West Ham Cruise into Top Four at the Expense of Mourinho’s Spurs
Ndidi in action as Leicester win 2-1 at Aston Villa
West Ham moved into the top four of the Premier League with a narrow 2-1 victory over Tottenham that increases the pressure on Spurs’ Manager Jose Mourinho.
Michail Antonio - back in the Hammers’ starting line-up after a two-game absence - gave the hosts the perfect start, poking home after Hugo Lloris had failed to deal with Jarrod Bowen’s cross.
Jesse Lingard’s third goal in four league games was initially disallowed for offside against Pablo Fornals.
But VAR ruled that the Spaniard was not interfering with play when the former Manchester United man skipped through the visiting defence before powerfully finding the far corner to make it 2-0.
Half-time substitute Gareth Bale, who registered a goal and an assist in Tottenham’s Europa League win at Wolfsberger on
Thursday, set up Lucas Moura to give Spurs hope, before hitting the top of the crossbar with a fierce strike 10 minutes later.
Son Heung-min also struck the woodwork in stoppage time.
The win - David Moyes’ first over Jose Mourinho in 16 attempts - lifts West Ham two points clear of Chelsea in fifth, while Spurs remain in ninth.
Elsewhere, Nigerian international, Wilfred Ndidi was in action for all 90 minutes as James Maddison and Harvey Barnes scored to give Leicester City 2-0 edged out Aston Villa side missing the injured Jack Grealish.
Ndidi’s compatriot, Kelechi Iheanacho was an unused substitute in the Foxes win.
Maddison found the net inside the opening 20 minutes, side-footing the ball into the far corner.
Moments later, Barnes was on hand to strike home a rebound, giving the Foxes a deserved two-goal lead.
Villa lacked creativity without captain Grealish - who has a leg injury that is set to keep him outfor around a month - but were given a lifeline when Bertrand
Traore volleyed home a loose ball.
The hosts struggled to create further openings as Leicester held on to go second in the Premier League, three points clear of Manchester United, who host Newcastle later yesterday.