Tottenham supporters have been pretty happy in recent times after seeing their side head into the international break off the back of three successive Premier League victories.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men went into their meeting with Cardiff City on October 6 off the back of beating Brighton and Huddersfield Town in their preceding two league games, but having lost 4-2 to Barcelona in the Champions League just a few days prior to the visit of Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds. Yet Spurs maintained their fine form in the league as an Eric Dier effort in the first half sealed a 1-0 success for the North Londoners, thus moving them to within two points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.
As such, there have been many delighted Tottenham fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom are likely to be intrigued by recent comments from Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, who has labelled Christian Eriksen as an ‘unsung hero’ in Pochettino’s side, and thus a ‘huge loss’ ahead of their visit to West Ham.
And with question marks surrounding the fitness of the hugely influential Denmark international, Merson is right to identify that Eriksen’s possible absence could cost Spurs in their trip to the London Stadium on Saturday.
Ultimately, 26-year-old Eriksen has become a vital player for Tottenham following his move from Ajax back in 2013, with the midfielder going on to play 233 games for the North London outfit, in which time he has scored 57 goals and laid on an impressive 71 assists.
And figures like that further underline just how integral he is to Pochettino’s side in both scoring goals and indeed creating them, with the Danish star able to make things tick in that midfield area, and seek out the pockets of space and passes that very few others in the Spurs ranks are able to find.
Add in his ability from out wide in putting crosses into the box, be it from open play or set pieces, and Tottenham will be sincerely hoping that Eriksen is indeed able to take to the field at the London Stadium this weekend, having been out with injury for their last four matches in all competitions.
And that’s not just because Spurs are in need of him in their side to ‘knit everything together’, as Merson rightly points out, but also because this is exactly the sort of game West Ham and their supporters relish having won three of their last six meetings, one of which coming at the London Stadium back in 2016.
The Hammers really get up for games like this and have been on a fine run recently, especially against the top teams, to suggest that it will be a battle for Pochettino’s side, and perhaps their toughest test in the Premier League since they embarked upon their recent winning run.
And going to the East London outfit without the integral Eriksen could prove to be a big problem for Pochettino’s side, with Merson rightly pointing out that he’s a ‘huge loss’, and ultimately what could cost Spurs against Manuel Pellegrini’s Hammers this weekend.
Tottenham and West Ham fans… what do you think? Let us know!
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