EFL Cup: Get Set for a Capital Christmas Cracker!

Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United

An EFL Cup quarter-final meeting that has the ingredients to be a Christmas cracker.

Both sides chasing cup glory and a chance to end a trophy drought that stretches back far longer than either would care to admit.

It is also a meeting between two managers who are making their mark in the capital in different ways.

Talking Points

For Spurs, Antonio Conte has only been in charge a matter of six weeks but the suggestion is he is starting to get his new employers motoring again.

Certainly, during a thrilling 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, they looked like a team shifting gear and becoming an obstacle for opponents.

How winning this trophy would be a boon for the North Londoners whose last two major successes were in this competition – in 1999 and 2008.

West Ham have to go back to the 1980 FA Cup Final for their most recent major success so the onus on both clubs to create League Cup highlights and progress to a New Year semi-final has a big appeal.

Even more so, because these sides don’t really like each other much – at least their fans don’t.

You can point to a number of reasons why.

The rivalry has been stoked by some high profile transfer between the two clubs including Michael Carrick, Scott Parker and perhaps most famously Jermaine Defoe on deadline day in 2004.

These players all moved to West Ham to Spurs and the one-sided nature irritated the Hammers faithful

When London won the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games, one of the first questions was what would happen with the main stadium once the Olympics was over and done with.

In November 2010 it emerged West Ham and Spurs were the only serious contenders to take over the space, with an announcement made the following February that West Ham would be awarded the lease by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.

Spurs, naturally, weren’t happy and launched a judicial review which was rejected by the High Court.

As a result of all this, there’s no shortage of hostility in this London derby.

And don’t even mention the final-day showdown in May 2006 when the Spurs squad was hit by a vomiting bug and their appeal to delay the match was turned down and promptly cost them a chance to qualify for the Champions League.

Talking of which, both sides are also currently in contention for the fourth spot in the league which would secure qualification for Europe’s top club competition next season.

That West Ham are even in contention says much for the way David Moyes has positively impacted upon the east Enders since his return to the club almost two years ago.

The January transfer window can’t come soon enough for Moyes who has been overly reliant on the excellent Michail Antonio in attack, while defensive reinforcements may be required after first-choice centre-back pairing Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna picked up serious injuries with the Italian ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

A blow yes, but after knocking out both Manchester United and holders Man City, why should West Ham stop in the League Cup now?

History

Traditionally, Spurs have won 98 of their meetings with West Ham winning 66 and the other 53 ending with honours even.

Aside from a fierce rivalry, this is a history steeped in tradition, prestige and attacking football.

West Ham have proven a bit of a bogey for Spurs in big games over the last decade or so (both Premier League and League Cup), although only once in the last eight years have they defeated Tottenham on their own turf in the top flight.

Yet in the League Cup they have beaten Spurs twice at home in the past decade.

In December 2013, late goals from Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga sealed a 2-1 win after Emmanuel Adebayor had put Tottenham in front at White Hart Lane.

They produced an even better comeback in 2017 in a match played at Wembley Stadium.

Then Andre Ayew scored twice before Angelo Ogbonna netted the winner in a 3-2 success after Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli had put Spurs in the ascendancy.

Spurs did beat the Hammers in 2018 at the London Stadium, a 3-1 success in the League Cup, courtesy of Son Heung-Min (two) and Fernando Llorente.

When the sides met in the league just under two months ago, West Ham ran out deserved 1-0 winners, thanks to Antonio.

Betting Tip

	Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United	Tottenham Hotspur Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.42
	December 23, 03:45 (GMT+8)

The SBOTOP League Cup betting odds edge towards Spurs and so do I.

My *** prediction is for them to have the edge with Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.42.

 

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