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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Nick Ames

West Ham 1-0 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened

Mousa Dembélé, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld at the final whistle.
Mousa Dembélé, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld at the final whistle. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Paul Doyle's match report

That’s all for tonight, anyway. Thanks so much for reading and for all your excellent emails and tweets – sorry there wasn’t time to get round to them all. But if nothing else I have in my inbox a cross-section of people’s Friday (and Saturday morning) activities that market research companies can only dream of. Enjoy your weekends, and see you soon.

Updated

Fletcher almost made it two at the end there but no matter. Chelsea will win the league with successive wins over Middlesbrough and West Brom. So there might be a heck of a party in a different area of London at this very time next week.

First things first: where did West Ham pull that from? They deserved the win; it might help keep Slaven Bilic his job and it was the kind of performance the London Stadium just hadn’t seen before. Perhaps it will help make them feel at home. Either way, they were “at it” from the start, had a goalkeeper in form when needed, and were very lively when going forward. Lanzini was marvellous and his goal was merited. From all areas of the side, it was a fine, diligent effort.

Second things second: where did Spurs pull that from? It didn’t look like them at all. They had a handful of chances but never really looked convincing at all, were harried off the ball too easily and never really found the space to pick West Ham apart. They were also as wobbly at the back as they have been in a long time. Perhaps they were nervous: sometimes playing first out of two title contenders can bring its own pressure. And perhaps there was a signpost to this in a slightly messy win at Crystal Palace last week – if we assume that the north London derby was an entirely different ballgame. There was no bit of genius from Christian Eriksen this time, and there will surely be no more twists and turns in this title race now.

Dele Alli heads to the changing room at the end of the match .
Dele Alli heads to the changing room at the end of the match . Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

Full-time: West Ham 1-0 Tottenham

West Ham are safe – and surely Chelsea are too!

90+4 min: Another Trippier cross towards Alli, and it’s a better one this time – Alli tumbles under a Byram challenge at the back post but no dice there. West Ham counter and Trippier is booked for bundling Fletcher over.

Updated

90+3 min: Trippier floats a ball over Alli and out, which kind of sums Spurs’ night up. And now Lanzini, the best player on the pitch, is replaced by Fernandes to tumultuous applause. Well deserved.

Manuel Lanzini is congratulated by Slaven Bilic.
Manuel Lanzini is congratulated by Slaven Bilic. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Updated

90 min: Five added minutes will be played, apparently. Do Spurs have anything left? They look misshapen and pretty resigned to their fate. It’s not really a terrible fate, is it, but it’ll still be disappointing and anticlimactic after Sunday.

Updated

89 min: Calleri, who has worked incredibly hard but really should have scored, is replaced by Ashley Fletcher, who sounds popular.

Updated

Tonight’s church has been delightfully broad.

87 min: Eriksen, with his best moment of the night, shoots a foot wide from 20 yards. As we stand I believe Chelsea would win the league with victories over Middlesbrough on Monday and West Brom a week today.

85 min: Lanzini, so sharp tonight from the off, gives Noble the kind of shooting chance he likes but the finish, while crisp, is off-beam.

Updated

84 min: Dimitri Payet Robert Snodgrass replaces Ayew.

83 min: Eriksen tries to thread it through for Kane but none of that is working here for Tottenham. It’s been exceptional discipline from West Ham but where has that been for most of the season? Talking of discipline Alli, who has form for petulance, briefly gets a bit aerated after a foul goes against him.

A frustrating night so far for Harry Kane.
A frustrating night so far for Harry Kane. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

81 min: It is frantic out there now. Another goal, at either end, is distinctly possible.

Updated

80 min: Trippier replaces Walker, who hasn’t had a brilliant time of things. Speculation taking its toll?

79 min: Spurs win their second corner in a row and the home supporters are playing some keepball. This has wasted over a minute. The corner is not worth the wait, and nor is Eriksen’s second attempt after Kouyate heads it back to him.

Mauricio Pochettino looks downbeat on the sidelines.
Mauricio Pochettino looks downbeat on the sidelines. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

77 min: How does Calleri not score? It’s a good save to his right from Lloris but the striker, who robbed Alderweireld inside the area and worked himself a clear shooting chance from about eight yards, really had to finish Spurs off. That was a nightmare from the defender and Tottenham are, as suspected, all over the show back there after those changes.

