Tottenham Hotspur showcased a dominant performance in the second half, crushing West Ham 4-1 and increasing the pressure on Hammers manager Julen Lopetegui. The match, held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, saw a dramatic turnaround after a tightly contested first half.
Initially, West Ham started the game brightly, surprising the home crowd by taking an early lead. Their momentum, however, was disrupted when Dejan Kulusevski equalized in the 36th minute, shifting the dynamics in Tottenham's favor just before halftime.
Despite West Ham's efforts to maintain their lead, they went into the break at 1-1, still hopeful but clearly needing to adjust their strategy. Tottenham's manager, Ange Postecoglou, made a bold decision at halftime by substituting the usually influential James Maddison, a move that would soon prove pivotal as Spurs came out with renewed energy and determination for the second half.
Within the first 15 minutes of the second half, Tottenham scored three quick goals. An own goal by West Ham's Alphonse Areola set the tone for the second half, followed by goals from Son Heung-Min and Yves Bissouma, who both found the net in quick succession, leaving West Ham reeling and unable to regain their footing in the match.
The situation worsened for West Ham when Mohamed Kudus was shown a red card after a VAR review for a clash with Tottenham's Mickey Van de Ven. This dismissal left the visitors down to ten men, effectively sealing their fate as Spurs continued to dominate the game.
As the match concluded, Tottenham’s powerful display and ability to capitalize on West Ham’s mistakes marked a significant victory, highlighting the challenges ahead for Lopetegui and his squad as they seek to bounce back in upcoming fixtures.