Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino believes that Spurs' London derby against West Ham has the same status as their meetings with Chelsea and Arsenal.

The Lilywhites are set to visit the London Stadium to take on rivals West Ham in a league match on Saturday.




Ahead of the match the Argentine manager took time to speak about the importance of the derby, as he believes that it will be a massive one both for the fans as well as the players.

Pochettino in fact went on to compare the fixture with those they play against Chelsea and Arsenal, two big rivalries in Tottenham's season, and said facing West Ham will be equally as emotional as those matches.
 


“It’s a massive game for our fans and for us, of course”, Pochettino said via his club's official site.  

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“A derby, just like when we play Arsenal or Chelsea, is not only a game. It’s more than a football game.

"It’s emotional, you play for your pride and we understand what it means for our fans – we share the same feelings.

“Then, in football, you can win or you can lose but to give your best is the principle condition when you play in a derby like this.”

The north London side's record against Slaven Bilic's side has been poor in recent years with West Ham winning two of the last three meetings between the two clubs.

The former Southampton manager therefore will be expecting a tough fight from the hosts when he takes Spurs to West Ham at the weekend.