx pic.twitter.com/qrV7zb1LrF— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 13, 2025
West Ham team
Our team to take on Tottenham ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/DsXi1JWH3U
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 13, 2025
This weekend's fixtures
Today:
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest FT
Bournemouth 1-1 Brighton (51')
Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland (52')
Everton 0-0 Aston Villa (53')
Fulham 0-0 Leeds (54')
Newcastle 0-0 Wolves (47')
West Ham vs Tottenham
Brentford vs Chelsea
Sunday:
Burnley vs Liverpool
Manchester City vs Manchester United
You can follow along with all the latest from the 3pm kick-offs this afternoon right here.
Match preview
The London Stadium plays host to a London derby as West Ham host Tottenham. The pressure felt like it was growing significantly on West Ham manager Graham Potter after two heavy defeats against Sunderland and Chelsea to start the season but a 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest last time out has eased the pressure on Potter. They have announced that they have brought goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski back to the club on a deal until the end of the season having left at the expiration of his contract earlier this summer.
During the international break, it was announced that Daniel Levy had stepped down as Tottenham chairman after nearly 25 years in the position. Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has paid tribute to Levy.
"Daniel deserves massive praise; he has been here 24 years. The things he has built, the success, he has been a massive part of. You cannot praise that enough. He has laid the foundation for the future, with this world-class training centre and stadium. Those two, we are at a top level. That is Daniel."
Frank's tenure in north London began with back-to-back league wins against Burnley and Manchester City but fell to defeat at home to Bournemouth just before the international break. Frank could give Premier League debuts to Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani.
"Both of them are looking good," Frank said. "Both of them are definitely in contention to be ready for the squad. Xavi for natural reasons is further down the line. He started the first game for Holland and a few games for Leipzig. Randal it has been a while, last time was Club World Cup and has not played with PSG. He is not as fit as Xavi but looks good."
James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin remain out for the visitors whilst Dominic Solanke is not ready yet to return from an ankle injury.
This fixture last season ended in a 1-1 draw back in May but Tottenham did convincingly win 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a game in which now Tottenham man Mohammed Kudus had given West Ham the lead before being sent off. West Ham have won just one of their last seven league games against Tottenham with their last victory coming back in December 2023 when they won 2-1. The last three Premier League meetings at the London Stadium have ended in 1-1 draws.
Team news to follow shortly.