Claire Rafferty
Ex-Chelsea and West Ham defender on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Tottenham have quite a ferocious and threatening forward line with Martha Thomas and Bethany England.

Thomas' link up play and ability to bring others into the game as well as her shots from distance are crucial to the way this Spurs side play.

When West Ham look at options of how they are going to nullify her it is going to be difficult because she can do everything.

We're under way in Dagenham...

Claire Rafferty
Ex-Chelsea and West Ham defender on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

In terms of the additions that West Ham have made, I think Katrina Gorry brings more than the rest.

She had a fantastic World Cup in the summer with Australia, she brings energy, experience, calmness on the ball. She can help link the play further up the pitch, with the likes of Asseyi and Ueki freeing themselves up a bit.

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Here come the players...

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn speaking to Sky Sports: "We had a good first five or six months, now we want to take the next step with new players in the squad. We have really good options.

"I want to score more goals, but it is easier to win with a clean sheet. We will work on our defence, but more than anything we will work on our patterns to score more goals."

On following up beating Arsenal in their final WSL match before Christmas: "When we went on holiday it was nice to have that, but it's like a new start. Sheffield United [in the FA Cup last weekend] was not the best game, but today we want to play the way we want to play and get a good result."

Claire Rafferty
Ex-Chelsea and West Ham defender on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

This game today against Spurs is a good opportunity for West Ham to turn things around, but I fear if they don't do something today they will be battling against relegation.

A win here would start some momentum heading into the second half of the season.

When you look at the quality additions that they have brought in during this window, you hope they can turn it around but I'm not counting on it.

West Ham have new signing Kristie Mewis on the bench tonight and she's a proper signing.

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The 32-year-old has won big tournaments in the States and the SheBelieves Cup on three occasions. She's also engaged to a certain Sam Kerr, which may also help explain her move to London.

West Ham United

West Ham manager Rehanne Skinner speaking to Sky Sports on trying to capitalise on Bristol City's defeat earlier today: "Every game we play we try to get as many points as we can. We can only control the things we do."

On following up an encouraging performance against Chelsea in the FA Cup: "The way we have come back with added experience and leadership has helped the team to gel. The added depth helps us get through the games."

Claire Rafferty
Ex-Chelsea and West Ham defender on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

I really am surprised how much West Ham have struggled this season.

When you look at the squad, the international experience they have, the quality they have, particularly their goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold. They should be performing much better, and they haven't been.

They are lacking confidence. They can take a lot from their last game against Chelsea but even the home form here has not been great.

They will be defending for their lives and counter attacking in this game.

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All this talk of top strikers may be lost on West Ham fans.

Amongst the ever-present WSL teams in 2023, West Ham scored the fewest goals (16) and won just two times in 22 matches (D5 L15), whilst this season The Irons are also the competition’s lowest scorers (8), with West Ham averaging 0.8 goals per game.

Can they find the answer tonight?

Just who is the best striker in the WSL in your opinion? Let us know on the usual channels...

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Perhaps Tottenham’s Bethany England will fancy adding to the day's trebles by Lauren James and Khadija Shaw? She had the best big-chance conversion rate (90%) of any player to attempt 5+ big chances in the WSL in 2023; England scored nine of her 10 big chances across the calendar year.

West Ham kick-off this one second from bottom in the WSL while Spurs could go level on points with both Liverpool and Manchester United with a win after those two giants took a whacking earlier on.

Who will come out on top?

Rehanne Skinner makes one change to the West Ham XI that started their defeat by Chelsea in the FA Cup last weekend.

Hawa Cissoko comes in for Shelina Zadorsky, who must wait to make her WSL debut for the Hammers.

Katrina Gorry is in to make her debut in the competition. Fellow new signing Kristie Mewis is among the substitutes.

West Ham XI: Arnold, Cooke, Tysiak, Cissoko, Shimizu, Gorry, Snerle, Hayashi, Smith, Asseyi, Ueki.