Updated

76 min: An observation – Byram has been really good tonight. I think the returns of he and Cresswell have made a real difference to West Ham. They get forward well, are sensible defensively, use the ball efficiently – and, oh ...

Updated

74 min: Alli finds space towards the left byline after sound work from Janssen ... rolls it across ... but Kane isn’t there to convert!

Updated

73 min: Yes, here is Janssen for Wanyama. This will be an interesting and quite possibly ragged last 20 or so.

Updated

72 min: Spurs free-kick on the left but Eriksen can’t beat the first man. It’s just not looking like their night unless they really sort this out. But hold on! Vincent Janssen is being readied to come on. He couldn’t ... could he?

Updated

71 min: “I am Gen X rather than millennial, which means I am sitting in my office in North Carolina and pondering ways to entertain my kids this weekend. I am, however, doing an improv comedy show at a jazz club tonight so I guess I am at least hipster-adjacent,” writes Greg Phillips. Hope reading this MBM doesn’t remove any of your comedic edge, Greg.

69 min: Lanzini shoots over from 25 yards now, then Noble does something quite similar. West Ham’s tails are up. This is by some way the best I’ve seen them play this season. Do Hammers fans agree?

Updated

67 min: Lanzini has been booked for something, and he doesn’t seem to know what. What we do know is that Spurs are now introducing Dembele in place of Vertonghen. They need to throw everything at it now. The London Stadium sounds ... dare I say it ... loud!

64 min: Cresswell, who has been excellent, dinks a ball to the far post, it’s drilled back across goal and bounces around a bit, Ayew unable to adjust himself and convert. Lanzini is there, though, unmarked with time and space six yards out – and he lashes home emphatically! West Ham are worth their lead!

Eric Dier, Harry Kane and Victor Wanyama look dejected after the West Ham goal.
Eric Dier, Harry Kane and Victor Wanyama look dejected after the West Ham goal. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

Goal! West Ham 1-0 Tottenham (Lanzini 64)

Well, well! Is that it for the title race? And does that keep West Ham up?

Manuel Lanzini fires in from close range.
Manuel Lanzini fires in from close range. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
Lanzini celebrates after breaking the deadlock.
Lanzini celebrates after breaking the deadlock. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Updated

63 min: Adrian denies Son! Walker runs outside the Korean this time and allows him to carry the ball into the vacant space. He tries a low daisy-cutter towards the far post from 20 yards and Adrian is down well to turn it wide. The corner comes to nought.

62 min: Kouyate has been excellent inside his own half, not so when asked to construct further forward. He nips another move in the bud around the box and then lumps the ball up the line. West Ham’s energy levels are yet to dip.

61 min: “I’m currently reading the MBM from my office in Los Angeles, drinking a Talking Rain lemon lime sparkling water while eating my lunch. Just so you know how the West Coast likes to party,” offers Nick Horton. A Millennial night out, then, basically.

59 min: Walker makes a clever incursion inside and finds Son, running outside him. That was very nice play and Son’s lay back to Eriksen is also good ... but on the stretch he can only direct the ball to Adrian. One of Spurs’ better moves though. Walker has tried that a couple of times this half now, foraging infield to make good.

57 min: “I am currently reading your MBM while playing Civilization 6 online. I am drinking beer though, does that count?” enquires Christopher Vaughan. We’ll let it through, yes.

56 min: Calleri gets in a superb area to set Ayew, who was probably offside, free but overcooks it anyway. Both players might have done better there; end product has really lacked tonight. Spurs are playing a risky game currently.

Slaven Bilic shouts out instructions from the touchline.
Slaven Bilic shouts out instructions from the touchline. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

54 min: Could this match go all Chelsea-Tottenham from last season? There are a few people on tightropes here. And Spurs may start to get tetchy if things don’t start happening.

53 min: Eriksen then attempts a cutback of his own but only finds a defender. Pretty much the first time he’s had clear grass around him.

52 min: And that wasn’t a bad one either! This time it’s Byram, in a pocket on the right of the box, who cuts back to Ayew but he lashes over from 18 yards when in a bit of space.

André Ayew fires the ball over the bar.
André Ayew fires the ball over the bar. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

51 min: Calleri finds himself all alone on the left – Walker isn’t having his finest night – and checks inside before crossing but it’s beyond Ayew. That was a very good position.

