Tottenham Hotspur returned from the September international break with a morale-boosting victory, a match in which summer signing Xavi Simons produced an immediate contribution on his Premier League debut. Simons supplied the pass that found an unmarked Pape Sarr at the back post, and Sarr comfortably headed the ball past Mads Hermansen.

Sarr’s goal proved decisive on the day, but Tottenham did not stop there. Lucas Bergvall and Micky Van de Ven each added goals to extend the advantage. West Ham finished the final 35 minutes with 10 men after Tomáš Souček received a red card for a challenge on João Palhinha.

The result offered a welcome response after Spurs lost to Bournemouth before the international break. Supporters will have been encouraged to see their marquee creative signing make an immediate impact in both his Tottenham and Premier League debut.

Simons arrived having showcased his talent in the Eredivisie and Bundesliga with PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig. Versatile across the attacking line, he began on the left in Thomas Frank’s 4-3-3. He was substituted in the 71st minute for Richarlison, bringing his debut afternoon at London Stadium to a close.

Player of the game honours went to Bergvall for his two goal contributions. The signing of the 22-year-old Dutchman followed Spurs’ failure to land Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze this summer, and came amid frequent links involving Simons and Chelsea. The addition was viewed as necessary while James Maddison recovers from an ACL injury suffered in preseason.

With this strong start from Simons, Tottenham now turn their attention to an opening Champions League clash against Villarreal on Tuesday.

West Ham United host Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium on Saturday in a fixture that heightens scrutiny on both sides. West Ham remain under pressure after shipping five at home in the only league match played there so far. Potter will demand improvements from a side thumped by Chelsea and still seeking consistency.

Tottenham arrive having produced encouraging league results earlier in the campaign, with wins over Burnley and Manchester City, but they were undone by Bournemouth in their most recent outing. Thomas Frank will travel expecting his squad to be favourites for the short trip and to respond after the defeat.

Potter has revealed that Niclas Füllkrug could miss out with a calf injury sustained on international duty. The German striker has “trained lightly” and remains in contention. Callum Wilson, who opened his West Ham account in the victory over Forest, is the prime candidate to replace Füllkrug if he is unavailable.

Potter has hinted at debuts for new arrivals Igor Julio and Soungoutou Magassa, with Magassa a possible starter. Łukasz Fabiański has signed a new contract after being released by the club at the end of last season.

West Ham Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf; Souček, Magassa; Bowen, Paquetá, Fernandes; Wilson.

Tottenham will be without Yves Bissouma, Radu Drăgușin, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison as they recover from injury. Kota Takai is a major doubt with a foot issue. Dominic Solanke is a potential absentee after missing the clash with Bournemouth, though Frank has hinted at a return after the international period.

Spurs could hand debuts to Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani, both signed late in the window. Mohammed Kudus is likely to face a hostile reception following his summer move from West Ham to Spurs.

Form guides underline concerns for both teams. Recent results include Nottingham Forest 0–3 West Ham, Wolves 3–2 West Ham, West Ham 1–5 Chelsea and Tottenham 0–1 Bournemouth, Man City 0–2 Tottenham, Tottenham 3–0 Burnley. Confidence and selection will decide a tight, high-pressure derby.

The Premier League returns on Saturday, Sept. 13 after the September international break, and Gameweek 4 could bring a series of first appearances for players who arrived on deadline day. With many newcomers away for World Cup qualifiers and international friendlies immediately after signing, this weekend offers fans an early chance to see them in club colours.

At Liverpool, Alexander Isak is the most high-profile candidate for a league debut. Isak came on for Sweden during the international break in an upset loss to Kosovo. His preseason was disrupted by a standoff with his former club, but manager Arne Slot has suggested the striker is part of a long-term plan and that Liverpool will manage his introduction. Hugo Ekitiké and Cody Gakpo are also in the squad and could influence selection.

Aston Villa completed two deadline arrivals and Unai Emery will be keen to get both Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on the pitch quickly. Sancho left Manchester United after being peripheral to Ruben Amorim’s plans at United this summer and now has an opportunity to impress his new manager. Elliott departs Liverpool as a Premier League champion and could have extra motivation to prove himself.

Manchester City reshaped the goalkeeper department with the arrivals of Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford and Marcus Bettinelli after Éderson moved to Fenerbahçe. Trafford’s difficult outing against Tottenham Hotspur during the window may have influenced City’s business. Donnarumma could be in line to stake a claim for the number one role, with the Manchester derby a possible debut stage.

Newcastle lost Alexander Isak and brought in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa late in the window. Wissa scored 19 goals for Brentford last season while Woltemade netted 12 in the Bundesliga for VfB Stuttgart. Eddie Howe also added Anthony Elanga earlier in the summer, giving the club multiple attacking options.

Tottenham Hotspur reshaped their attack with Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons. Kolo Muani can provide cover amid Dominic Solanke’s injury concerns and Simons is expected to play a creative role while James Maddison is set to miss a considerable period.

Below is a brief club-player list mentioned in this piece:
Arsenal: Piero Hincapié
Bournemouth: Veljko Milosavljević
Brentford: Reiss Nelson
Brighton & Hove Albion: Charalampos Kostoulas
Burnley: Florentino Luís
Chelsea: Alejandro Garnacho
Crystal Palace: Christantus Uche
Everton: Tyler Dibling
Fulham: Kevin
Manchester United: Senne Lammens
Nottingham Forest: Oleksandr Zinchenko
Sunderland: Lutsharel Geertruida
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Tolu Arokodare