- West Ham United U21 have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five matches
- Tottenham Hotspur U21 have won two and lost one of their last three home matches
- Tottenham Hotspur U21 have won four and lost four of their eight home matches in Premier League 2 in 2025-2026
Tottenham Hotspur U21 have been outplayed recently
Tottenham Hotspur U21 have lost three consecutive matches in the Premier League 2 in 2025-2026, being outplayed by Middlesbrough Academy in a 1-3 home defeat and Leeds United Academy in a 1-0 away loss.
Wayne Burnett has instilled a front-foot, high-tempo style at Hotspur Way since taking over as head coach in July 2022 that has mirrored much of what we see from the senior side.
The 4-2-3-1 system allows them to dominate possession and press with numbers when they don’t have the ball. But the recent results suggest the players have struggled to maintain that intensity when up against the better teams in the division and that the defensive frailties can be exposed when they are under pressure.
West Ham U21 are a dangerous side on the counter
West Ham United U21 are a different sort of proposition with Zavon Hines favouring a compact style with men behind the ball and fast transitions to hurt opponents on the break.
The 4-3-3 system that West Ham use allows them to flood wide when they gain possession and they will look to expose the wide areas of Tottenham Hotspur U21 on Saturday. The Hammers recovered from a 4-2 away defeat to Derby County Academy to beat Blackburn Rovers Academy by the same score away from home last time out.
West Ham United U21 sit 8th in the Premier League 2 with 30 points from 19 games while Tottenham Hotspur U21 are 13th with 26 points from 17 after some inconsistent results. West Ham have been erratic away from home with three wins, three draws and three defeats from nine outings in 2025-26.
An open game is likely in this academy derby
This should be an interesting academy derby with both clubs’ scouts and first-team staff watching the young stars in action.
West Ham United U21 have been better than Tottenham Hotspur U21 over the past few weeks and should get chances in this game, but the Over 2.5 goals market is at 3/10 so the value has to be found elsewhere.
Tottenham Hotspur U21 are a goal a game better than West Ham on home soil, averaging 1.75 scored and 1.38 conceded, so there is potential for both teams to find the net on Saturday. However, with the hosts averaging 1.75 goals per game at home while West Ham have shipped 23 at an average of 2.56 on the road in the league, we will side with Tottenham to get the better of the London rivals.
Tottenham Hotspur U21 are priced at 63/50 with West Ham United U21 29/20, which looks about right for what should be a competitive affair. The last meeting at Hotspur Way finished 1-1 and this one could also be close, but Tottenham should edge it because of home advantage and their pressing play.