50 min: A corner to Tottenham, now, which doesn’t get beyond the near post despite Kane’s attempt to flick on. They basically have 40 minutes to save the title race.

48 min: “I am following the MBM from my flat in Berlin. Which would be all cool and hipster, except I have a one-year-old which means I’ve not been anywhere without a sand pit, a ball pool and a changing table for as long as I can remember. And the lack of Sky means MBM is my footballing lifeline. So much obliged to all of you at Guardian Towers,” writes Tim.

A pleasure Tim. I was staying in Prenzlauer Berg this time last week, which was very agreeable if arguably post-hipster.

47 min: Now Cresswell has a throw-in down the left, and works himself another – then another. West Ham with some good territory.

Peeeeeep! Second half underway!

West Ham immediately make inroads down the right; fast start from them.

“Unfortunately some millennials, as I am, are using the MBM as a break from writing dissertations and suchlike,” writes Ben Stawczewski, to whom we wish good luck.

Hugh Molloy: “FYI Clive Allen and Igor Stimac on Bein Sports in Qatar are convinced Lloris should have had seen red for a reckless tackle. Also Igor goes for the Ardilles style Tottingham pronunciation.”

Must be for the one when he rushed out to Lanzini. Didn’t seem like a flashpoint for me although West Ham claimed a handball at the time.

“Being more antediluvian than millennial, I’ve been reading the MBM (albeit intermittently) in a converted goat shed, three quarters of the way up a Portuguese mountain.I’m not sure how representative that is of anything though,” writes Geoff Wignall.

“I’m reading the MBM while sitting in my pants on a park bench drinking warm lambrini. Living the dream,” explains Adam Griffiths. I think he might be fibbing, readers. But this has smoked you all out.

“When you live in Canada, it’s Friday afternoon not night. So at work still,” says Jeff Keehan. This experiment at audience reach was maybe tailored badly.

“As much as I resent the term “Millennial,” I am one and I am at a pub. You’re not alone, Nick,” assures Matt Richman. I resent it too, Matt, but not as much as I currently resent you.

I’m curious. Where do you read a Friday Night Football MBM? Do millennials go to the pub anymore? I’m one, just about, but I hear we don’t go in for that kind of thing so I assume you’re in the gym.

Half-time: West Ham 0-0 Tottenham

Satisfying enough for West Ham; not so for Spurs. The home team have been well organised and have pressed sharply; they’ve also had a couple of good openings, Lanzini the beneficiary of both. Kouyate has had a couple of very off-kilter efforts too. Spurs were denied superbly by Adrian in quick succession midway through the half but have not really offered enough otherwise. The next 45 minutes may be huge for the title race.

45 min: As the half winds down, Tottenham enjoy an extended spell of possession. But they’ll need to find a way of upping the pace after the break. Two added minutes to go and then it’s time for the oranges.

44 min: Alli’s next contribution is to lay a first-time pass out for a throw-in, which is more representative of his half.

43 min: We haven’t seen a lot of Alli so far but he slaloms beautifully past a couple of challenges on the left before running into Fonte. More of that initiative will be required. Spurs have brightened up though and Kane can’t quite squeeze a cross in at the line.

Dele Alli nutmegs Sam Byram.
Dele Alli nutmegs Sam Byram. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Updated

40 min: Bit of a stoppage there but everyone is OK and Spurs try to build again. West Ham are getting out to them so quickly though and this attempt ends with a Lloris kick into touch. Bilic will be pretty happy with his side’s application here.

Winston Reid grabs the shirt of Harry Kane.
Winston Reid grabs the shirt of Harry Kane. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

38 min: Booking for Reid, who overran the ball and caught Wanyama in trying to get it back. Both take a bit of treatment.

37 min: Then Kouyate takes advantage of a Dier slip but, as is the theme currently, pulls his shot well clear of goal.

37 min: That rush of chances shortly after the 20-minute mark aside it’s fair to say Spurs haven’t truly got going yet ... although as I write that Eriksen fizzes a useful left-footer a yard wide from range.

35 min: Ayew looks to get away down the right but Wanyama is quicker and, as the Ghanaian gets towards the area, he’s imperiously ushered off the ball.

33 min: Still don’t think West Ham really have a finisher to score here, but watch me be very wrong indeed now.

31 min: Cresswell does nicely to win a corner from Walker. Lanzini’s delivery, though, is disappointing and although the ball stays alive Noble ends up shooting tamely to Lloris from 35 yards out.

