Managerless Tottenham will attempt to make amends for the embarrassing defeat to Liverpool and make it to the Capital One Cup semi-finals, but that will be no easy task.

Their local rivals may be struggling up front, but they rarely concede goals and arrive at White Hart Lane looking to pour more misery on Spurs.

While Andre Villas-Boas did make Tottenham tick last season, he has been utterly disappointing this term and it is not as if he wasn’t given a backing from the club’s board.

Despite spending almost £100 million on new players, the Portuguese coach has failed to get Spurs playing to their potential, with 6-0 and 5-0 losses to City and Liverpool especially hard to swallow.

He has, therefore, been deservedly sacked from the post, and it will be now up to Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand to try and improve the players’ spirits before the new manager is appointed.

Latest developments could have a positive effect on the players, so you should bear in mind Spurs are 1.53 (8/15) to defeat West Ham in regular time.

Interim boss Tim Sherwood is likely to field a strong side in his first game at the helm, with Andros Townsend and Jermain Defoe likely to be recalled.

Meanwhile, Paulinho and Michael Dawson are banned, whereas Vlad Chiriches, Jan Vertonghen and Younes Kaboul remain injury doubts.

Probable starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Friedel – Walker, Capoue, Chiriches, Naughton – Dembele, Carroll – Lennon, Sigurdsson, Townsend – Defoe.

West Ham are under team that are underperforming at the moment, with the absence of star striker Andy Carroll proving the major problem this season.

The Hammers have been struggling up front ever since the season started and despite drafting Carlton Cole back to the squad, it looks as though they will have to sign another high-profile striker in January.

After picking up just one point from last three league fixtures, Sam Allardyce’s side sit just one point above the bottom three, and with games against Manchester United and Arsenal next, they could easily slip into the relegation zone.

Before they can focus on the league campaign, the Hammers will have to negotiate a Capital One Cup quarter-final tie at White Hart Lane, and a good result against their local rivals could be just the boost they need to turn things around.

However, having already recorded a 3-0 victory in the league at the Lane this season, West Ham are 8.00 (7/1) to do it all over again.

Kevin Nolan continues to miss out through suspension, whereas Stewart Downing, Winston Reid, Andy Carroll, Mladen Petric and Ricardo Vaz Te are out injured.

Probable starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Jaaskelainen – O’Brien, Collins, Tomkins, Rat – Noble, Diarra – J. Cole, Collison, Taylor – C. Cole.