Son seals important win over Hammers - report and reaction

Derby day honours were all ours on Sunday afternoon as we beat West Ham United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to climb up to fifth in the Premier League table.

After we went ahead from a Kurt Zouma own goal, Heung-Min Son doubled our lead while Said Benrahma made it 2-1 before half-time, with Son scoring his 13th league goal of the campaign in the 88th minute to seal a big win.

Just nine minutes had gone when we took the lead, Zouma diverting Harry Kane’s cross into his own net – the sixth own goal we have benefitted from in the Premier League this season. And our bright start was further rewarded when the trusty Kane and Son partnership yielded another goal, Kane releasing Son who finished left-footed past Lukasz Fabianski, the shot taking the slightest nick off Zouma’s boot as it flew in.

The Hammers responded when Benrahma volleyed home at the back post from a corner but a nervy second half ended in style as we wrapped up the points with a classic route one goal, Kane flicking on a Hugo Lloris goal-kick for Son, who raced through and finished with aplomb.

Son shines in derby delight

As the race for the top four really starts to heat up, this was a huge win against a side who are not only one of our London rivals but also a competitor for the Champions League berths. And with Arsenal winning on Saturday, this was a game we really needed to win to stay in touch as we enter the business end of the campaign.

It was a great afternoon for Son, who hadn’t quite been able to find his usual high standards in a couple of our recent matches, but was back with a bang against the Hammers, repaying the faith of his manager with two crucial goals including the late strike that settled the outcome.

There were big chances for both sides in the opening minutes. We grabbed the lead when Matt Doherty did well to pressure Arthur Masuaku and win the ball back for Kane to latch onto, he drove down the inside right channel and hit a low cross which squirted off Zouma’s knee and into the net. Just seconds later Michail Antonio hit an angled drive just past the far post and then we struck the woodwork at the other end, Dejan Kulusevski finding Son in the box but it was just behind him and he hit the outside of the post with a shot on the stretch.

Son wasn’t to be denied on 24 minutes though, as that good old Kane and Son combination did the trick on the first of two occasions in the game, Kane playing a wonderful incisive pass through to Son in the inside left position and his shot looped over Fabianski and in. We were well on top at that stage, but gave the visitors a route back into the contest in the 35th minute when Craig Dawson flicked on a corner and Benrahma snapped up the chance with a back-post volley.

The Hammers had the first real chance of the second period when Antonio side-footed a volley well over from Aaron Cresswell’s cross. The visitors saw plenty of the ball in the first 20 minutes of the second half, while we looked to pounce on the counter-attack, although neither goalkeeper was duly troubled, Kulusevski curling wide but over from the edge of the area with one opportunity.

With 15 minutes remaining, Sergio Reguilon was set free by Kane down the left but his final shot lacked power and Fabianski saved comfortably, however we were back on top and in control of the game and should have wrapped it up when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg lifted a pass over the defence for Kane, who tried to do the same to Fabianski but cleared the crossbar. Doherty then had a shot blocked by Dawson, with Rodrigo Bentancur firing the rebound a yard wide.

Our pressure eventually paid off two minutes from time as we netted the third to kill off the Hammers. Again it was a Kane-Son combination but this one was very different to most as Lloris launched a big kick forwards, Kane beat two defenders with his header and Son was away, making no mistake to fire home a goal which was met by the biggest roar of the day from our delighted supporters.

Home comforts against the Hammers

Sunday’s victory continues our impressive home form against West Ham. We have now lost just two of our last 20 Premier League home games against the Hammers, winning 11 and drawing the other seven.

Zouma’s early own goal means we have now benefitted from six own goals in the Premier League this season – more than in any previous campaign. It’s now three own goals in our last four games after Michael Keane and Harry Maguire put through their own nets against Everton and Manchester United respectively.

The team news was nice and straightforward as Antonio Conte named an unchanged side for the third game in succession.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'I enjoyed watching the team play this type of football'

Speaking on N17 Live afterwards, Antonio Conte told us: "It was a brilliant performance. I’m delighted for the three points, and especially in the way we got the three points. I think we played very well from the start until the end. We controlled the game and created a lot of chances to improve the final result, don’t forget, against a strong team, because West Ham, before this game, were in the same position and in the race for the Champions League. Today, honestly, I enjoyed watching the team play this type of football."

Highlights on Spurs TV

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Zouma (OG) 9; Son 24, 88; West Ham – Benrahma 35.

Yellow card: West Ham - Dawson.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Sunny, gentle breeze, 12 degrees.

Attendance: 58,685.