West Ham 1-0 Tottenham: Michail Antonio winner vaults Hammers into top four after edging a lacklustre Spurs side in oddly tame London derby as Harry Kane puts in another disinterested performance under Nuno Espirito Santo
- West Ham and Tottenham met in a London derby with both sides aiming to move back into the top four
- The first-half passed goalless with Harry Kane getting the best chance, his header saved by Lukasz Fabianski
- Michail Antonio fired the winner, out-muscling Kane and tapping in from an excellent Aaron Cresswell cross
- Spurs failed to mount much of a challenge to fight for an equaliser, and lost their fourth game this season
Harry Kane had contributed very little and Michail Antonio not much more by the time this derby devoid of urgency drifted into its final 20 minutes and the focus settled upon them.
West Ham were on the attack and Kane was responsible for marking Antonio as Aaron Cresswell delivered a corner, expertly as ever. There was a flurry of activity at the near post and a blur of bodies, before the ball somehow evaded everyone and landed at their feet.
Antonio proved too strong for Kane, pinned him back, stabbed in his seventh goal of the season from just a few yards out and launched into another of his wild and fabulous celebration routines, this time echoing Neo from The Matrix with arms wheeling and his spine arching back.
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And that was it. The instinct of a forward won the day. Antonio sniffed out his goal. Kane could not repel the threat. One set-piece was the difference in an otherwise strangely flat and forgettable contest.
But the jubilant roar which erupted at the final whistle illustrated neatly how victory was all that mattered to the home side; like an explosion of joy and relief from fans unaccustomed to going into such fixtures as favourites.
West Ham climbed above their visitors in the Premier League table with a reminder of what they have been showing for some time — that they are a cohesive team, well balanced, resilient and spirited.
They will unite and dig out points if they have to, which is what they did here and with Antonio in the team they can conjure up goals and send their supporters home happy.
There has been a lot made about the ‘West Ham way’ over the years and, well, the fact is it doesn’t matter too much if you keep winning. Lose and it’s different. Lose the games that matter most, derbies for example, and the flak starts to fly.
Tottenham have lost four London derbies out of four this season, well beaten by Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Arsenal. And now West Ham. These are the only games Nuno Espirito Santo has lost in the Premier League since his arrival but it is not a happy formula.
Certainly not when his team perform with little ambition or fluency, and with no evidence of extra freshness in their legs despite his decision to spare the first team the midweek trip to Vitesse Arnhem.
Spurs shuffled the ball around at a sluggish tempo, unable to quicken the pace, and there was little fire on display, aside from a brief flashpoint when Cristian Romero dumped Pablo Fornals on the turf and followed it up with a few choice words to spark an angry reaction and a skirmish of pushing and shoving.
More often, the affair was subdued and Kane continued to cast an isolated and rather forlorn figure up front, failing to dispel the general feeling his prolific eye for goal is not being maximised in this system and, if truth were told, that he would rather not be there.
The England captain managed only 17 touches in the first 45 minutes at the London Stadium and only one inside the West Ham penalty area, albeit that single touch that nearly gave his team the lead.
He peeled away at the far post to climb above Creswell and meet a cross from Sergio Reguilon with a powerful header. It was Tottenham’s best effort of the first half but Lukasz Fabianski was able to push it over.
Fabianski had already denied Son Heung-min, who accelerated clear of Angelo Ogbonna after a neat exchange of passes with Lucas Moura.
At the other end, Tomas Soucek missed West Ham’s best chance before the interval. Soucek seemed certain to score as he towered above Reguilon to reach a cross from Fornals, only to nod wide.
Antonio fired off target in the first half, too, but he pounced when it mattered.
Fornals caught Reguilon in possession just outside the Tottenham penalty box and forced a save from Hugo Lloris, who turned the shot over. From the corner, Antonio held Kane at bay, scored his first goal for nearly a month and West Ham took the lead.
It was a snapshot of two strikers in different places. One full of confidence, on a roll, up on his toes and thinking at speed about what might come his way; the other on his heels, not quite himself or entirely at ease.
