Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood has praised Andy Carroll ahead of his side's meeting with West Ham United on Saturday.

The England international has only found the net twice in the Premier League in an injury-hit season, but Sherwood believes that his defenders will be in for a tough challenge to try to stop him.

"He's one of the best target men in English football, an old-fashioned centre-forward who puts himself about and all defenders know they are in a game when they play against him," he told the club's official website.

"West Ham will look to get wide and deliver crosses to him and we need to look to nullify that threat and when we get the ball, break quickly and dominate possession."

Spurs are currently sixth in the Premier League table, while West Ham lie in 14th place.