Tottenham Hotspur draw West Ham in Carabao Cup quarterfinals

Spurs are preparing to face Manchester United on Saturday but before the Red Devils turn out at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Carabao Cup draw was completed, and Tottenham is finally home.

Tottenham Hotspur will continue their mini London league with another match-up with West Ham in December, thanks to the Carabao Cup draw. After two road wins to open the Carabao Cup, Tottenham Hotspur has finally been drawn at home in the League Cup, with a quarterfinal match-up vs West Ham United.

London match-up was likely

Brentford, Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, and Tottenham all advanced to Day 5. Thus for the first time ever there were five teams from London participating in the quarterfinal draw, so the likelihood of staying in town was high.

The draw did not disappoint those who love a derby as two derbies were drawn with Brentford also hosting Chelsea. Arsenal will host Sunderland and Liverpool will host Leicester City in the other two quarterfinal games.

All four matches are tentatively slated for Tuesday, December 21. Tottenham and Liverpool are scheduled for just two days earlier in the Premier League so it is possible we may see a change.

A different road for Tottenham Hotspur

Last season, Spurs made a run all the way to the finals of this competition, losing to Manchester City, who won the event for the fourth year running. This season, Tottenham is taking a different path and the overlords from Manchester are out of the competition leaving the trophy up for grabs.

Spurs undoubtedly benefited from facing Championship opponents in consecutive rounds last year, with Stoke City and Brentford in the quarterfinals and semifinals. This season, Tottenham has not received the same fortune. Starting in the third round, Spurs had to make a second trip to Wolverhampton, topping the Wolves in a shootout.

Then this past week, the Lilywhites went to Lincolnshire and held off Burnley in the pouring rain 0-1. Now Spurs will face a Hammer’s squad who just beat them, has beaten them two times in a row, and just nipped Spurs for Europa League last season.

While motivation has seemingly been an issue for the team this season, a home derby, against a local rival, to get within two matches of a trophy is about as big as it gets before January. Maybe some may have wanted Sunderland – the only non-Premier League team left – drawing West Ham and being at home is just what Spurs need.