Happy Pellegrini ready for Spurs

Manuel Pellegrini has handed Pablo Zabaleta the ultimate compoliment by saying: “For me, he  is one of the most intelligent players that I have managed in my career.”

The 32 year old is keeping summer signing Ryan Fredericks on the sidelines despite the advancing years and the Hammers boss added: “Maybe he’s not a young player, and cannot play all the games, and maybe he’s not as fast as he was some years ago, but he’s a player that always knows how to make a solution from a problem.

. “He’s a player that always knows how to attack.

“He’s always talking with the whole squad, so he’s a real leader for this team.”

With the Hammers having kept two clean sheets  in two of their last three home games, with Zaba Issa Diop, Fabian Balbuena and Arthur Masuaku at the back Pellegrini is more than encouraged at the progress.

And he is paerticurly pleased with the two central defenders declaring: “I think that both of them are improving. Maybe Fabian has more experience.

But he’s come from a very big team in Brazil, so it’s normal that he needs a couple of games in the Premier League to start performing the way we know he can.

I think that professional players like Fabian, they don’t need too many games to be regulars when they are good players.

“Issa Diop is a very young player and he must continue improving in every game that he plays, but he’s a player that is always asking and learning and he has a lot of desire to be a good centre back.

“We also have Angelo Ogbonna who is working very hard and is doing very well. We also have Declan Rice who can play there. Centre-back is currently a position that we have covered very well. I’m very happy with the two that are playing.”

Pellegrini believes the fans will be celebrating this afternoon saying: “When the team plays well then more often the stadium is unbelievable

“I hope that, with this being a derby and the way we are playing, I am sure that we are going to have a great atmosphere.”