Manuel Pellegrini tells West Ham fans to be on their best behaviour ahead of trip to Tottenham's new stadium

West Ham are the latest visitors to Tottenham's new home on Saturday.
Getty Images

Manuel Pellegrini has warned West Ham fans to focus only on the game during their first visit to Tottenham's new £1billion stadium.

Tottenham, who have a 100 per cent record since moving to their new home and are yet to concede a goal, will not be selling alcohol to the travelling fans inside the stadium following discussions with the local Safety Advisory Group and Police.

Five fans were arrested ahead of West Ham's last Premier League away fixture against Tottenham, at Wembley, in January 2018 and Pellegrini has called on supporters in the away end to behave themselves.

"I hope that first of all that both fans will go to see a good football game inside the pitch," Pellegrini said.

Pellegrini wants travelling fans to focus on the football.
West Ham United via Getty Images

"No problem at the outside of the stadium because I think it is important to keep the level of the Premier just as a competition in football and not rivalry of the fans outside of the stadium. I hope it will be a good game for all the fans and we can win."

A first win at the new stadium would add to the Hammers being the first away side to win at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium back in 2007, while denting Tottenham's pursuit of a place in the Premier League's top four.

The hosts have a Champions League semi-final against Ajax on Tuesday to bear in mind, though Pellegrini is in no doubt that Mauricio Pochettino's mind will be firmly on ensuring the Hammers can't write their own little bit of history at the 62,062-seat stadium.

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"Of course [it would be] double pleasure. First to beat Tottenham – that is a rival in the north of London – and the second is the first to win in that stadium," Pellegrini said.

"Mauricio Pochettino knows perfectly also that he must qualify for the next Champions League.

"Maybe you can win and arrive in the final. If you don't win the final, you are out of the next Champions League.

"Instead at this moment, he is in the third position in the table and they play at home and that is why I expect to find a team just focusing on our game and not thinking about Tuesday."

Spurs again will be without a host of key players for the derby, England captain Harry Kane heading a sizable injury list, though Pellegrini is under no illusion that Pochettino's side will pose quite the threat.

"They are a squad and they have very many players who are a good replacement," the Chilean said.

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"It is not Kane but is [Fernando] Llorente, Lucas Moura, [Heung-min] Son, so they have a lot of different options to play in attack so to have one player less – Kane is a very important player for them also – but we have played the whole season with an average of six or seven players out."

Tottenham, meanwhile, reminded their own supporters that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated.

"Local derby matches are always passionate affairs and we know supporters will want to play their part on these occasions by getting behind the team in a positive way and making them memorable for the right reasons," a statement to fans read.

"The club does not tolerate abusive, offensive or discriminative behaviour of any sort and both the police and ourselves will take action against anyone behaving in this way."

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