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West Ham United 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur: 5 Talking points and analysis

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League

In what was a perfect start for new manager Jose Mourinho to his life in the dugout for Tottenham Hotspur, his team recorded a close 3-2 win over local rivals West ham United in their Premier League fixture at the London Stadium.

The visitors looked dangerous from the get-go and reaped the benefit of their offensive mindset in the first-half with Son Heung-Min breaking the deadlock in the 36th minute following a brilliant through ball by Dele Alli.

They doubled their lead within seven minutes, with Son and Alli yet again involved in the buildup as Lucas Moura finished off the brilliant move by connecting with Son's perfectly-timed cross.

Spurs started the second half even better, with striker Harry Kane heading home a cross from right-back Serge Aurier just four minutes into the half.

Though it seemed the game was done for the home side, introduction of influential forward Michel Antonio in place of Felipe Anderson had a positive impact as he hit the ground running causing all sorts of problem for the Tottenham defence and finally getting a breakthrough in the 73rd minute, unleashing a fierce strike after a brilliant feint to deceive Alderweireld.

VAR again played a decisive role in the match denying The Hammers their second goal and they had to settle with a scoreline of 3-2 against their favour when defender Ogbonna found the back of the net in the dying moments of the game.

To sum it up the first half belonged to the visitors and the home team made a roaring comeback in the second one, but just fell short of scoring that equalizer. So, as Mourinho marked his return to the Premier League with a win, we look at the five major takeaways from the game.


1. Son Heung-min is now the most important player in Tottenham's squad

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League

Though he did not have the ideal start to his life at Tottenham, Son-Heung Min has now become one of the most important players for Spurs and a guaranteed starter for the club.

He was as effective as usual starting on the left flank with his pace and link-up play with his teammates, especially with Alli particularly troubling the West Ham defence.

He was crucial to the team's first two goals, scoring the first one and providing the assist for the second one. His electrifying pace, quick thinking with the ball and passing prowess make him an invaluable asset for the new manager as well, who has a penchant for employing the wingers for creating the chances in the final third.

As seen in the first half, Alli and Son seem to have good chemistry, which Mourinho can use to wreak havoc for opposition defences. Going forward, Son will be the key for Mourinho's men if they are to stay in the upper echelons of the league.

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