How will Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham line up against West Ham? Predicted teams for London derby

After 11 months out of the game, Jose Mourinho has returned to the Premier League in typically histrionic style.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has replaced Mauricio Pochettino as the new Tottenham manager, after Daniel Levy brought an end to the Argentine’s five-and-a-half-year reign.

Mourinho will be thrown into the deep end instantly, with a London derby against bitter rivals West Ham on Saturday afternoon – a game you can hear exclusively live on talkSPORT.

While Spurs are still revelling from a huge managerial change, West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini is beginning to feel the heat after a poor run of form has seen the Hammers slip down the table.

Despite the early season promise, the Hammers have lost four of their last five Premier League games and are now 16th in the table.

And the game on Saturday lunchtime has equal significance for Spurs, who are 14th and have won only six of their past 24 league fixtures and are winless in five.

Spurs have not won away in 12 league matches, something Mourinho must address if he is to arrest the slide.

TEAM NEWS

West Ham

Captain Mark Noble is set to return to first-team action, despite limping off against Burnley before the international break.

Jack Wilshere and Michail Antonio have also trained with the team after their respective injury lay-offs, but Manuel Lanzini is out with a fractured collarbone.

Tottenham

Mourinho confirmed during his first press conference that Tanguy Ndombele and Jan Vertonghen face late fitness tests, for groin and hamstring issues respectively.

Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm are definitely unavailable for the trip to the London Stadium.

PREDICTED LINE-UPS

Antonio is unlikely to be thrust straight into the starting XI given he underwent surgery on a hamstring injury in September.

However, given how vitally important Noble is to the team and Wilshere’s lack of competitive minutes, Pellegrini could well be forced into playing the 31-year-old from the off.

Fabian Balbuena was vitally important to the defence last season, but his slow start this time around could mean Angelo Ogbonna gets a deserved recall alongside Issa Diop, especially with the dangerous Harry Kane up top.

Jose Mourinho has always been renowned for his pragmatism as a manger, which could come in handy on Saturday as Spurs have gone 13 away matches without a shutout.

Tottenham have kept one league clean sheet this season, a joint-low with Norwich and they have conceded at least once in each of their past seven matches.

If Ndombele is to miss out, former Mourinho target Eric Dier could start in midfield. Another man on the Mourinho shortlist was Toby Alderweireld, who will be expected to start in place of Vertonghen.

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