West Ham 1-0 Tottenham: Spurs’ title bid suffers a massive blow

Tottenham’s title ambitions took a massive hit at the London Stadium Friday night as Manuel Lanzini’s second-half goal handed the Hammers a derby victory.

Mauricio Pochettino brought Kyle Walker back into the starting lineup amid rumors that the pair had fallen out.

West Ham seemed up for it from the start, getting behind the Spurs backline a few times without creating a clear cut chance.

Adrian had to save twice from Kane in quick succession, just barely flicking the second effort over the bar with an outstretched leg. Dier singed the keeper’s hands again from the resulting corner, but the visitors otherwise struggled to threaten the West Ham goal.

At the other end, Spurs had a hearts-in-mouths moment when Lloris came racing out of his goal to challenge a streaking Lanzini. Lloris won the ball, but cleaned out Lanzini in the process. Thankfully, Anthony Taylor deemed it a legal challenge and Kouyate fluffed the rebound with the goal gaping.

Spurs upped the tempo in the second half, but couldn’t get the breakthrough. Eriksen couldn’t get enough power on a poked shot, while Adrian got down smartly to save from Son.

It was the home side who finally broke the deadlock. Spurs couldn’t clear a cross, and after the ball pinged around the box it fell perfectly for Lanzini, who lashed home.

Lloris kept Tottenham in the game after Alderweireld got his pocket picked in the box, palming Calleri’s shot away for a corner, but Spurs couldn’t find the elusive equalizer.

This loss means Chelsea can go seven points clear at the top with a win over Middlesbrough on Monday. They could clinch the title a week from today at West Brom.

Reaction

• Tottenham had won nine games in a row before this. This is obviously disappointing, but what an impressive achievement that was.
• West Ham (including their fans) started time-wasting with 25 minutes to go. That was cool.
• The Dier-Wanyama pivot worked well against Arsenal. It did not tonight. Make of that what you will (whispers Arsenal are bad).
• Not one of Walker’s best performances either, which won’t help the unsettled *narrative*.
• Spurs can clinch their first top-2 finish since 1962/63 with a win in any of their three remaining fixtures.
• Nice to hear chants of “there’s only one Aaron Lennon.” Once a Hotspur, always a Hotspur.