Aaron Cresswell clears under pressure from Eric Dier.
Aaron Cresswell clears under pressure from Eric Dier. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

30 min: This is currently a decent, spiky enough game though. Which is what we wanted.

29 min: At the other end Kouyate shoves Walker over just shy of the byline. This is a chance, but Reid is very strong to get ahead of Kane from Eriksen’s whipped delivery. The pressure stays on and Alderweireld shoots not a million miles wide from 25 yards.

27 min: And now Lanzini gets in behind and is onside! Lloris hares out to stop him – it’s that inside-left channel again, and gets there first but the ball runs to Kouyate. The goal is vacant save for two covering defenders and Kouyaye fluffs his attempted chip well wide. Spurs living very dangerously there.

Manuel Lanzini is taken down by Hugo Lloris.
Manuel Lanzini is taken down by Hugo Lloris. Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images

Updated

26 min: Reid looks early for Calleri but the forward is offside. It was fairly close and the line was high, so worth a try.

25 min: “An unsurprisingly hectic and crowded affair with 10 players playing in central midfield,” wrote Hugh Molloy just before all that, and he wasn’t/isn’t wrong.

23 min: More Spurs pressure, with another flag kick being won and repelled. Might this settle them down?

Adrian brilliantly saves Kane’s shot with his left leg.
Adrian brilliantly saves Kane’s shot with his left leg. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Updated

21 min: Then a flurry from Spurs! Kane’s 20-yard shot from Son’s knockdown is too hot for Adrian to handle; Alli has a shot blocked from the rebound and then, after Kane seizes on the ball again, Adrian saves superbly with his legs. From the corner, the goalkeeper is sharp again to repel Dier’s header at the near post! Tottenham could, after 20 minutes of very little, quite easily be ahead.

Eric Dier loses his marker to head towards goal but Adrian makes the save.
Eric Dier loses his marker to head towards goal but Adrian makes the save. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

20 min: Kouyate leaves something in on Walker, who felt that. Could have been the third booking. Walker gets up and helps out in a Spurs attack that ends with a poor Dier cross. Not much on for the visitors at all yet.

19 min: Ayew chases Vertonghen right into his own corner and, while a goal kick to Spurs results, it is a measure of how West Ham have set about this so far.

17 min: “Perhaps one upside to games covered at the Olympic Stadium is that the MBM will get more people tuning in from those at the game itself because they are too far away to see anything,” writes Ian Copestake. A good point. If you’re watching in Stratford, the score is currently 0-0 with West Ham marginally the better side.

16 min: Now there’s a yellow card for a foul by Noble on Dier. That was late, tough and pretty nasty to be fair.

Mark Noble takes out Eric Dier to earn a yellow card.
Mark Noble takes out Eric Dier to earn a yellow card. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

15 min: Reid steps out of the back line to hustle Eriksen off the ball. West Ham are really compacting the middle of the pitch when Spurs start nearing their box.

13 min: Now Walker is booked for a late clip on Lanzini. Another promising free-kick for West Ham, in a more central area, and after the first header is won Kouyate nods the second into the arms of Lloris.

12 min: Calleri backheels cutely to set Cresswell away and his cross is taken off the head of Byram by Wanyama. Corner for West Ham, but it’s Wanyama to clear again. They have enjoyed the better early situations though, definitely.

10 min: It is scrappy, on the whole, but Wanyama fouls Calleri and West Ham have a dangerous free-kick on the right. They can load the box. The delivery is too deep, though, and goes behind for a goal kick. A waste.

8 min: West Ham are spiky in the challenge so far. Once Spurs get it into the opposition half, space is pretty limited at the moment.

6 min: West Ham show up and it’s a chance for Lanzini! Ayew takes a pass from Byram deep inside the Spurs half and switches superbly for Lanzini, running unattended, to bring the ball into the left of the area. Should he square it? Possibly, but he shoots and pulls it wide of the far post! A very good attack though.

Manuel Lanzini shoots wide when he could have squared the ball to the unmarked Jonathan Calleri.
Manuel Lanzini shoots wide when he could have squared the ball to the unmarked Jonathan Calleri. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Updated

5 min: Kane wins possession some 40 yards out and scuffs a very early shot wastefully wide. That was not a considered approach.

