Tottenham Hotspur earnt the local bragging rights over West Ham United after a 2-0 win in North London.
Goals from Emerson Royal and Heung-Min Son propelled Spurs to victory, after a lacklustre first half display.
West Ham never got started in N17 and struggled to gain control in the London derby.
The Lilywhites move up to fourth in the Premier League, whilst the Hammers stay in the relegation zone. Pressure is building on David Moyes, after failing to inspire his players yet again.
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Emerson delivers again
The Brazilian has been on the end of criticism ever since his arrival at the start of last season. A lack of quality in the final third, clumsiness in defence and inconsistency were major flaws within his game.
But that is the Emerson of old. The wing-back is now starring for the Lilywhites, and he showed that again against West Ham.
The Brazilian opened the scoring for Spurs in the second half. He ran the length of the pitch to latch onto Ben Davies’ cutback in the box. It was a composed finish from the 24-year-old in front of the South Stand.
However, it was his overall performance which was even more impressive. He completed five clearances, won four duels and won possession four times in N17. Emerson helped Spurs keep West Ham’s attack quiet all match.
The tide has turned for the former Barcelona defender. He has won the support of the fans, the staff and his teammates. Things are only looking up for Emerson.
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Skipp steps up in Bentancur’s absence
When Rodrigo Bentancur suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last Saturday, many believed Spurs would struggle to replace the Uruguayan.
However, against AC Milan, Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr delivered on one of the biggest stages. It was a similar story against the Hammers, with Skipp partnering Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in midfield.
The Englishman shone under the lights. He limited Declan Rice’s impact, and helped Spurs control the match, especially in the second half.
The Spurs prodigy did this whilst under a yellow card due to a reckless challenge early on. That did not stop him though, as Skipp continued to show his fearlessness in the derby.
Performances from defensive midfielders can sometimes go under the radar. They do the hard work, but it is not normally pretty. Nevertheless, Skipp did earn his recognition this weekend and rightly so.
After frustrations with injury in recent months, Skipp will be hoping he can finally cement his place in the starting eleven until the end of the season.
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Pressure heaps on Moyes
David Moyes has led West Ham to European football recently. He oversaw a sensational Europa League run last season which ended in heartbreak against Eintracht Frankfurt. He reignited the spirit in East London, but that has well and truly faded away this season.
West Ham currently sit in the relegation zone and their performance against Spurs epitomised their current state.
Despite holding firm in the first half, they lacked control and composure in the final third.
But in the second half, they were swept away. Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski caused chaos for West Ham’s backline, whilst Son added to their issues once he was subbed on.
The Hammers were outfought across the pitch. Rice was unable to gain control against Hojbjerg and Skipp, whilst Angelo Ogbonna, Nayef Aguerd and Thilo Kehrer looked lost at the back.
West Ham’s main problem this season has been in the final third. When Moyes subbed off Michail Antonio for Danny Ings in the second half, it highlighted that he does not know how to adapt in the face of adversity. His time may well be over.
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Bowen’s limited impact
Jarrod Bowen was one of West Ham’s star players last season. He contributed to 22 goals in the Premier League last season. So far in the current campaign, he has contributed to just five.
The winger struggled to make any impact in N17. He lacked chemistry with Antonio, whilst there was limited support from Emerson and Vladimir Coufal out wide.
He completed zero successful crosses, just one pass into the final third and one successful dribble. Spurs’ defence kept him under their control throughout, despite recent defensive struggles.
Spurs' aggressive press in the second half limited West Ham's possession, forcing Bowen to often drop deep and help defend. This limited his attacking potential.
Bowen can not be blamed for West Ham’s poor season, but his lack of threat in the final third is adding to the Hammers’ misery.
