Manuel Lanzini scored his ninth London derby goal in 14 outings to earn West Ham United a crucial 1-0 win over rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night.
The 65th-minute strike not only made certain of the Hammers' place in the Premier League for next season but also all but killed off their opponents' title aspirations.
Harry Kane came closest to scoring for Tottenham in the first half, being denied by a fine Adrian save down low, meaning another near miss for the Lilywhites.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium. Spurs are aiming to keep the pressure on leaders Chelsea with victory tonight, knowing that anything less will surely bring an end to their title hopes, while West Ham are still not yet assured of safety.
United could we need another point from their remaining three games if they are to stay up, but it is fair to say that more of the focus is on the opposite end of the division this evening. Tottenham, winners in each of their last nine league outings, make the short journey across London attempting to move to within one points of Chelsea at the top. Defeat, on the other hand, and that will surely be that.
TEAM NEWS!
WEST HAM UNITED XI: Adrian, Collins, Reid, Fonte, Byram, Noble, Kouyate, Cresswell, Lanzini, Ayew, Calleri
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI: Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Wanyama, Son, Eriksen, Dele, Kane
Starting with a look at the home side, manager Slaven Bilic has made three changes to his side from the goalless draw with Stoke City last weekend. Sam Byram, Aaron Cresswell and Mark Noble all return to the starting lineup, while Edimilson Fernandes, Arthur Masuaku and Harvard Nordtveit make way. Masuaku was always likely to miss out this evening due to a foot injury, forcing Bilic into some tinkering at the back.
There is also no Andy Carroll in the West Ham ranks this evening due to a groin injury, while Pedro Obiang, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio are all still also on the sidelines. A depleted Hammers side, then, but one that Bilic will hope can get him over the line to 40 points. There is a place in attack for Manuel Lanzini, meanwhile, who has 13 Premier League goals to his name - eight of those coming in his 13 London derby outings.
Jonathan Calleri is also handed a starting role by Bilic, joined by Andre Ayew and the aforementioned Lanzini who will be looking to maintain that hugely impressive goalscoring record against London opposition. At the other end of the field James Collins, Jose Fonte and Winston Reid will again link up in a three-man backline, which has worked well thanks to three clean sheets in four outings.
In terms of the visitors, Mauricio Pochettino has gone with just the one change from last weekend's 2-0 win over Arsenal - Kyle Walker coming in for Kieran Trippier at full-back. The England international has reportedly grown disgruntled at White Hart Lane having been overlooked of late, but he is given the chance to impress down the flank this evening as Pochettino makes the most of some squad rotation.
Erik Lamela, Harry Winks and Cameron Carter-Vickers are all still nursing injury problems and are not involved tonight, meanwhile, but this is a Spurs squad oozing quality from front to back. There is no change in the forward ranks, where Son Heung-min and Dele Alli will provide support for Harry Kane, who has netted five times in the Premier League against West Ham - all of those coming at White Hart Lane.
Kane also has 19 goals in 26 derbies overall, including 18 in his last 20, so he is the man to watch in this one. Christian Eriksen is also included, boasting the best chance creation stats in the top flight, sitting just ahead of destroyer Vincent Wanyama - another who has impressed massively this term. The only change coming at right-back, then, where Walker comes in for Trippier as 3-4-2-1 goes up against 3-4-2-1 at the London Stadium.
BENCH WATCH!
WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Randolph, Nordtveit, Feghouli, Snodgrass, Fletcher, Fernandes, Rice
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBS: Vorm, Trippier, Wimmer, Dembele, Nkoudou, Sissoko, Janssen
Mousa Dembele is again involved for Spurs this evening, taking his place among the subs and likely to play some part from the bench. Trippier drops out of the XI and among the back-ups, where there is no sign of Danny Rose despite supposedly recovering from his three-month ankle injury layoff. West Ham have Robert Snodgrass among their creative options, while Nordtveit provides a more defensive option in midfield if required.
Andy Carroll has failed to overcome a groin problem in time to feature for West Ham United tonight, as boss Slaven Bilic makes three changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Stoke City last time out. Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino makes just the one alteration, meanwhile, bringing in Kyle Walker for Kieran Trippier at right-back to provide some fresh legs.
A big evening ahead for Tottenham Hotspur, then, and also an important one for home side West Ham United. The Hammers head into this match sitting seven points above the drop zone with three games left to play, which sounds like a healthy enough lead over Swansea City - and probably will be - but should the Swans beat Everton tomorrow and United lose tonight, that gap is down to four points by the time they take on Liverpool next week.
A point from these next two games against Spurs and Liverpool would be welcomed by Bilic, although supporters will be after more than that tonight as they are desperate to wreck their rivals' title aspirations. It may also not be enough for Bilic, as his job is reportedly under the spotlight following a far tougher second season in East London compared to last year when finishing seventh.