4 min: Walker then almost gets to the byline after a slick move involving Eriksen. What early running there has been, has come from Spurs. When I saw them at Palace nine days ago, another game they really needed to win, they looked rather skittish and hurried in the first half. A considered approach is needed here.

2 min: Tottenham have the early possession until Walker runs the ball out for a throw-in. Will West Ham try and force some tempo early on?

Peeeeep! Referee Anthony Taylor gets your Friday night going

Tottenham kick off and shoot right to left.

Mauricio Pochettino takes his seat before kick-off.
Mauricio Pochettino takes his seat before kick-off. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Updated

The teams are stepping out into the usual projectile bubble stream. The atmosphere sounds OK. Here’s hoping for a cracker ...

“I‘d heard Declan Rice would be lining up in West Ham’s starting eleven tonight, but it looks like there wasn’t a grain of truth to those rumours,” chuckles one Woolie Madden. Rice is indeed on the bench; nobody likes a basmatipants.

It’s certainly not wonderful.

“Tottenham’s “other” derby, if there is one at all, would definitely be Chelsea,” advises Lance Lee. “Whatever rivalry there is, is definitely one way on the West Ham fans’ part and not reciprocated.”

I think we’ve done this before.

“Kyle Walker is the guy,” says Thierry Henry in the Sky studio. Spurs certainly look sharper going forward with his energy, particularly with Rose out on the other side (although I do love Kieran Trippier). But is he one that Pochettino will decide to cash in on?

Mauricio Pochettino: “It’s a good opportunity for us to try to be alive in the race for the title, to stay with the hope to try and catch Chelsea. But it will be a very team because it is a derby, West Ham have good players and it will be difficult to play here.”

Harry Kane warms up at London Stadium.
Harry Kane warms up at London Stadium. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

Updated

If you missed this earlier from David Hytner, by the way, do give it a read – it’s about Tottenham and the aftermath of Ugo Ehiogu’s tragic death:

Those changes at full-back – Byram and Cresswell – should make West Ham seem a lot stronger than they have been in the last month or so, I think. But what about further forwards? Can Calleri, in particular, really buy a goal from this fine Tottenham defence?

In that team news by the way, Byram, Cresswell and Noble come back in for West Ham. Kyle Walker, linked with a move away recently, is in at right wing-back for Tottenham.

Alan Pardew is in the Sky studio for this one, not for the first time recently. Any vacancies coming up?

Tonight's teams

West Ham: Adrian, Collins, Reid, Fonte, Byram, Noble, Kouyate, Cresswell, Lanzini, Ayew, Calleri. Subs: Randolph, Nordtveit, Feghouli, Snodgrass, Fletcher, Fernandes, Rice.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Walker, Wanyama, Eriksen, Davies, Alli, Son, Kane. Subs: Janssen, Vorm, Nkoudou, Trippier, Sissoko, Wimmer, Dembele.

Thoughts? You happy?

Evening all

Friday night football is back! Yes it is. It seemed to have been quietly shelved after what was, by some accounts, a pretty inauspicious start but tonight we’ve the first Friday evening Premier League fixture of 2017 and what a game it is.

Or what a game it could be. You have to fear that Spurs, straining all the while to stay in touch with Chelsea, might in the end start to flag but there is little sign of that currently and a 10th – 10th! – consecutive league victory here would put them just a point shy of the lead until Monday night. They are absolutely flying and confidence will be sky high after such a commanding performance against Arsenal last weekend. Perhaps they really do have what it takes to bring this all the way to the wire.

Now – and on a similar-ish note to Jacob’s excellent article linked below – wouldn’t tonight’s derby, Tottenham’s “other” derby, have been quite a prospect for a Friday night at Upton Park? Perhaps that little bit of scheduling wouldn’t even have been allowed ... but the atmosphere would have been something else and it was lively enough last season when West Ham won a midweek game there 1-0 and put a big dent in Spurs’ previous title bid. Can the London Stadium be worked up into the kind of frenzy that might put the visitors off their stride this time? Are West Ham, who are a bit of a confusing rabble at their worst and have only won once in their last 11 league games, equipped to harness whatever energy there is and pull something out of the bag here – all but handing the title to Chelsea?

We will shortly find out. And while you settle back with beer and Dominos, we’ll relay the action to you here. If you want to give a little back, send in your emails and tweets to the addresses above. Happy Friday!

Nick will be here shortly. Until then, read Jacob Steinberg’s piece on West Ham’s first season at the London Stadium:

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