West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur meet in a London derby that has been dubbed 'El Sackico', with both managers facing intense scrutiny after a string of poor results. Nuno Espirito Santo, who returned to West Ham after a stint at Nottingham Forest, and Thomas Frank, brought in to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, are under pressure to deliver a win or risk losing their jobs.
West Ham sit 18th in the Premier League, seven points from safety, after ten league games without a victory. Tottenham are 14th, having won just one of their last six matches, and were eliminated from both domestic cups. Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood described the match as a must-win for both managers, saying: 'It is El Sack-ico. It is a huge game of football.'
Both clubs have seen recent European success—West Ham won the UEFA Conference League in 2023 and Tottenham won the UEFA Europa League last season—but subsequent managerial changes have failed to produce consistent results. West Ham sacked Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter before turning back to Nuno, while Tottenham fired Postecoglou despite his Europa League triumph.
Fan unrest has been a recurring theme. West Ham supporters have protested against owners David Sullivan and Karren Brady, while Tottenham fans called for chairman Daniel Levy to step down. The style of play has also drawn criticism: Tottenham supporters chanted 'boring, boring Tottenham' during a recent goalless draw with Brentford.
Both teams have struggled with key injuries and failed transfers. Tottenham are without Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, while Richarlison is out for seven weeks. West Ham's Lucas Paqueta has not regained his form after a collapsed move to Manchester City, and his future is in doubt.
Both clubs have been active in the January transfer window. Tottenham spent £34.7m on Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, while West Ham have brought in new coaching staff and signed Pablo and Taty Castellanos, who scored his first goal for the club in the FA Cup. Nuno said: 'Must win, must.'