Subs: Walsh, O'Hanlon, Harries, Mewis, Ziu, Denton, Stapleton, Ademiluyi, Flannery.

Image source, BBC/ Opta

Robert Vilahamn rings the changes with five alterations to the Tottenham starting line-up from their dramatic 3-2 win over Sheffield United last Sunday.

In come Angharad James, Amy Turner, Olga Ahtinen, Grace Clinton and top-scorer Martha Thomas.

Tottenham XI: Votikova, James, Turner, Bartrip, Neville, Bizet, Ahtinen, Summanen, Clinton, Thomas, England.

Subs: Heeps, Nilden, Grant, Graham, Naz, Ayane, Vinberg, Brazil, Petzelberger.

Image source, BBC/ Opta

Image source, Getty Images

We're back for the final WSL game of the day and if the agenda has been set we should see goals.

Anyone else on for a hat-trick?

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We'll take a short break now, but will return at around 18.15 GMT for tonight's final WSL match - a London derby as West Ham host Tottenham.

See you shortly.

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Matt Beard speaking to Sky Sports: "We were the architects of our own downfall today. The second and fourth goals shouldn't happen. We set ourselves a high standard this year, so it is just frustrating.

"We said last week after the Bristol game that we didn't perform to the best of our ability, and if we perform like that and make the mistakes like we did, you get punished against these types of teams.

On his full time thoughts: "There is not much you can say in the moment. We have to go back and review the game, look at the footage and look at the players. We just have to make sure we bounce back from it.

"We had a defeat against Chelsea and bounced back really well, so we need to do that again and make sure we don't make the same mistakes.

"Listen Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea are in a different league to everyone else in the WSL. We are disappointed with the result today, but the gap is big. We have bridged that gap over the course of this season, we need to learn from today and not allow that to happen again."

Manchester City

More from Gareth Taylor speaking to Sky Sports:

On the side's good form: "We've got a lot of work still to do, we are the chasing team, and of course like you say you can't have any slip ups. To be scoring the amount of goals that we are, for Bunny to get another hat-trick is impressive, that will be key for us.

"We know we will get chances, and it is just about doing the hard part which is scoring goals."

On Bunny Shaw's hat-trick: "We highlighted that she's got three hat-tricks in a calendar year, and I don't think that has ever happened before, which is amazing.

"She recognises the chances that she gets in this team, appreciates her teammates and knows if she gets in the right areas she will get good chances. "

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor speaking to Sky Sports: "The way we handled the conditions impressed me the most. It was a game of two halves. It was really difficult when you were kicking from one half to play out, for both teams. I felt we handled that well.

"We pressed superbly in the first half. They played quite a high risk game and we managed to capitalise. Second half we knew we would have moments where we had to defend, we managed it really well.

"Some superb performances out there, the back players especially, Laia [Alexandri] and Alex [Greenwood] were very good. Really pleasing."

On the injury to Kerstin Casparij: "She is ok. It was a nasty one. I thought there were a couple of tackles in there, the one on Lauren [Hemp] too. I don't think she meant to nearly cut her in half, but...

"The Kerstin one was a little bit of a scissor type challenge. She seems to be ok which is the good thing.

"In those types of conditions players are going into challenges and going hell for leather and the ball moved with the wind. I'm just thankful everyone came off unhurt."

Elisabeth Terland scored a 95th-minute winner as Brighton edged past Bristol City to move six points clear of the Women's Super League relegation place.

After the visitors had twice come from behind, the Norwegian striker thumped the ball in off the bar for her second of the game to steal the three points.

Terland opened the scoring with an unerring finish in the first half, with Katie Robinson getting Brighton's second moments after Abi Harrison had equalised.

Carrie Jones looked to have earned a point for the WSL's bottom side seven minutes from time, only for Terland to win it for Brighton in dramatic circumstances.

You can read Sam Drury's match report here.

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