Tottenham Hotspur will be eager to have Son Heung-min back in action when they face West Ham United in the Premier League this weekend. The South Korean forward has missed Tottenham’s last three matches due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the Europa League victory over Qarabag. After limping off in that game, Son has been absent for subsequent fixtures against Manchester United, Ferencvaros, and Brighton, and also missed South Korea’s World Cup qualifiers against Jordan and Iraq.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is expected to provide an update on the fitness of the 32-year-old forward later this week, with the club hoping he will be fit enough to return to the squad. Son’s return would be a huge boost for Tottenham, as his leadership and goal-scoring ability have been sorely missed during his absence.
Meanwhile, Richarlison has not featured for Spurs since the second game of the season. The Brazilian forward has been dealing with fitness issues, and Postecoglou has been cautious about his recovery, urging reporters to stop asking about his situation in late September. The manager admitted that Richarlison was still some way from returning to the pitch, and it remains to be seen when he will be available for selection again.
In other injury news for Tottenham, young winger Wilson Odobert is recovering well from a hamstring injury he sustained during the Carabao Cup clash against Coventry City. However, it is unlikely that he will be ready in time for the West Ham match. Another player to watch is Lucas Bergvall, who returned to London earlier than expected after suffering a minor injury that ruled him out of Sweden’s international fixture against Estonia. He is currently being assessed by Tottenham’s medical team and could be in contention for the weekend clash.
As for West Ham United, the Hammers have relatively few injury concerns ahead of the London derby. One of the major absences for David Moyes’ side has been summer signing Niclas Fullkrug. The German striker has had a frustrating start to life in east London, as an Achilles problem has kept him sidelined since August. Before West Ham’s game against Ipswich Town, manager Julen Lopetegui expressed optimism that Fullkrug could return after the international break, and he is expected to provide a further update on the striker’s status later this week.
Fullkrug, who was brought in to add firepower to West Ham’s attack, has yet to score his first Premier League goal, and his return could give the Hammers a much-needed boost up front. Aside from Fullkrug’s injury, West Ham’s squad remains largely fit, with the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá, and Michail Antonio all expected to feature against Tottenham.
As for the predicted lineups, Tottenham could line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Vicario in goal, a back four of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie. In midfield, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, and James Maddison are likely to start, while the attack could feature Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, and the hopeful return of Son Heung-min.
West Ham could also field a strong lineup, with Alphonse Areola in goal, supported by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, and Emerson in defense. Their midfield is expected to include Lucas Paquetá, Tomáš Souček, and new signing Edson Álvarez, with Mohamed Kudus, Bowen, and Antonio leading the attack.
The much-anticipated clash between Tottenham and West Ham is scheduled to kick off at 12:30 pm on Saturday, October 19. Fans can catch the action live on TV, with coverage available on multiple sports channels.