TOTTENHAM RAN riot in the second half of their 3-0 win over 10-man West Ham on Saturday as the pressure mounted on under-fire boss Graham Potter as Chelsea missed out on a chance to go top after a draw against Keith Andrews’ Brentford.
Thomas Frank’s side took the lead through Pape Sarr’s header soon after the interval at the London Stadium.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek was sent off for a studs-up foul on Joao Palhinha seven minutes after Sarr’s opener.
Lucas Bergvall made sure Tottenham capitalised on Soucek’s dismissal as he bagged Tottenham’s second goal and provided the assist for Micky van de Ven to seal the points in a one-sided London derby.
Tottenham are up to second place in the Premier League, their third win in four games erasing the bitter taste of a surprise defeat against Bournemouth before the international break.
It was the ideal preparation for Tottenham’s Champions League campaign, which starts with a visit from Villarreal on Tuesday.
In stark contrast to Tottenham’s early-season success, West Ham are languishing in the relegation zone after a third defeat in four matches.
Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven (bottom centre) celebrates after scoring. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Potter and his team were booed off at the final whistle as the few fans who remained in the stadium showed their displeasure.
The Hammers have conceded 11 goals in the league, as well as crashing out of the League Cup against Wolves to leave Potter fighting to avoid the sack.
Hired in January after Julen Lopetegui’s sacking, Potter has struggled to make an impact in east London.
The former Chelsea and Brighton boss desperately needs a winning run to stave off the axe, starting with next weekend’s game against Crystal Palace.
- Soucek sees red -
Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus was greeted with jeers from West Ham supporters, bitter that he left them to move across London in the close-season, but their former star had the last laugh.
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta squandered a golden opportunity when he dragged his shot wide in the opening moments.
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Tottenham’s Cristian Romero had a header controversially disallowed for a push by Van de Ven on Kyle Walker-Peters, a decision that prompted a frustrated rant from Frank on the touchline.
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen lashed just wide after a flowing move early in the second half.
But it was Tottenham who took the lead from their first shot on target in the 47th minute.
Sarr was left completely unmarked at the far post to meet Xavi Simons’ corner with a powerful header into the roof of the net.
It was the fifth goal in four games that West Ham had conceded from a set-piece this season.
Guglielmo Vicario preserved Tottenham’s lead moments later, plunging to his right to keep out Bowen’s drive from just inside the area.
Soucek saw red in the 54th minute, rashly crunching into Palhinha with his raised boot in an ugly challenge that left the midfielder writhing in pain.
Just nine seconds after Palhinha’s dismissal, Bergvall doubled Tottenham’s lead with his first goal this season.
Romero sent a long pass arcing over the Tottenham defence, and the Swedish midfielder rose highest to loop a superb header beyond Mads Hermansen.
Bergvall was Tottenham’s youngest scorer in the Premier League since Dele Alli 10 years ago.
The 19-year-old wasn’t finished yet, and his buccaneering run unhinged the West Ham defence in the 64th minute, with Van de Ven applying the finishing touch as he drilled into the far corner from 10 yards.
Brentford's Fabio Carvalho wheels away after scoring the late equaliser against Chelsea. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as Fabio Carvalho’s 93rd minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Brentford in Saturday’s west London derby.
The world champions paid for Enzo Maresca’s experimental team selection as Kevin Schade fired Brentford into a first-half lead.
Substitute Cole Palmer led the Chelsea revival on his return from injury to equalise before Moises Caicedo’s thunderous strike looked to have snatched all three points for the Blues.
But Brentford’s persistent threat from long throw-ins got its reward at the death when Carvalho was left unmarked to tap in from close range.
Chelsea remain unbeaten this season but sit only fifth, one point behind the leading quartet of Arsenal, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Maresca will wonder what might have been had he not seemingly had one eye on Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.
Jorrel Hato struggled on his full Premier League debut, while Wesley Fofana only lasted 45 minutes on his first start of the season.
Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Gittens were unimpressive in attacking areas as Chelsea were made to pay for wasting 45 minutes.
Brentford saw Yoane Wissa join Bryan Mbeumo in leaving the club this week, stripping to Bees of a combined 39 Premier League goals last season.
The onus is on Schade to step into void left by the departed duo. The German delivered with his first of the season on 35 minutes.
Jordan Henderson’s through ball picked out Schade’s run and he cut inside Tosin Adarabioyo before firing into the bottom corner.
Maresca wasted no time in showing his dissatisfaction with a flat first 45 minutes.
Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Tyrique George replaced Hato, Fofana and Buonanotte at the break.
George forced Caoimhín Kelleher into a fine save, but the game truly turned on the introduction of Palmer on 56 minutes.
The England international missed the Blues previous two games through injury but showed no signs of rustiness to level five minutes after his arrival.
Joao Pedro did well to head down Enzo Fernandez’s cross and Palmer pounced for his first non-penalty Premier League goal since January.
Schade nearly restored Brentford’s lead straight away as Robert Sanchez got down smartly to his right to save.
Palmer should have doubled his tally when he fired too close to Kelleher with just the goalkeeper to beat after an electric burst from Pedro Neto.
But it was a more irregular source of goals who put Chelsea in front.
Another Chelsea debutant Alejandro Garnacho’s cross was cleared to the edge of the box, where Caicedo was lurking and, after steadying himself, took aim to smash into the top corner.
Garnacho, though, undid his good work by switching off deep into stoppage time and allowing Carvalho to turn in Kristoffer Ajer’s flick-on.
A draw edges Brentford up to 12th with four points from their first four games.
