West Ham moved into the top four of the Premier League with a narrow victory over Tottenham that increases the pressure on Spurs manager Jose Mourinho.
Michail Antonio – back in the Hammers’ starting line-up after a two-game absence – gave the hosts the perfect start, poking home after Hugo Lloris had failed to deal with Jarrod Bowen’s cross.
Jesse Lingard’s third goal in four league games was initially disallowed for offside against Pablo Fornals.
But VAR ruled that the Spaniard was not interfering with play when the former Manchester United man skipped through the visiting defence before powerfully finding the far corner to make it 2-0.
Half-time substitute Gareth Bale, who registered a goal and an assist in Tottenham’s Europa League win at Wolfsberger on Thursday, set up Lucas Moura to give Spurs hope, before hitting the top of the crossbar with a fierce strike 10 minutes later.
Son Heung-min also struck the woodwork in stoppage time.
The win – David Moyes’ first over Jose Mourinho in 16 attempts – lifts West Ham two points clear of Chelsea in fifth, while Spurs remain in ninth.
In-form Hammers grind out win
Moyes recently admitted to feeling “uneasy” when discussing the Hammers’ place near the top of the table, but that is unlikely to die down following their seventh win in nine league matches.
West Ham looked much sharper from the off and deservedly took an early lead through Antonio, whose pace and physicality caused the Spurs defence all sorts of problems in the opening exchanges.
Moyes’ side limited Tottenham to just two shots on target before the break – both of which came in the final minutes of the half – and they made the perfect start to the second period when Lingard combined with Fornals before lashing beyond Lloris to continue his recent revival having swapped red for claret and blue.
However, the hosts had their backs to the wall for the rest of the game as Spurs increased the urgency, with Moura’s header from Bale’s cross setting up a nervy finish.
They rode their luck when Vladimir Coufal’s clearance struck Son before looping over Fabianski and onto the outside of the post, but few could begrudge Moyes’s team all three points.
West Ham face both Manchester clubs, Leeds and Arsenal in their next four league matches. If they can emerge from those fixtures relatively unscathed, it could set the platform for an exciting end to the campaign for Hammers fans.
Sluggish start costs Spurs
Reports on Sunday suggested Mourinho’s job could be at risk if Spurs failed to beat West Ham, and the Portuguese’s team could hardly have made a worse start at London Stadium.
Mourinho will have been furious at the manner of the Hammers’ opener, as Eric Dier failed to clear Bowen’s in-swinging delivery before Lloris’ fumble allowed Antonio to prod home.
The goal seemed to drain the confidence out of Spurs’ players, who looked desperately short of ideas until Kane tested Fabianski’s reflexes late in the first half.
Lingard’s strike left the visitors with a huge task but the introduction of Bale – a half-time replacement for Lamela – soon paid dividends.
The Welshman’s corner was flicked in off the post by Moura to reduce the arrears, before the Real Madrid loanee skimmed the top of the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Kane – left out of Thursday’s win in Budapest for fitness reasons – also went close from the edge of the box and Son almost salvaged a draw in bizarre circumstances, but it was not to be for Tottenham.
The result leaves Spurs nine points behind the fourth-placed Hammers, although they do have a game in hand on their London rivals.
What’s next?
West Ham travel to runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City on Saturday, 17 February (12:30 GMT), while Spurs host Burnley the following day (14:00 GMT).
Player of the match
SoucekTomas Soucek
West Ham United
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Squad number28Player nameSoucek
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Squad number11Player nameLingard
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Squad number41Player nameRice
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Squad number30Player nameAntonio
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
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Squad number1Player nameFabianski
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Squad number5Player nameCoufal
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Squad number23Player nameDiop
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Squad number3Player nameCresswell
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Squad number20Player nameBowen
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Squad number18Player nameFornals
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Squad number9Player nameBenrahma
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Squad number31Player nameJohnson
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Squad number16Player nameNoble
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 5Coufal
- 15Dawson
- 23DiopBooked at 62mins
- 3Cresswell
- 41Rice
- 28SoucekBooked at 56mins
- 20BowenSubstituted forBenrahmaat 65′minutes
- 11LingardSubstituted forNobleat 90+4′minutes
- 18FornalsBooked at 72minsSubstituted forJohnsonat 82′minutes
- 30AntonioBooked at 69mins
Substitutes
- 4Balbuena
- 9Benrahma
- 10Lanzini
- 14Alves
- 16Noble
- 25Martin
- 31Johnson
- 35Randolph
- 45Odubeko
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lloris
- 25TangangaSubstituted forDohertyat 45′minutes
- 6D Sánchez
- 15Dier
- 3ReguilónBooked at 44minsSubstituted forAlliat 77′minutes
- 28Ndombele
- 5HøjbjergBooked at 42mins
- 27Lucas Moura
- 11LamelaBooked at 36minsSubstituted forBaleat 45′minutes
- 7Son Heung-Min
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 4Alderweireld
- 8Winks
- 9Bale
- 12Hart
- 17Sissoko
- 20Alli
- 33Davies
- 45Alves Morais
Live Text
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Match ends, West Ham United 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
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Second Half ends, West Ham United 2, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
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Foul by Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Tomas Soucek (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Mark Noble replaces Jesse Lingard.
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Attempt missed. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Eric Dier.
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Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jesse Lingard (West Ham United).
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Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Issa Diop.
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Attempt missed. Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Dele Alli.
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Attempt missed. Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Matt Doherty with a cross.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Ben Johnson replaces Pablo Fornals.
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Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Tomas Soucek (West Ham United).
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Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Harry Kane.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Dele Alli replaces Sergio Reguilón.
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Sergio Reguilón (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jesse Lingard (West Ham United).
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Attempt missed. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Lucas Moura.
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Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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