Premier League

TOTTENHAM 2 (Royal 56, Son 72)
WEST HAM UNITED 0

TOTTENHAM squeaked into the top four tonight (Sunday) after two second half strikes saw an Antonio Conte-less side get the better of West Ham.

Goals from Emerson Royal and substitute Heung-Min Son sealed the victory – taking Spurs a point above Newcastle in the Premier League table and leaving West Ham stuck in the relegation zone.

Conte, recuperating from gallbladder surgery in Italy, handed the reigns over once more to Cristian Stellini. And the stand-in coach got it spot on, again. Stellini has taken charge six times for Conte and won every one.

Today, he was bold with his selection, got the team working to an obvious plan, and made substitutions that had an impact. Whisper it – the absence of Conte’s pent up energy on the touchline has yet to prove to be detrimental.

With or without Conte’s permission, Stellini finally took the decision that should have been made weeks ago. Son, in desperate need of a rest, was dropped for Richarlison.

Other changes saw Ben Davies pushed to wing-back, while Royal, destined for the chop after the January purchase of Pedro Porro, started. They were moves that paid dividends. Not only did Royal turn in another great display, he combined with Davies to get the opening goal.

Speaking after the game, Stellini said Conte had offered instructions from Italy during the match. With Chelsea coming up next weekend, Stellini added he did not expect Conte to be back but he should be in the dug out for Wolves away in a fortnight.

“I am very glad to see this type of performance,” said Stellini. “With the win, we knew we can reach fourth place. It is important now to be consistent.”

Stellini revealed dropping Son was about managing the player. He said: “Some times players are not 100 per cent. It is difficult with Sonny – you never want to drop him. It is about using him the right way.

“We had Richarlison back 100 per cent so we put him in to play the game how we thought it would start. We had to fight in the first half, and then when the game became stretched in the second half, we could use Sonny.

“Sonny’s confidence is 100 per cent, but physically he had needed to recover. He felt tired and not perfect, and the player has to be mature enough to say so. We are trying to manage him. We have six games coming in a short space of time and we have to manage the squad.”

Both sides started with a derby-tainted purpose – chunky tackles and over enthusiastic passing – while West Ham at first looked like they had brought the usual extra effort they find against Tottenham.

But Spurs soon realised this Hammers side are in the bottom three for a good reason and began to take control.

Skipp, showing experience beyond his years, meant the loss of Rodrigo Bentancur was not felt. The young midfielder gave as good as he got against Declan Rice, winning the ball, covering for teammates, and showing a range of both sensible and adventurous passing.

Jarrod Bowen went closest for the visitors in the opening minutes when he struck a volley from distance that had Fraser Forster well-beaten but flew past the post.

Yet for Tottenham’s dominance, they had to be patient. They failed to test Lukasz Fabianski in the opening third. They played on the front foot and offered threats, but the final ball took sorting out.

The closest Spurs came was via a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg drive from distance that Fabianski had covered. And then the Hammers’ keeper kept out a Richarlison effort from the angle with his legs on the stroke of half-time.

Chances came as soon as the whistle was blown in the second period with the home side upping their tempo. On 47 minutes, Dejan Kulusevski and Harry Kane combined to break well.

Kulusevski was forced to delay getting his shot off and opted to cut back for Richarlison. The forward failed to connect properly as the goal invited the finish and Fabianski gratefully gathered. Moments later, Kulusevski again got in, found Kane but the strikers shooting was wayward.

Then Hojbjerg brought the ball forward and as his opponents sat off him, he spotted a blindside run by Davies. The defender was played in with a perfectly weighted ball, which made up for his lack of pace. The Welsh wing-back placed a pass into Royal’s path – he made up the ground as the attack advanced – and Royal slotted home in front of a delirious Park Lane stand.

Tottenham grew and West Ham looked increasing ragged, their attacks floundering on the Skipp-shaped rock in the middle.

On 66, Stellini turned to the fresh legs of Son. The forward offered a half-hour cameo full of energy, wit and a goal. On 72 minutes, Kane did enough to put Angelo Ogbonna off as he went to clear and the defenders weak header was gathered by the Spurs forward. Kane spotted Son making his way down the left channel. Son then drew Fabianski and finished.

On the strength of this display – in a fixture where West Ham usually transform into Brazil for 90 minutes – David Moyes’s dream has, like the club’s bubbly anthem states, faded and died. Spurs, buoyed by Skipp’s infectious enthusiasm, have plenty left to look forward to in this topsy-turvy season.

Tottenham: Forster, Romero, Dier, Lenglet (Perisic, 78), Royal, Skipp (Sarr 89), Hojbjerg, Davies, Kulusevski (Moura, 89), Richarlison (Son, 68), Kane
Substitutes not used: Austin, Sanchez, Danjuma, Porro, Tanganga.

West Ham: Fabianski, Kehrer, Ogbonna (Johnson, 81), Aguerd, Coufal, Soucek, Rice, Emerson (Fornals, 81), Downes (Benrahma, 71), Bowen, Antonio (Ings, 71)
Substitutes not used: Areola, Cresswell, Scamacca, Lanzini, Casey.