Like Brighton, this was a game West Ham should’ve at least drawn, if not won. They certainly created enough chances to take all three points, but Spurs walked away with the win at the end- the first time in nearly six decades that the Lilywhites have won five straight London derbies.

Both of West Ham’s changes for this game- Aaron Cresswell for Arthur Masuaku and Robert Snodgrass for Pedro Obiang, were injury enforced. Javier Hernandez made his first appearance since the Wolves game for the Hammers as a second half substitute and even managed to get the ball into the back of the net after some beautiful interplay with Marko Arnautovic, but it was disallowed for offside.

If Yarmolenko was poor against Brighton, his fellow winger Felipe Anderson had a game to forget this time around, with his reluctance to track back not helping left back Aaron Cresswell’s cause. He was culpable for the first goal- some poor defending that allowed Moussa Sissoko to set up Erik Lamela. It was a goal that should never have been conceded, and was Spurs’ first shot on target till then! And lest it not be forgotten, when West Ham were on the attack, Mark Noble was robbed of the ball in the move that eventually lead to Spurs’ goal. Yarmolenko was stretchered off towards the end of the first half and is now set for an extended spell on the sidelines, adding to Pellegrini’s headaches. [Read more…]