TOTTENHAM made the perfect start to their ‘new era’ without Daniel Levy.
But for poor old West Ham and Graham Potter, it was same old, same old.
The Irons boss saw his side spanked by a bitter London rival for the second successive home match, following on from August’s 5-1 demolition at the hands of Chelsea.
Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven did the damage in a blistering 19-minute period at the start of the second half to lift Spurs to joint-top.
It heaped the pressure right back on Potter, who also saw Tomas Soucek awarded a straight red card for a foul that ripped Joao Palhinha’s sock.
The ex-Chelsea chief had had some respite with the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest before the international break, but his team seemed to revert to type here.
It was ideal for Spurs, watched on by two members of the Lewis family who had dramatically forced out long-serving chairman Levy nine days ago.
Viv Lewis, daughter of former owner Joe Lewis, and her son-in-law Nick Beucher sat in the directors’ box alongside Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham and technical director Johan Lange.
A source close to the family claimed Levy had paid the price for poor results and had hailed the dawning of a ‘new era’ where more wins would be delivered.
So far, that new era reads one game played, one emphatic win achieved, so those in charge could be forgiven if they left the London Stadium grinning from ear to ear last night.
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While the eventual scoreline was very one-sided, both sides seemed to cancel each other out in a boring first half.
The opening 45 was essentially a wait to see if Spurs would score from a corner.
They did not - but they probably should have.
Mohammed Kudus - receiving dogs’ abuse from the fans who once adored him - took plenty of them from the right-hand side of the pitch.
Spurs' £55million summer capture from West Ham fired in one particular delivery in the 19th minute towards the near post, where Cristian Romero headed into the corner.
It looked to be a fair opener but referee Jarred Gillett ruled it out for a shove from Van de Ven on Kyle Walker-Peters in the build-up, and was backed up by VAR.
Yet replays seemed to show Van de Ven himself had been pushed into former Spurs academy player Walker-Peters by Mateus Fernandes, angering Thomas Frank on the touchline.
Spurs’ injured midfielder James Maddison was presumably throwing things at his TV as he tweeted: “Honestly the referees & VAR have had an absolute shocker of a start to the season.
"If that goal is disallowed for a foul you will never ever see a corner be taken without referee blowing for something ever again.”
Just prior to that chance, West Ham had conjured up the most exciting moment of a boring half with a fluid move from out wide.
Captain Jarrod Bowen found Fernandes, who shipped it onto Lucas Paqueta.
The Brazilian could have moved it to the wide-open Crysencio Summerville but instead attempted a sneaky effort to the near post - but fired it wide.
Any fans who were nodding off at the interval half-time were jolted awake by a flurry of electrifying action at the start of the second half.
First, Spurs finally did score from a corner - the simplest set-piece you will ever see - as new-boy Xavi Simons fired a delivery to the back post where an unmarked Sarr headed home.
That came just two minutes into the restart- and seven minutes later, the game was over thanks to two hammer blows for Potter’s side.
Their task was initially made far more difficult when Soucek was given his marching orders for catching Joao Palhinha high on his shin with enough force that he ripped the Portuguese’s sock.
Gillett did not even have to think twice as he instantly issued a red card to Soucek on the Czech’s 250th West Ham appearance.
From the resulting free-kick, the ball was played to Spurs captain Cristian Romero who lofted a long ball over the defence which Bergvall brilliantly headed into the corner.
Bergvall then turned provider on the 64th minute as he drove into the box and offloaded to Van de Ven who powered in with his weaker right foot.
That sparked a mass exodus from the home fans, to the mocking taunt of "Is there a fire drill" and "We want four" from the gleeful counterparts.
West Ham supremos David Sullivan and Karren Brady looked glum up in the stands, wondering if Potter would be in for more capital punishment when Crystal Palace and Brentford come across town for their next two home fixtures.