As these strikers personify their teams to such a degree, it is a snapshot of two sides with little between them in terms of Premier League points but locked in different moods.
They were separated by one goal from one set piece — but this was West Ham’s day by some distance.
SCROLL DOWN TO RE-LIVE THE ACTION AS IT HAPPENED WITH SPORTSMAIL
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Sportsmail Reporter Host commentator
Leicester hold off Brentford for some crucial points after their slow start to the season. The Bees had strong chances and a goal ruled-out in the first-half but Tielemans' screamer and Maddison's tap-in were enough for the victory.
Massive three points for the Hammers, vaulting into fourth with a London derby win.
Spurs were lacklustre again, barely mustering any threat as they chased an equaliser in the final minutes. There were good chances, but the Hammers simply had more grit. They triumph thanks to Antonio's winner.
Three minutes of added time for Spurs to find an equaliser.
West Ham look so organised protecting this. Spurs will have to get desperate, can see Lloris coming up if there's a late chance.
Antonio burns a few seconds holding the ball in the corner. Not many better equipped for that job...
Both sides making their first changes now. A late switch-up for the finale.
Lo Celso comes on for Ndombele, Gil for Reguilon, while Lanzini enters in place of Benrahma for the hosts.
West Ham look really strong defending this lead. Spurs are pressing for this equaliser but are stuck on the edge of the box. Rice and Soucek doing a great job of screening.
The Foxes go back ahead! A lovely passing move, as Tielemans slides in Daka, who bares down on goal and draws the keeper out before squaring it to Maddison for a simple finish,
The breakthrough! West Ham go ahead as we enter the final 20 minutes, and as it stands will be rising into the top-four tonight.
Cresswell whips in a superb delivery that dips sharply into the six-yard box. A wall of Spurs defenders rise in front of Antonio and he sees it late, but the Londoner's sharp reactions see him flick the ball in from close range. Big goal!
Reguilon look to break quickly but takes a heavy touch and gives it straight to Fornals in a dangerous area. He shoots but it's deflected, looping over Lloris and his goal. That could have gone anywhere.
They're level! The Bees have kept plugging away and finally got on the scoresheet, with Zanka rising to head Jensen's corner into the net.
Romero chops down Fornals on the byline. Not sure what flared it up, but Fornals sharply rises and squares-up to the defender. Substitutes and team-mates rush in, but it's quickly settled.
Spurs have come out swinging at the start of the half. In their first attack Ndombele had a strong chance to cross but slightly misplaced it. They come again.
Moura dances through a crowd on the edge of the box and finds Reguilon moving to the byline, looking to square into the middle. Skipp is there but he mis-times the run and it's a little behind him. Fabianski stops.
Can Brentford keep those chances coming for Toney and level up?
Back underway in east London. West Ham started the first-half strongly, can they do the same now...
The Foxes lead at half-time but Brentford are unlucky not to be on the score-sheet. The Bees racked-up the chances and Ivan Toney had a goal ruled-out for offside, before forcing a strong save out of Schmeichel later in the half.
But the Foxes lead through Tielemans' screamer. Amazing strike.
Level and goalless at the break after an intriguing first-half. West Ham started much more aggressively and quickly caused problems, with Soucek getting a couple of very good chances.
Spurs gradually grew into the game, with Ndombele pulling the strings in midfield. Son was sent through by the Frenchman but missed, while Kane's header in the final minutes was the best opportunity for either side so far.
A closely-matched game, but there's certainly goals in this one.
Spurs are starting to take the upper hand now. That may have been the best chance of the half for Kane.
Reguilon breaks to the byline and lifts in a lovely floated cross. It's Kane against Cresswell for the header - a no-contest. The England captain rises and heads it towards goal but Fabianski makes a stunning fingertip save.
Son whips-in a corner but West Ham's robust defence repels it. It falls to the edge of the box where Reguilon shapes for a screamer... but he scuffs it and the ball trails tragically close to the corner flag.
West Ham come forward again down the left, with Fornals once again finding plenty of space to whip in a cross. Spurs are playing a dangerous game.
Soucek is rushing in to meet it but he can't get the right contact in a crowded box, seeing his header drop wide.
