Two London rivals level on points will meet on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham United at White Hart Lane.

Both teams are just three points outside the Champions League places heading into the weekend and they will be looking to keep the pressure on the top four.

Spurs

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Mauricio Pochettino and his army of supporters probably could not have asked for much more at this stage of the season as Spurs look to deliver even more evidence that they are strong enough to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Steady progress was made in Pochettino's first year in charge of the club, but his young side look to have reached the next level with their defensive resiliency as the players continue to improve under his high intensity pressing methods.

Many expected the club to stand still for at least another year, but the performances of Dele Alli and Eric Dier, in particular, have demonstrated that the immediate future is bright as Spurs look to prove that they can compete with the biggest sides in the country.

Perhaps the biggest indication of progress was the disappointment which arrived following the 1-1 draw with North London rivals Arsenal before the international break as Spurs conceded an equaliser to Kieran Gibbs after controlling the game in the first half.

The picture would have looked even better with a win at the Emirates Stadium, but Pochettino's side are now 11 games unbeaten in the Premier League and sit just five points behind leaders Manchester City.

Despite not being in action this week, the good news kept coming for the club as Alli, Dier and Harry Kane all starred for England in the win over France and confidence could not be much higher heading into their latest test.

It is clear to see that the optimism and expectancy is arriving, and with Spurs looking much stronger than in recent years, another positive result on Sunday will convince many that this side are good enough to clinch a place in the top four.

Recent form: WDDWWD
Recent form (all competitions): DLWWWD

West Ham

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Despite currently sitting in a very healthy fifth position in the table, Slaven Bilic may not have been too disappointed to see the international break arrive this month.

West Ham's form has been one of the stories of the season so far, with Bilic immediately encouraging exciting counter-attacking football from his players in the early stages of his reign.

Early-season form can often be deceptive, but the squad in East London looks stronger than ever before and the signs suggest that the club are ready to be in the top six for most of the campaign.

Inevitable frustrating results did arrive before the break as the Hammers slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Watford before playing out a draw with Everton at Upton Park, but the biggest positive for the current side is that most people will be expecting a response at the weekend.

Bilic's side have already beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City away from home this season, and with the pressure on Spurs to control the game from the first whistle, West Ham should relish the challenge of hitting the hosts on the break.

However, they must now prepare for life without Dimitri Payet, who looks set to miss three months with an ankle injury after making such an impressive start to his career in England.

As injuries begin to play an important role, the true strength of this squad will be tested and current tests will not come much tougher than a trip to White Hart Lane.

Recent form: DDWWLD

Team News

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Spurs will be forced into at least one change this weekend as Erik Lamela prepares to watch from the stands after a yellow card against Arsenal earned him a one-game suspension.

His absence should pave the way for Son Heung-min to start for the first time in almost two months, but Nabil Bentaleb is unlikely to be ready to return after he picked up a knock on international duty with Algeria.

As well as being without the influential Payet, Bilic confirmed on Friday that Enner Valencia was facing another four weeks on the sidelines with an ankle problem.

Diafra Sakho, Pedro Obiang and Alex Song should all be available for the visitors as West Ham look set to welcome key players back into the squad.

Spurs possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Davies; Dier, Alli; Son, Dembele, Eriksen; Kane

West Ham possible starting lineup:
Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble; Moses, Lanzini, Antonio; Carroll

Head To Head

West Ham supporters will have fond memories of their recent meetings with Spurs after losing just one of the last five matches against the club's London rivals.

However, the recent statistics suggest that the Hammers should be wary of Pochettino's side striking late, with three of Tottenham's last five goals against them coming in the 90th minute or later.

Spurs have not beaten West Ham at home since Jermain Defoe scored twice in a 3-1 victory in November 2012.

We say: Spurs 2-0 West Ham

The pressure is on West Ham's other creative players, including Manuel Lanzini and Victor Moses, to step up in the absence of Payet. Bilic's side will be keen to hit the hosts on the break, but with Spurs looking impressive at the back this season, a home win looks a strong possibility.

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