Spurs Dominate West Ham in Tense London Derby

Tottenham Hotspur delivered a spectacular second-half performance to secure a commanding 4-1 victory over local rivals West Ham United.

Despite falling behind to an early Mohammed Kudus goal, Spurs dominated the first half and deservedly equalized through Dejan Kulusevski’s deflected effort.

The introduction of Pape Matar Sarr for James Maddison at halftime sparked a second-half surge from Spurs. Yves Bissouma put them ahead, finishing off a Destiny Udogie cutback, before Son Heung-min added two more goals to seal the win. Kudus, West Ham’s standout performer, was later sent off for violent conduct after an altercation with Spurs players.

Kulusevski continued his impressive start to the season with a crucial first-half equalizer. The Swedish captain is thriving in his preferred attacking midfield role, showcasing his growing influence on the Spurs attack.

West Ham struggled to adapt to new manager Julen Lopetegui’s tactics, appearing disjointed and vulnerable in defense. While they posed a threat through Jarrod Bowen and Kudus on the counter, their attempts to build from the back were often undone by Spurs’ pressing and their own individual errors.

Kudus was undoubtedly West Ham’s brightest spark, scoring the opening goal and causing problems for the Spurs defense. However, his afternoon ended prematurely when he was shown a red card for violent conduct after pushing both Sarr and Micky van de Ven in the face. The dismissal will see him miss three matches, compounding West Ham’s woes.

The victory was a welcome return to form for Spurs after their disappointing collapse against Brighton before the international break. For West Ham, the heavy defeat highlighted the challenges they face in adapting to Lopetegui’s style of play.