It is fair to say that qualifying for Europe has been out of the question for West Ham for a fairly long time, having essentially been playing catch up right from the off when wining just one of their first seven games, five of which ended in defeat. Adapting to life in a new ground has been tough - something which Tottenham Hotspur may come to learn in the next couple of years when playing at Wembley and then their new ground.
Another five-game losing run following in March, conceding 12 times during that run and setting up a truly pivotal showdown with fellow strugglers Swansea here which they edged 1-0. That victory as good as got them over the line, putting them eight clear rather than just two in front of the Swans, and you would now strongly back them to get home and dry by the time the final ball is kicked. Should City and Hull both win back-to-back games, though, things will get really interesting.
West Ham have drawn three games on the spin since seeing off Swansea, being held away to Sunderland and then claiming points from Everton and Stoke. The Toffees stalemate was one of the worst games of the season, seeing very little action at either end of the field, while the match at the bet365 Stadium provided a little more entertainment but ended in the same scoreline. If not for Jack Butland, United may well have left the Potteries with maximum points.
Bilic's men now see out their home campaign against tough opposition in Tottenham and Liverpool, before a trip to Turf Moor on the final day. A lot has been made of the Hammers' home struggles since moving ground, particularly when compared to their final season at Upton Park, having collected 22 points from 17 games here - less than half the amount Spurs have managed at White Hart Lane.
DID YOU KNOW? After overseeing wins in four of his first first Premier League games against London opposition, West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic has since won just two of 10 - three draws and five losses. Victory today will make it back-to-back home wins over Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since 1999-2000, though, so plenty of incentive there.
It has been a difficult second campaign in East London for Slaven Bilic, whose job is reportedly under review with three weeks of the season remaining. A decision has to be made whether the Croat is the right man to oversee the latest round of summer spending, following a fairly disastrous window last time around, and with games against Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool to come in the next week it is difficult to see the Hammers' league position improving.
The Lilywhites currently sit second in the table, four points adrift of Chelsea who are not in action until Monday night. The Blues are still strong favourites to get the job done as they have a string of winnable fixtures to come, but should Spurs indeed close the margin then all of a sudden the pressure increases. Their pursuit of the Blues has been relentless, and they cannot afford to stop now.
Tottenham have won nine games in succession to ensure that the title race is still alive, which looked like being far from the case a couple of months back when Chelsea raced 13 points clear. Not since 1960 have they enjoyed a better run of form, when putting together 13 wins in a row, and they now require just a point this evening to make sure of their highest ever Premier League finish of second place.
It will take a collapse far bigger than the one witnessed last season for Tottenham to finish any lower than second but, as Pochettino has stressed countless times, finishing above Chelsea is the only thing on the players' minds. Bettering North London rivals Arsenal was never the target, says Pochettino, but last weekend's rather straightforward 2-0 win over the Gunners - meaning that Spurs claim league bragging rights for the first time in 22 years - would have felt particularly nice.
Spurs have been incredibly tough to beat this season, losing just three times in all, leading many to suggest that this is the strongest man-for-man side in the division. That may be the case, but four-successive draws in October and early November is looking likely to cost them a first top-flight crown since 1961. That was around the same time that Chelsea clicked into gear and put together 13 wins in a row, which has left them looking down at the rest ever since.
This is far from an easy trip to make, though, against one of their London rivals, and they also take on Manchester United next weekend in the final game to be staged at White Hart Lane. They simply must win both of those fixtures and hope that Chelsea somehow slip up in their remaining matches, setting up a potential showdown on the final day when they take on Hull City and the Blues face already-relegated Sunderland.
Spurs have lost just one of their last 19 games in the Premier League - a 2-0 reverse to Liverpool on February 11 - and have won 16 of those. It is a truly incredible run of form, the like of which they have not seen since the early 1960s, but will it be enough to see them overhaul Chelsea at the top? Time will tell - for now all they can possibly do is win their remaining four matches and simply hope for the best.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! West Ham United have picked up just one win from their last five Premier League meetings with Tottenham Hotspur, drawing one and losing three of those, but that solitary victory did game in this fixture last season - a 1-0 triumph in March 2016. The Lilywhites came out on top in the reverse match this term, however, winning 3-2 thanks to a couple of late goals to turn the game on its head.
With kickoff at the London Stadium now a little over five minutes away, let us turn attention to some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Slaven Bilic: "Spurs are in form, but they've been in form for two months. We are positive, four unbeaten and three clean sheets in four games. Yes, they are electric, with confidence, pace, passing and changing positions and everything, but our form also improved. Spurs are very versatile. Sometimes you know where the ball is going but you can't stop it because of the quality."
