Tottenham maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season amid high drama as Harry Kane struck twice at the death in a breathless victory over West Ham at White Hart Lane.
Michail Antonio’s first-half header and a Manuel Lanzini penalty had put West Ham 2-1 up and seemingly on course for only a fourth league win of the season, but Kane’s late show emphatically turned the contest on its head.
First the England striker turned home from close range after good work down the left by substitute Son Heung-Min, while two minutes later the South Korean was brought down in the area by Havard Nordtveit and Kane tucked away the resulting spot-kick.
Earlier, 20-year-old midfielder Harry Winks had equalised for Tottenham on his full Premier League debut, but Lanzini’s penalty – awarded after Vincent Janssen pulled back Winston Reid in the area – put West Ham back in the driving seat before Kane intervened.
Spurs are now 12 games unbeaten at the start of the season – the last time they managed that was in the 1960-61 season, which ended with the north Londoners claiming a league and cup double.
For now Tottenham must content themselves with a fairly modest fifth place in the standings after a run of six wins and six draws, while shell-shocked West Ham – who lost Reid to a second bookable offence in added time – remain 17th and just a point outside the relegation zone.
Kane was largely anonymous for much of the match, with the focus and plaudits for the most part falling on midfielder Winks, handed his first start in the league in place of Dele Alli, who was named on the bench after returning from injury.
Winks has been in and around the first team for the last couple of years and finally earned a first league start in the intense spotlight of a London derby. In such circumstances do young players show their worth, and on this evidence Winks is set to be a fixture in the Spurs set-up for some considerable time.
He looked confident in possession, wanting the ball and using it well. And when the chance came to get on the scoresheet he did not hesitate, lashing home the rebound after Janssen’s long-range shot was parried by Darren Randolph.
In contrast, Kane had a frustrating 89 minutes but burst to life when his team needed him most.
Randolph – who earlier produced a truly stunning save to deny Eric Dier with his side 2-1 up – will be disappointed with his part in the goal, diverting the ball into Kane’s path as he attempted to cut out Son’s low centre.
But he had no chance with Kane’s second from the spot – a powerful, confident strike befitting a 20-goals-a-season striker.
West Ham more than played their part in a highly entertaining contest, and will return to east London wondering how they managed to not take at least a point with them.
Antonio’s well-taken header after Cheikhou Kouyate hit the bar gave them the lead against the run of play, but their improved performance after the break meant it was less of a surprise when Lanzini lashed home their second from the penalty spot.
In that moment West Ham became the first team to score more than one goal against Spurs in the league this season, and Slaven Bilic’s men looked good value for it.
But the 72nd-minute entrance of Son for Mousa Dembele proved a turning point.
The former Bayer Leverkusen forward first raced past Antonio to deliver a cross via the palm of Randolph that Kane turned home, and was then smart enough to invite a wild challenge from fellow substitute Nordtveit, cutting inside and leaving his standing leg invitingly in the path of the defender’s needless lunge.
Having already awarded a league-high eight penalties this season, referee Mike Dean made it a ninth. Kane was the gleeful recipient from 12 yards.
Man of the match – Harry Winks
(BBC Sport)
