Report and highlights as Mauricio Pochettino's side climb into top four
Saturday 20 October 2018 18:02, UK
Erik Lamela scored the only goal as Tottenham beat West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium to extend their winning run in the Premier League to four matches.
With just a minute to go until half-time, Lamela netted what proved to be the winner with a glancing header into the far corner after being picked out by a cross from Moussa Sissoko.
West Ham did have the ball in the net with five minutes to go through Javier Hernandez, but it was correctly ruled out after Marko Arnautovic had drifted into an offside position.
Mauricio Pochettino did not look particularly happy at full-time after witnessing another scrappy performance from his side, but the win lifts them into the top four and just two points behind league leaders Manchester City.
A defeat to Brighton before the international break punctuated West Ham's good run of form but a draw and win against Chelsea and Manchester United respectively in their previous two games at the London Stadium, meant that they entered this match in confident mood, with Arnautovic firing a shot straight at Lloris inside the opening five minutes.
It took a while for the game to come to life but a clash between the Brazilian Lucas Moura and the Argentinian Pablo Zabaleta on 15 minutes which left the latter with a gash above his right eye did result in the tempo being belatedly picked up. Zabaleta wasn't the only West Ham player to suffer discomfort in the first half, as AndrIy Yarmolenko departed on a stretcher just before half-time after suffering a nasty looking ankle injury.
On the stroke of half-time, Spurs took the lead through the lively Lamela. Sissoko did well to deceive Felipe Anderson on the right wing before sending a cross in with his left foot that required just a faint touch from Lamela to beat Lukasz Fabianksi. A minute later, Spurs almost doubled their lead when Lamela's cross-shot was spilled by Fabianski into the path of Davinson Sanchez, but the Colombian's effort was blocked by the West Ham 'keeper.
The hosts started the second half in the ascendancy and Arnautovic thought he had equalised when he headed an Aaron Cresswell cross towards the top corner three minutes after the restart. However, Lloris darted across his goal-line to tip the ball over with an acrobatic save that left Arnautovic stunned.
The battle between Arnautovic and Lloris continued and on the hour mark the Frenchman won out again, this time diverting a low shot from the Austrian wide of the post. Moments later, Arnautovic let his frustration get the better of him, clashing with Sanchez down by the touchline before receiving a yellow card for a rash sliding challenge on Kieran Trippier.
A flare was let off in the home end and West Ham's bubble machine prematurely switched on when Hernandez had the ball in the net on 85 minutes only for it to be disallowed for offside, before Lloris triumphed over Arnautovic again in stoppage time, flying from his goal to make a block after West Ham's talisman had wriggled free of Sanchez inside the box.
Hugo Lloris' status as Spurs' first-choice goalkeeper was questioned in the aftermath of his high-profile gaffe against Barcelona in the Champions League, but his performance at the London Stadium showed why Mauricio Pochettino has kept the faith in him.
Despite their lofty position in the Premier League, Spurs have barely clicked into gear yet this season and they needed their World Cup-winning captain to be on top form to deny West Ham a point or more at the London Stadium.
He made hat-trick of top saves to frustrate Marko Arnautovic. The first was the best of the lot as he stretched to tip over a header bound for the top corner, before he diverted a low shot round the post shortly after. Then in stoppage time, he rushed out to block a certain equaliser to ensure the win.
Spurs must now focus on a must-win Champions League game against PSV on Wednesday in Eindhoven, before taking on Manchester City on Monday 29th October, live on Sky Sports.
West Ham, meanwhile, are in action against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium next Saturday and then host Spurs again in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, October 31.
