PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 13th SEPTEMBER, 2025
WEST HAM UNITED 0(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(0)
Spurs scorers:-
Sarr, 47
Bergvall, 57
Van de Ven, 64
Attendance:- 62,459
Referee:- Jarred Gillett
Assistants:- Neil Davies, Steve Meredith
Fourth official:- Rob Jones
VAR:- John Brooks
Assistant VAR:- Natalie Aspinall
Teams:-
West Ham (4-2-3-1):- 1. Hermansen; 2. Walker-Peters, 15. Mavropanos, 3. Kilman, 12. Diouf; 8. Ward-Prowse (sub 39. Irving, 90+2), 28. Soucek; 18. Fernandes (sub 27. Magassa, 61), 10. Paqueta (sub 9. Wilson, 68), 7. Summerville (sub 17. Guilherme, 61); 20. Bowen (Capt.)
Subs not used:- 23. Areola, 22. Fabianski; 5. Igor; 32. Potts; 11. Fullkrug
No bookings
Sent off:- Soucek (54) - high and dangerous tackle on Palhinha
Spurs (4-2-3-1):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro, 17. Romero (Capt.), 37. Van de Ven (sub 4. Danso, 80), 24. Spence (sub 13. Udogie, 71); 15. Bergvall (sub 22. Johnson, 80), 6. Palhinha; 20. Kudus, 29. Sarr, 7. Simons (sub 9. Richarlison, 71); 11. Tel (sub 28. Odobert, 79)
Subs not used:- 31. Kinsky; 33. Davies; 30. Bentancur, 39. Kolo-Muani
Booked:- Spence (foul on Bowen)
Spurs had fun and won three-none!
Thanks to Andy Park for the picture
Thomas Frank's Spurs inflicted more pain upon Graham Potter's West Ham who have now lost their two home Premier League games 1-8 on aggregate. West Ham have still not won a home game since February. The mass exodus of home fans began soon after man of the match Lucas Bergvall put us two up with a superb goal - his first in the Premier League.
Spurs hadn't won at The London Stadium since Jose Mourinho's first game in charge in November 2019. Frank became only the third Spurs manager to win his first two away Premier League games - after Ossie Ardiles and Tim Sherwood. We had fun and won three-none, which is our biggest away win against "The Hammers" since a 6-1 in August 1962.
Let's just pause to reflect that Bill Nicholson's 60-61 double side won their first 11 league games, which included 6 away from home.
Graham Potter was a little short of resources. Substitute Wan-Bissaka had to withdraw at the last minute, and Lukasz Fabianski (who re-signed only this week) was a second substitute goalkeeper.
Frank made three changes to the team which started against Bournemouth. He gave a debut to Xavi Simons, who replaced Brennan Johnson on the left midfield. Lucas Bergvall replaced Bentancur and Mathys Tel was our "number nine" with Richarlison on the bench. Deadline day arrival Randal Kolo-Muani was an unused substitute.
Spurs kicked off and were in the West Ham half within 30 seconds, utilising Bergvall to take a long throw. Inevitably Mohammed Kudus was booed at every touch. "Hammers" fans label him "Judus" (sic). Kudus had a good game and soon settled down to enjoy his first return to his former home. Inswinging corners by Kudus from the right and Simons from the other side were very effective weapons against a West Ham side who have a major weakness in such situations. The corner count was 13-2 in Spurs' favour.
Spurs' early strategy was to try to spring attacks with long passes into their opponents' half, but they lacked an effective line-leader.
West Ham managed to threaten after 6 minutes when former Spur Kyle Walker-Peters broke out. In truth, whilst neither goalkeeper was tested sorely, West Ham had a couple of decent first half chances, and their play was giving the home fans some hope. Unfortunately, like those famous bubbles, West Ham's dreams faded and died! They really must find another song!
Paqueta had West Ham's best chance after Bowen passed inside, but the recently exonerated Brazilian pulled a left-footed shot wide. Paqueta was being deployed as a "false" nine, but that idea changed later in the game. Summerville and Diouf gave Spurs right-side defence one or two problems, but they faded too.
