Manuel Pellegrini has insisted West Ham United are not taking the Carabao Cup lightly.
The London giants host their fellow London club Tottenham Hotspur what is expected to be the perfect stage for a mouth watering fixture. In the earlier meeting in the Premier League Mauricio Pochettino’s side edged them by a very narrow 1-0 and Pellegrini’s men will now have the chance to avenge their defeat.
West Ham would be hoping to replicate their last season’s performance when they came back to haunt the Spurs edging them out 3-2 in the Carabao Cup. The Hammers need an uplift to lift the mood at the London stadium and a win against Spurs would surely fuel the fire.
Pellegrini said, “We were unlucky to lose against them in the Premier League but they have a very Carabao good squad and I expect it to be another close and difficult game.
“As I have said previously, the Cup is a major competition that we take very seriously.
“We have been on the training pitch since Sunday preparing our work and focusing on what we need to do to come out on top.
“I’m very proud of the way the team is playing at the moment, the way we are thinking as a big team, and the mentality of the players to try to win every match.
“I hope we can continue in that way.”
