Tottenham, if they manage to beat West Ham this afternoon, will be in excellent position to make run at a top four spot.
Chelsea dropped points against Southampton while Everton, who won 2-0 at Anfield, piled more misery on Jurgen Klopp and his struggling Reds. Tottenham have either a game or two in hand on every team, aside from Aston Villa, in the top 10.
At a superficial glance, one might rule out Tottenham’s chance of securing an all-coveted top four spot. Currently sitting in ninth place, Tottenham have to leapfrog five clubs to infiltrate the top four.
Chelsea, sitting in the all-important fourth position, are seven points clear of Spurs but have played two more matches. If Spurs make the most of their games in hand — one of which taking place at the London Stadium in a few hours — they’ll be just a point adrift of their West London adversaries. And with a win today, Spurs will climb within three points of West Ham with a game in hand intact.
Jose Mourinho’s side would also be within a point of both Merseyside outfits, still playing one less than Klopp’s Reds. It would make for an astonishingly advantageous couple of days for a side appearing down and out before the weekend started.
As if Spurs need any additional incentive when playing a London Derby against arguably, aside from the Gunners of course, their most loathed rivals.
A draw simply won’t suffice. While taking an away point from an in-form West Ham side is better than losing, it won’t satisfy Jose, Spurs or supporters, who stand impatiently, awaiting their beloved side’s most pivotal fixture of the current campaign.