Romero found Simons with an excellent trademark pass. Simons cut inside and his shot was deflected for a corner. This was taken by Kudus and headed cleanly into the net by Romero. Spurs celebrated, but unfortunately Australian-born referee Jarred Gillett disallowed the goal, because of an alleged push by Van de Ven on Walker-Peters. Mr. Gillett's decision was (of course) supported by VAR John Brooks and Spurs had a perfectly good goal rubbed out. Van de Ven had in fact been pushed by Fernandes, who had to be advised soon after by the referee regarding more shenanigans at corners. West Ham seem to lack height and strength in these situations. Walker-Peters had the task of marking Romero, who brushed him off like a fly.
West Ham soon had a corner, taken by Ward-Prowse. Ultimately, Soucek's header was a cinch for Vicario to hold.
Tel was hobbling midway through the half but was able to continue. Spurs now began to dominate proceedings. A good attack came when Bergvall overlapped Spence. Lucas's cross led to a shot by Pedro Porro which passed wide. Bergvall had been offside anyway.
Kudus took a short corner after 37 minutes. Porro crossed and Sarr's header was deflected out of play by former Wolves man Max Kilman. At the other end a deflected Bowen cross/shot led to confusion between Van de Ven and Vicario, but Spurs cleared.
West Ham keeper Hermansen patted out a Spurs corner from the left and Kudus's return led to a scrambled clearance. In first half added time Spence was fouled by Paqueta just outside the area, but nothing came of the free kick.
Thanks to Cassim Patel for the picture, which shows the view for unfortunate away fans in the distant upper tier
An early second half shot by Bowen passed wide, before Spurs won a corner through more good play by Bergvall and Spence. That was curled in by Simons and there could be no argument when Pape Sarr headed powerfully into the top of the net. Sarr scored in both his games for Senegal over the international break. West Ham left back El-Hadji Diouf was Sarr's team-mate in those games. This was Sarr's first league goal of the season. He had a great pre-season and his fine form continues.
Vicario had to make his best save of the match following a poor pass out of defence. Vicario dived to his right to push Bowen's shot out for a corner. Spence was (perhaps harshly) booked for a foul on Bowen. Ward-Prowse took the free kick and Kilman headed over the target.
After 54 minutes Tomas Soucek was shown a straight red card for a high lunging tackle on Joao Palhinha, whose sock was torn. Palhinha recovered having suffered no lasting injury and there was no argument by Soucek. "The Hammers" have only two more games this month (Spurs have five!) and they'll miss Soucek until after the next international break.
That foul had been just inside the West Ham half and after the free kick and a pass to our captain, "Cuti" launched a fine ball towards the area where Bergvall met the ball perfectly to head over the keeper and into the net in front of the ecstatic travelling fans.
Potter made a couple of changes, but his team would remain ineffective. Spurs extended their lead. Following a cross from the left and follow-up play on the right, Tel passed forward to Bergvall inside the box on the right. Bergvall's cut-back wasn't too strong, but Micky van de Ven was there to hammer the ball home. Who needs strikers eh?!
Thanks to Andy Park for the picture, which shows celebrations after the third goal
The mass exodus of home fans began, and well before the end of the game the home section resembled a Covid lockdown attendance.
Thanks to Andy Park for the picture
Frank used all his subs and Spurs managed the remainder of the game with the cheers and "Oles!" by the away fans drowning out the ever decreasing jeers for Kudus, who played the full 90+ minutes. He nearly scored when his shot after Pedro Porro's cross was parried by Hermansen, who then saved substitute Johnson's follow-up. Johnson had been offside, but the keeper was not to know. Another late effort by Kudus was blocked.
This was a fine result and performance from a team missing key players such as Kulusevski, Maddison and Solanke. Despite those absences Spurs look in good shape for Tuesday's home game against Villarreal and can travel to Brighton next Saturday in a positive frame of mind. After all, they did finish the day in second place behind Arsenal by a goal difference of one!
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