This article is part of Football FanCast's Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba's haircuts to League Two relegation battles...

Jose Mourinho has the perfect opportunity to turn Spurs' form around this weekend and kick off his spell at the club with a bang.

Tottenham Hotspur face West Ham United in a London derby that is likely to be packed with incident.

Indeed, this is a game that Spurs really need to win. They haven’t picked up three points in the league since September and haven’t won away from home since January. West Ham, though, are in a similar boat. They, like Spurs, have won just three times in the top-flight but they have lost five times and also recorded four draws.

The fact is that they have been simply woeful for as long as Spurs have.

Since beating Manchester United 2-0 in September, they have lost 4-0 to Oxford United in the Carabao Cup, drawn 2-2 with Bournemouth and 1-1 with Sheffield United and been beaten by Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United and Burnley. In those seven games, they have conceded 17 goals and scored just six.

On the same weekend that the Irons beat United, Spurs lost 2-1 to Leicester City.

Since then, they too have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup – by Colchester United – and have beaten Southampton and Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League twice. They were also thumped 7-2 by Bayern Munich in Europe and also lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool. Draws with Watford, Everton and Sheffield United have seen them pick up three more points. In their 10 games since the loss to Leicester, Spurs have scored 17 goals and conceded 16.

The stats, then, show that the Hammers are coming into the fixture in worse shape than Mourinho's men and that is pretty astonishing given the form of the north Londoners, so if the Portuguese can't get his reign off to a winning start here, one has to wonder when they will be able to.

But by the same token, this really is a fantastic opportunity for Mourinho, and not simply because he's playing a club enduring form worse than Tottenham's.

First and foremost, there is no doubt that his appointment has divided opinion amongst supporters. Before it was made official, a number voiced their concerns on social media.

It is likely they have since become more accepting of the situation but regardless - and in light of how his spells with Chelsea and United ended - the Portuguese has some winning over to do.

While West Ham may not be the calibre of club Spurs see as direct counter-parts, this is unquestionably a bitter rivalry between two sets of supporters who do not like each other one bit. A win, under any circumstances, will always win some favour amongst fans.

At the same time, Mourinho can provide evidence that he is in fact the right candidate for the job by instantly correcting one of Pochettino's failings - Spurs' abysmal away form. Their last Premier League victory on the road came against a now-relegated Fulham in January, but West Ham, for reasons expressed above, are the ideal opposition to flip that trend on its head.

Combined with the huge potential to win over disgruntled fans, this match is a golden opportunity for Spurs' new gaffer.