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Tottenham go second after overcoming West Ham as Chelsea blow chance to take top spot
LAST UPDATE | 13 Sep 2025
Premier League
****
TOTTENHAM RAN riot in the second half of their 3-0 win over 10-man West Ham on Saturday as the pressure mounted on under-fire boss Graham Potter as Chelsea missed out on a chance to go top after a draw against Keith Andrews’ Brentford.
Thomas Frank’s side took the lead through Pape Sarr’s header soon after the interval at the London Stadium.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek was sent off for a studs-up foul on Joao Palhinha seven minutes after Sarr’s opener.
Lucas Bergvall made sure Tottenham capitalised on Soucek’s dismissal as he bagged Tottenham’s second goal and provided the assist for Micky van de Ven to seal the points in a one-sided London derby.
Tottenham are up to second place in the Premier League, their third win in four games erasing the bitter taste of a surprise defeat against Bournemouth before the international break.
It was the ideal preparation for Tottenham’s Champions League campaign, which starts with a visit from Villarreal on Tuesday.
In stark contrast to Tottenham’s early-season success, West Ham are languishing in the relegation zone after a third defeat in four matches.
Potter and his team were booed off at the final whistle as the few fans who remained in the stadium showed their displeasure.
The Hammers have conceded 11 goals in the league, as well as crashing out of the League Cup against Wolves to leave Potter fighting to avoid the sack.
Hired in January after Julen Lopetegui’s sacking, Potter has struggled to make an impact in east London.
The former Chelsea and Brighton boss desperately needs a winning run to stave off the axe, starting with next weekend’s game against Crystal Palace.
- Soucek sees red -
Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus was greeted with jeers from West Ham supporters, bitter that he left them to move across London in the close-season, but their former star had the last laugh.
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta squandered a golden opportunity when he dragged his shot wide in the opening moments.
Tottenham’s Cristian Romero had a header controversially disallowed for a push by Van de Ven on Kyle Walker-Peters, a decision that prompted a frustrated rant from Frank on the touchline.
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen lashed just wide after a flowing move early in the second half.
But it was Tottenham who took the lead from their first shot on target in the 47th minute.
Sarr was left completely unmarked at the far post to meet Xavi Simons’ corner with a powerful header into the roof of the net.
It was the fifth goal in four games that West Ham had conceded from a set-piece this season.
Guglielmo Vicario preserved Tottenham’s lead moments later, plunging to his right to keep out Bowen’s drive from just inside the area.
Soucek saw red in the 54th minute, rashly crunching into Palhinha with his raised boot in an ugly challenge that left the midfielder writhing in pain.
Just nine seconds after Palhinha’s dismissal, Bergvall doubled Tottenham’s lead with his first goal this season.
Romero sent a long pass arcing over the Tottenham defence, and the Swedish midfielder rose highest to loop a superb header beyond Mads Hermansen.
Bergvall was Tottenham’s youngest scorer in the Premier League since Dele Alli 10 years ago.
The 19-year-old wasn’t finished yet, and his buccaneering run unhinged the West Ham defence in the 64th minute, with Van de Ven applying the finishing touch as he drilled into the far corner from 10 yards.
Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as Fabio Carvalho’s 93rd minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Brentford in Saturday’s west London derby.
The world champions paid for Enzo Maresca’s experimental team selection as Kevin Schade fired Brentford into a first-half lead.
Substitute Cole Palmer led the Chelsea revival on his return from injury to equalise before Moises Caicedo’s thunderous strike looked to have snatched all three points for the Blues.
But Brentford’s persistent threat from long throw-ins got its reward at the death when Carvalho was left unmarked to tap in from close range.
Chelsea remain unbeaten this season but sit only fifth, one point behind the leading quartet of Arsenal, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Maresca will wonder what might have been had he not seemingly had one eye on Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.
Jorrel Hato struggled on his full Premier League debut, while Wesley Fofana only lasted 45 minutes on his first start of the season.
Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Gittens were unimpressive in attacking areas as Chelsea were made to pay for wasting 45 minutes.
Brentford saw Yoane Wissa join Bryan Mbeumo in leaving the club this week, stripping to Bees of a combined 39 Premier League goals last season.
The onus is on Schade to step into void left by the departed duo. The German delivered with his first of the season on 35 minutes.
Jordan Henderson’s through ball picked out Schade’s run and he cut inside Tosin Adarabioyo before firing into the bottom corner.
Maresca wasted no time in showing his dissatisfaction with a flat first 45 minutes.
Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Tyrique George replaced Hato, Fofana and Buonanotte at the break.
George forced Caoimhín Kelleher into a fine save, but the game truly turned on the introduction of Palmer on 56 minutes.
The England international missed the Blues previous two games through injury but showed no signs of rustiness to level five minutes after his arrival.
Joao Pedro did well to head down Enzo Fernandez’s cross and Palmer pounced for his first non-penalty Premier League goal since January.
Schade nearly restored Brentford’s lead straight away as Robert Sanchez got down smartly to his right to save.
Palmer should have doubled his tally when he fired too close to Kelleher with just the goalkeeper to beat after an electric burst from Pedro Neto.
But it was a more irregular source of goals who put Chelsea in front.
Another Chelsea debutant Alejandro Garnacho’s cross was cleared to the edge of the box, where Caicedo was lurking and, after steadying himself, took aim to smash into the top corner.
Garnacho, though, undid his good work by switching off deep into stoppage time and allowing Carvalho to turn in Kristoffer Ajer’s flick-on.
A draw edges Brentford up to 12th with four points from their first four games.
– © AFP 2025
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