Spurs team news ahead of Hammers clash

Evening Standard football journalist Dan Kilpatrick has taken to Twitter to provide an update on the involvement of four Spurs players ahead of this afternoon’s match against West Ham.

Kilpatrick has claimed that he understands that Gareth Bale is set to start the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the bench.

The Welshman has yet to make an appearance during his second spell with the club after he suffered a knee issue on international duty prior to sealing his season-long loan switch.

It is also reported that Eric Dier will miss the match completely, the central defender suffered a slight hamstring issue while on duty with England for the recent UEFA Nations League matches which saw him sit out the defeat to Denmark while Giovanni Lo Celso will also miss out with his own hamstring injury.

Dele Alli, who has struggled to hold a place in Jose Mourinho’s matchday squad this season is expected to miss out once again.

Predicted Spurs XI (4-3-3): Lloris; Doherty, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Sissoko; Lucas, Son, Kane

What does Jose expect from West Ham on Sunday, bearing in mind they’ve won their last two games 4-0 at home to Wolves and 3-0 at Leicester last time out?

Jose: “They will bring confidence, results bring confidence. If they keep the system they are playing now and the dynamic they have now in the team, they will be pretty confident. Since they played with five at the back, another line of four and Michail Antonio up front, they manage to keep clean sheets and it’s difficult to score goals against them. They are always danger on the counter-attack, not just Antonio, but others arriving from midfield. They play well and they are confident, so I expect them to come here very positive.”