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Premier League | Gameweek 31

Apr 2, 2024 at 8.15pm UK

London Stadium

West Ham
1 - 1
Spurs

Zouma (19')
Antonio (53')

FT(HT: 1-1)

Johnson (5')
van de Ven (44'), Bentancur (61'), Johnson (74'), Romero (89')

Tottenham Hotspur dealt top-four blow after West Ham United draw

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 02 April 2024

Spurs dealt top-four blow after West Ham draw

Tottenham Hotspur remain fifth in the Premier League table after drawing 1-1 with West Ham United at the London Stadium on Tuesday night.

Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to climb into the top four of the Premier League after being held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham United at the London Stadium on Tuesday night.

Ange Postecoglou's men made the perfect start as Brennan Johnson tapped home a fifth-minute opener from close range, but the Hammers quickly restored parity courtesy of an unorthodox finish from captain Kurt Zouma.

Both sides had their fair share of chances to net the all-important winner in the second half, but the spoils were eventually shared from an entertaining London derby.

The result for Spurs leaves them in fifth place in the Premier League table and two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, who travel to the Etihad Stadium to face champions Manchester City on Wednesday.

As for West Ham, David Moyes's men have extended their winless top-flight run to four matches and remain seventh in the table, three points behind Manchester United in sixth and one point above Newcastle United - who drew 1-1 at home to Everton - in eighth spot.

Tottenham Hotspur's Brennan Johnson celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on April 2, 2024 © Reuters

Both sides made a lively start to proceedings, and after Jarrod Bowen directed a decent chance from close range well off target in the third minute, Spurs went up the other end to open the scoring just two minutes later.

Timo Werner breezed past Vladimir Coufal down the left channel after being sent through by James Maddison, and the German whipped a low cross towards the near post for Johnson to flick a first-time finish beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

West Ham responded well, though, and looked particularly threatening from set-pieces, with their equaliser on the 19-minute mark coming from an inviting corner from Bowen.

Zouma made an intelligent run from the back post into a central position inside the six-yard box to meet Bowen's delivery, and as he towered above the Spurs backline, he somehow used his back to direct the ball into the far corner.

West Ham United's Michail Antonio in action with Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven on April 2, 2024 © Reuters

Michail Antonio was a handful for Tottenham's backline throughout the second half and the West Ham striker stung the gloves of Guglielmo Vicario with a venomous shot from the edge of the area shortly after the restart. The Spurs shot-stopper then made a brilliant goalline clearance to keep out a header from Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Antonio was presented with arguably the best chance of either side to win the match on the hour mark, when he capitalised on a stumble from Micky van de Ven to burst through on goal, but he could only direct his powerful shot straight at Vicario.

As the game became stretched and frantic heading into the closing stages, Destiny Udogie was presented with a glorious chance to net the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time; the left-back was gifted space on the edge of the box to fire a shot at goal, but he could only arrow his effort straight into the midriff of Fabianski.

Tottenham will now return to North London for their next Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, while West Ham travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.