Tottenham Hotspur delivered a blistering second-half performance to thrash West Ham United 3-0 at the London Stadium, leaving Graham Potter’s side embroiled deeper in worries as the relegation zone looms.
In a match that began with tension and tight margins, Spurs turned the screw after the break, converting dominance into goals, with the pivotal moment arriving late in the first half when they finally gained control.
The first forty-five minutes were a cagey affair. West Ham started brightly, with El Hadji Malick Diouf and Crysencio Summerville causing problems on the flanks, particularly down their left where they forced Spurs on the back foot.
Lucas Paquetá came closest for the hosts, shaping the ball well after a clever move with Jarrod Bowen and Kyle Walker-Peters, only to drag his shot wide.
Spurs responded through set-pieces, particularly from corners, and thought they had taken an early lead when Cristian Romero rose to head in from one of Mohammed Kudus’s deliveries. But after a review, the goal was ruled out for a push in the build-up by Micky van de Ven on Walker-Peters. VAR supported referee Jarred Gillett’s decision.
Pressing pressure from Tottenham and repeated corner deliveries kept West Ham under siege toward half-time. The home defence looked stretched, especially at set pieces, but held on to keep the score level until the break. Spurs enjoyed a greater share of the possession, more chances, and ended the half with momentum but no reward.
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Just ten seconds into the second half it was Spurs who struck. A deep corner from new signing Xavi Simons found Pape Matar Sarr unmarked at the far post; he rose effortlessly to head it in, and Tottenham finally had the breakthrough their dominance deserved.
The game turned definitively in Tottenham’s favour shortly after. In the 54th minute Tomáš Souček was shown a straight red card for a dangerous, studs-up challenge on João Palhinha. That moment, controversial in its timing and severity, left West Ham to try to mount a response with ten men. Spurs immediately took advantage of that numerical edge.
Lucas Bergvall doubled the lead in the 57th minute, his first Premier League goal, by looping a header past Mads Hermansen after a long ball from Christian Romero split the defence. Spurs were now firmly in control, and West Ham visibly lost shape.
Micky van de Ven added a third in the 64th minute, finishing off a move started by Bergvall, showing clinical composure from close range. At that point the contest was all but over. West Ham’s fans began to drift out, frustration etched on faces, as the home side offered little in the way of resistance.
For Tottenham, the victory meant more than just three points. It was their first win at the London Stadium in six visits, and it lifted them up the table to second, level on points with leaders Arsenal.
Under Thomas Frank, the performance showed both discipline and ruthlessness. Xavi Simons, in his Spurs debut, provided steady contributions, including the assist for Sarr’s opener. Mohammed Kudus, returning to face his former club, taunted boos from the home crowd but played with purpose.
West Ham, by contrast, remain mired in poor form. This was their fourth Premier League game of the season in which they conceded from a corner, emphasising their recurring difficulty defending set pieces. Their last few results at home have been disastrous, and with this loss their confidence will be shaken further.
Their defence looked fragile, both physically and mentally, and with Souček sent off, the lack of depth or robustness in key moments was evident. Potter acknowledged the frustration of the supporters, noting that one mistake was enough in this game and that with a red card the complexion changed entirely.