West Ham vs Tottenham: West Ham edge past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0

West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur: A solitary goal from Michail Antonio was enough to settle our London derby against West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Hammers’ win condemned Spurs to sixth place while climbing to the fourth spot with 17 points from nine games. Spurs have 15 points from the same number of games.

Spurs enjoyed the better of the first half, played in an unusually subdued atmosphere for a derby, with the best chance coming from a Harry Kane header which Lukasz Fabianski tipped over the bar, while the Hammers had earlier tested Hugo Lloris with a volley from Pablo Fornals.

West Ham vs Tottenham: Michail Antonio’s 72nd minute strike enough as West Ham edge past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0

West Ham vs Tottenham: Michail Antonio’s 72nd-minute strike enough as West Ham edge past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0

There wasn’t a lot between the sides in the second period as the intensity increased but had we been more clinical with our final ball in attacking areas, Spurs might have taken the lead. Instead, it was West Ham who broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute with Antonio poking home Aaron Cresswell’s corner from close range.

The pattern for the remainder of the game saw Spurs probing for a way through the Hammers defence as they sat in and defended their lead, but Tottenham couldn’t fashion a clear opportunity and didn’t once trouble Fabianski, suffering our fourth league defeat of the season, all coming in London derbies.

Our #UEL campaign so far: WWW#WHUGEN pic.twitter.com/t7vBWjPSj3

— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 21, 2021

West Ham vs Tottenham: Michail Antonio’s 72nd minute strike enough as West Ham edge past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0

Full-time in Arnhem. pic.twitter.com/SehtBgUjbw

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 21, 2021

West Ham vs Tottenham: Michail Antonio’s 72nd-minute strike enough as West Ham edge past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0

Looking for our third straight win in the Premier League, which would have moved Spurs into the top four, the visitors enjoyed a solid first half, but couldn’t build on that after the interval. The seven shots – four of which were on target – all came in the opening 45 minutes when Spurs quietened the crowd after West Ham’s bright start and dominated the half. However, they couldn’t maintain that though as the home side rallied after the break, got the all-important first goal and were able to hold on to that lead.

The Hammers almost broke the deadlock on 71 minutes when Fornals dispossessed Reguilon and hit a shot that deflected up off Eric Dier and needed a good tip over from Lloris, but from the resulting corner, Cresswell whipped a ball into the six-yard box and Antonio stuck out a boot to poke it into the back of the net.

West Ham vs Tottenham: Michail Antonio’s 72nd-minute strike enough as West Ham edge past Tottenham Hotspur 1-0

For all the possession in the final stages, it was the hosts who came closest to adding to the scoreline when Antonio slid a ball in for Said Benrahma but Lloris was quick off his line to smother his shot.

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