SCREAMER! Leicester take the lead in style over in west London.
Maddison lifts a free-kick into the box and it's half cleared by Pinnock. The ball falls to the edge of the area and Tielemans strides onto it, smashing into the top corner from 25 yards.
Tottenham's best chance yet, moments after Moura spun inside the box and blazed over.
Ndombele has the ball 40 yards out and spots Son running in behind, fizzing a pinpoint pass into the box. The South Korean latches on and looks to shoot first-time, but it's a tough angle and Fabianski makes a simple save.
West Ham send the ball over the Spurs defence and Antonio gives chance, shrugging off Romero like a heavyweight wrestling a lightweight.
The striker tries the shot but it bounces out to Fornals, but his shot flashes wide.
Another strong chance for West Ham, as Antonio goes out wide on the left to get on the ball. He's not closed down with nearly enough urgency, and gets the cross in.
Soucek is in the middle and five Spurs men simply allow him the shot, but the Czech can't keep it down.
Ndombele goes down in the box after being clattered by Zouma, and appears to be in a fair bit of pain.
He hobbles off the pitch extremely slowly, testament to West Ham's dominance of the early stages. The home fans give a sarcastic cheer when he eventually gets over the touchline.
West Ham are being roared forward by a noisy home crowd, as Bowen switches towards Fornals on the edge of the box. He jumps and goes for an acrobatic scissor-kick, but it bounces in front of Lloris who can easily parry away.
West Ham coming forward with intent right from the start. They force a corner and Bowen whips in a brilliant in-swinger. Lloris comes to punch but doesn't get proper connection, and Spurs have to hack it away.
Underway at Brentford, can the newly promoted side cause another shock against the stuttering Foxes?
Spurs get us going, with Ndombele rising to play the first past after taking the knee. Both teams in their traditional colours, the white of Spurs, the claret and blue of the Hammers.
Moments away from kick-off now. Bubbles have been blown, and the players are out on the pitch. Here's a final reminder of the line-ups...
West Ham (4-3-3): Fabianski; Johnson, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice, Fornals; Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma.
Subs: Areola, Vlasic, Diop, Masuaku, Yarmolenko, Ashby, Noble, Lanzini, Dawson.
Tottenham (4-3-3): Lloris; Royal, Romero, Dier, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Skipp, Ndombele; Lucas Moura, Kane, Son.
Subs: Gollini, Sanchez, Gil, Lo Celso, Alli, Bergwijn, Tanganga, Davies, Rodon
Final reminder of the line-ups on the other side of London...
Brentford: Raya; Zanka, Jansson, Pinnock; Canos, Onyeka, Norgaard, Jensen, Henry; Mbeumo, Toney.
Leicester: Schmeichel; Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu; Ricardo, Tielemans, Soumare, Castagne; Maddison; Iheanacho, Vardy.
Harry Kane ended his shy spell in front of goal against Newcastle last time out in the league. Will he now have the fire to rediscover his best?
Tanguy Ndombele's Spurs career has been been full of ups and downs so far but now he looks to be settling into Nuno's system...
A years and one week ago today, what a game!
Tottenham were 3-0 up after just 16 minutes and cruising, until West Ham invoked that fighting spirit they showed all season. They pegged Jose Mourinho's men back to 3-2 through Fabian Balbuena and a Davinson Sanchez own-goal, before Manuel Lanzini popped up with a screamer in the 90th to nick a point.
We'll take another one of those this afternoon!
The line-ups for our other game across the city in west London are in...
Brentford: Raya; Zanka, Jansson, Pinnock; Canos, Onyeka, Norgaard, Jensen, Henry; Mbeumo, Toney.
Leicester: Schmeichel; Amartey, Evans, Soyuncu; Ricardo, Tielemans, Soumare, Castagne; Maddison; Iheanacho, Vardy.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sportsmail's coverage of Tottenham's trip to West Ham in the Premier League.
Either side could move into the top-four with victory, raising the stakes even higher in this fiercely-contested London derby.
Stay tuned right here for all the build-up and live updates from the game at London Stadium, as well as Leicester's clash with Brentford.
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