Mauricio Pochettino: "We want to move the club to the last level. At the moment if we are capable of moving the club in the next few years to the last level you will see maybe the rumours will stop because when you compare Tottenham to Manchester United or this type of club, you do not see the same sort of rumours as down here. Why? I think you know and we know, it is not a moment to talk but that is the situation."
Bilic is keen to focus on the positives, pointing out that his side have gone four without defeat and kept clean sheets in three of those matches. The Hammers have done just about enough to all but make certain of a place in the Premier League for next season, but they come up against an extremely strong Tottenham side tonight. The Lilywhites are now aiming to move to the "last level" in the words of Pochettino.
Both sets of players are now out on the field of play, with kickoff in this London derby just a couple of minutes away. Tottenham looking to achieve the league double over West Ham for the first time in four years tonight, while anything less will likely hand the title to Chelsea. Plenty of drama expected in this opening fixture of the Premier League weekend!
KICKOFF! We are up and running at the London Stadium. Both teams sporting their traditional colours this evening - West Ham in claret and blue, Spurs sporting white tops and dark blue shorts. Great atmosphere being generated early on.
James Collins tidies up at the back after Walker pressed high up the field down the right-hand side. Spurs the side probing away early on, already forcing a few awkward clearances out of the opposition defence.
A very sloppy start to the match, with neither side able to really get a foot on the ball. That was summed up by Kane, who looked to take on the shot early but dragged his first attempt of the evening well wide of the target.
A decent opening for West Ham, as Ayew sends Lanzini away in plenty of space. The Argentine decided to take on the shot early from an angle and dragged it wide from around 15 yards out. Spurs caught out at the back early on.
Spurs unable to really find any sort of rhythm in the opening nine minutes or so of the game. The only real opening so far fell the Hammers' way, but star playmaker Lanzini dragged his effort wide of the Tottenham target.
Another dangerous West Ham attack, culminating in Byram being played in down the left and sending a teasing ball towards the back post. A good defensive header from a Tottenham defender helped the ball behind for a corner.
YELLOW CARD! Walker is back in the side and back among the cards, earning his eighth booking of the season for a strong challenge that saw him catch Lanzini on the foot. A yellow was a little harsh on that occasion.
SAVE! A first save of the evening, if this can fall into that category. Cheikhou Kouyate got on the end of Lanzini's lofted free kick and sent an attempt goalwards, but it was the simplest of catches for skipper Lloris.
YELLOW CARD! Another strong challenge, this time from Mark Noble, leads to the second caution of the evening. Referee Anthony Taylor simply had to go into his book after cautioning Walker a few minutes prior.
A very slow start to the contest by Spurs, who have managed just the one shot so far which ended with the ball a good couple of yards wide of the target. Kane in particular has cut a frustrated figure up top for the visitors.
SAVE! Just like that Spurs spring into action. Kane and Alli both saw their attempts blocked from close range, before the former had a clean shot on goal superbly kept out by the lanky leg of Adrian for a corner.
SAVE! From the resulting corner Dier is this time denied by Adrian after diverting a header on target. Following a slow start to the match, Spurs will wonder how they have failed to take the lead during that two-minute spell.
A big call for Anthony Taylor to make. Lanzini again makes a run from deep but is stopped in his tracks by Lloris just outside the box. Home fans felt that Lloris handled the ball, but replays show that the ball came off his knee.
A nice feel to this game now as Spurs put together an attack of their own, which ends with a free kick being won near the corner spot. It is whipped in dangerously by Eriksen but West Ham are able to clear their lines.
SHOT! Noble with a speculative strike from 30 yards out after a corner was only half dealt with and worked back into his path. Another simple one for Lloris to keep out, but home fans still feel that he should have been dismissed.
A little over a third of the way through the game and it has been fairly balanced on the whole. West Ham have arguably edged it but Spurs have created the better chances, with Adrian producing one top save in particular to deny Kane.
Lanzini has looked very dangerous for West Ham in this first half, catching out Spurs at the back on a couple of occasions. The back three paying off so far for the hosts, though we are still awaiting that breakthrough goal.
Eriksen with a shot from 25 yards out which drifts narrowly wide of the target. The Danish playmaker is adamant that a corner should have been awarded but it did not appear to hit any player on its way past the post.
Kouyate with a chance to take range from 25 yards out, but he gets his contact wrong and is unable to test Lloris. West Ham have had plenty of opportunities from that sort of range so far in a fairly lively first half.
YELLOW CARD! Winston Reid the latest player to be shown a caution by referee Anthony Taylor. The defender brought the ball out from the back, overhit it and then caught Wanyama at full stretch when attempting to win it back.
We are edging towards a goalless conclusion in this first half. