Tottenham 2-0 West Ham: Emerson Royal and Son Heung-min goals take Spurs into Premier League top four
Emerson #Emerson
Having scored just once in his first 45 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, Emerson Royal has since netted two in his last five
Tottenham moved into the top four of the Premier League thanks to a home victory over struggling West Ham, who remain in the relegation zone.
The Spurs wing-backs linked up for the first goal of the game, with Ben Davies releasing Emerson Royal to shoot into the bottom corner.
West Ham had an immediate chance to equalise but Jarrod Bowen’s powerful effort, after he outpaced Cristian Romero, was well saved by home goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Spurs substitute Son Heung-min scored four minutes after coming on when he raced onto Harry Kane’s through ball and slotted a finish past Lukasz Fabianski.
The Hammers would have moved above both Bournemouth and Everton with a draw, but instead remain 18th as they suffered their first defeat in five matches in all competitions.
Tottenham moved one point ahead of Newcastle, although Eddie Howe’s side, beaten 2-0 at home by Liverpool on Saturday, have a game in hand.
Tottenham had assistant manager Cristian Stellini back in charge with Antonio Conte resting after his recent gallbladder surgery.
Conte had been on the touchline for the recent games against Leicester and AC Milan, but subsequently said he had rushed his recovery and was not ready for a full-time return.
Spurs win after tribute to record-breaking Kane
Harry Kane is only the third player to reach 200 Premier League goals
In Tottenham’s last home game, the 1-0 win over reigning champions Manchester City on 5 February, Kane scored his 267th Spurs goal to take him above Jimmy Greaves’ total and become the club’s all-time record goalscorer.
Before this match there was a celebration of that achievement as Kane was handed a silver boot trophy, with members of the Greaves family making the presentation.
Tottenham’s fans also spelled out the word ‘Harry’ with an impressive Tifo before the game, with Kane’s children, wearing Spurs shirts that said ‘Daddy 267’ on the back, joining the England captain on the pitch.
However, he could not find his 268th Tottenham goal, shooting wastefully wide with only Fabianski to beat midway through the second half from his only notable chance.
Kane made his Tottenham debut in 2011
But Kane did manage to record an assist, with his pass through to Son shortly after the South Korean, dropped for Richarlison, had come on as a substitute.
Towards the end of the match, the home fans taunted the away supporters with chants of “West Ham are going down” and it was a disappointing performance from David Moyes’ side after they had gained decent draws against Newcastle and Chelsea in their previous two Premier League games.
The visitors had wasted a good chance to take the lead inside the opening minute but England forward Bowen sent a 20-yard half-volley just wide.
Bowen had a chance to make it 1-1 but was denied by Forster with what proved to be West Ham’s only shot on target.
Tottenham are still in this season’s Champions League but lost 1-0 away to AC Milan in Tuesday’s last-16 first-leg tie and this result puts them in one of the four automatic qualifying spots for next season’s tournament.
In the end, Spurs ran out deserved winners against West Ham as a controversial video assistant referee call did not come back to prove costly.
The hosts thought they should have earlier been given a 12th-minute penalty when Thilo Kehrer, standing close behind Richarlison and falling over, put his hand down and handled the ball.
But a decision was not given by on-field official Michael Oliver, with those in the VAR room not telling him to review the decision.
Line-upsTottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
20Forster
17Romero15Dier34Lenglet
12Emerson Royal4Skipp5Højbjerg33Davies
21Kulusevski9Richarlison
10Kane
Substitutes
West Ham
Formation 3-4-2-1
1Fabianski
24Kehrer21Ogbonna27Aguerd
5Coufal28Soucek41Rice33Emerson
12Downes20Bowen
9Antonio
Substitutes
Referee:Michael Oliver
Attendance:61,476
Live Text
Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, West Ham United 0.
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, West Ham United 0.
Ivan Perisic (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Ivan Perisic (Tottenham Hotspur).
Vladimír Coufal (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Pape Sarr.
Foul by Ivan Perisic (Tottenham Hotspur).
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Dejan Kulusevski.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Pape Sarr replaces Oliver Skipp.
Attempt blocked. Danny Ings (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Tomás Soucek (West Ham United).
Foul by Emerson Royal (Tottenham Hotspur).
Ben Johnson (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, West Ham United. Pablo Fornals replaces Emerson.
Substitution, West Ham United. Ben Johnson replaces Angelo Ogbonna.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.
Attempt missed. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Ivan Perisic replaces Clément Lenglet.
Player of the match
Son Heung-minSon Heung-min
West Ham United
Squad number20Player nameBowen
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Squad number27Player nameAguerd
Squad number5Player nameCoufal
Squad number41Player nameRice
Squad number12Player nameDownes
Squad number33Player nameEmerson
Squad number21Player nameOgbonna
Squad number24Player nameKehrer
Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Squad number2Player nameJohnson
Squad number8Player nameFornals
Squad number18Player nameIngs
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
