Key events
West Ham lost the ball in the Spurs half and were immediately in trouble. Maddison broke four v four and gave the ball to Kulusevski on the right. He danced across the edge of the area and reversed a surprise shot which the unsighted Areola could only push onto the inside of the near post. The ball bounced across the line, hit the far post and spun into the net.
GOAL! Spurs 1-1 West Ham (Kulusevski 36)
Spurs are rewarded for their irrepressibility!
34 min: Fine save by Areola! Spurs take a short corner and work the ball infield to Porro, 25 yards out. His first touch is excellent, teeing himself up for a fierce shot that takes a deflection and is really well stopped low to his left by Areola. It was pretty central but he had to change direction sharply because of the deflection, then get down to the shot and ensure he didn’t palm it out in front o goal.
31 min Johnson overhits a relatively simple pass to Kulusevski in the area, which allows Kilman to make an important tackle. Lots of openings for Spurs, but no clear chances yet.
29 min The resulting corner eventually leads to a speculative overhead kick from Solanke that is saved comfortably by Areola.
28 min: Chance for Spurs! Son plays in the underlapping Udogie, who teases a cross towards the far post. Johnson comes on the blindside of Paqueta, misses an attempted header, and the ball hits Paqueta’s shoulder before bouncing fractionally wide of the near post.
Johnson can’t believe he didn’t make contact, although it was awkward as he was running away from goal and had to come round Paqueta.
26 min Son collects a headed clearance on the left of the area, moves outside Wan-Bissaka and hits a shot that goes behind for yet another corner. Spurs have had at least seven in the first 26 minutes, and they’ve done bugger all with any of them; this one from Maddison goes behind for a goalkick on the far side.
25 min It’s not often Spurs and West Ham fans come together but they did before the game to protest against the reduction – and in some cases removal – of concessionary tickets.
22 min Spurs’ passing and movement is of a really high quality and West Ham are having to work extremely hard in defence. Emerson heads behind for a corner which is then nodded away by Rodriguez. He might be working the hardest of all of them.
21 min Kudus has a very similar chance earlier in the game. He connected sweetly with that and didn’t score, whereas the goal wasn’t cleanly struck at all. Theer’s a moral in that story I’m sure.
Spurs struggled to clear after a bit of pinball in the area. Bowen collected the ball on the right, shuffled away from Udogie a bit too easily and tried to cut the ball back. It deflected towards Kudus, who scuffed a shot into the net from 10 yards. I think it took a touch off the sliding Johnson; either that or Kudus hit it into the ground. The hell he’ll care.
GOAL! Spurs 0-1 West Ham (Kudus 19)
All that possession for Spurs and it’s West Ham who take the lead!
18 min The overworked Rodriguez concedes his third corner on the Spurs left. Maddison swings it too close to Areola.
16 min: Lovely effort from Son! Spurs probe patiently until Son receives possession on the left edge of the area. He beats Wan-Bissaka through sleight of hip, not even needing to touch the ball, and shapes a textbook curling shot that goes just wide of the far post.
13 min Bowen is starting to threaten. He runs through Van de Ven on the edge of the area, benefitting from a ricochet Preben Elkjaer-style, forcing Bissouma to get back and sweep up. Bowen would otherwise have been through on goal.
11 min: Fine save by Vicario! Bowen runs at Van de Ven and screws a low cross towards Kudus, charging onto the ball at the far post. He sweeps a first-time shot towards goal and Vicario reacts superbly to push it over the bar. It was close to him but he still needed abnormal reaction speed to make the save.
9 min Udogie underlaps nicely to win another corner for Spurs. Both were conceded by Guido Rodriguez, who has already had to put out a few fires.
8 min The corner is cleared, which gives West Ham their first opportunity to break. Antonio is held up on the left wing and the Spurs players have time to shuttle back.
8 min Kulusevski wins a corner for Spurs, who are all over West Ham like a cheap cliche.
6 min A terrific effort from the in-form Brennan Johnson. A loose ball bounced towards him on the right side of the area, the angle far too tight for a shot. Or so it seemed: Johnson watched the bounce and cut across a beautiful shot that swooshed just wide of the far post.
4 min Spurs have started with a spring in their step; they usually do. Kulusevski looks particularly bright.
2 min Areola springs from his line to beat Solanke to a through ball from the right. He kicked the ball out for a throw-in instead of picking it up, but ultimately he got rid of the danger.
1 min Peep peep! After the players on both sides take a knee, Spurs kick off from right to left as we watch.
The Premier League table at the start of play
A reminder of the teams, who are about to stroll onto the pitch.
Spurs (4-1-2-3) Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Moore, Richarlison, Werner.
West Ham (4-1-4-1) Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez; Bowen, Soucek, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Cresswell, Soler, Coufal, Summerville, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Alvarez.
Referee Andy Madley.
Julen Lopetegui’s pre-match thoughts
It will be our most demanding away match so far and we have to be ready to be very competitive.
We know what this means to the fans so we have to be all our focus on the pitch.
This is a nice piece about Kate Cross’s dad
I am frustrated and upset to have read recent misleading and inaccurate press articles, published in both England and Brazil, claiming to disclose information about my case.
Big Ange talks to TNT Sports
Look out!
Team news: Son returns
Son Heung-min has recovered from a hamstring injury and replaces Timo Werner on the left wing. Yves Bissouma is preferred to Rodrigo Bentancur in the only other change from the Brighton defeat.
West Ham are unchanged.
Spurs (4-1-2-3) Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma; Kulusevski, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son.
Substitutes: Forster, Dragusin, Gray, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Moore, Richarlison, Werner.
West Ham (4-1-4-1) Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Rodriguez; Bowen, Soucek, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Cresswell, Soler, Coufal, Summerville, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Alvarez.
Referee Andy Madley.
Preamble
It’s time for Tottenham to get back on the horse. Ange Postecoglou has had two weeks to dwell on their horrid collapse at Brighton, where they lost 3-2 after being 2-0 up at half-time. And while there’s no chance of him changing his philosophy, he’d quite like Spurs to stop flattering to deceive.
Spurs have played brilliantly at times this season, yet they’re only two points clear of a West Ham side who have been criticised from all angles. Things look a bit better for Julen Lopetegui after a 4-1 win over Ipswich before the international break; a win today really would endear him to the West Ham fans.
Kick off 12.30pm.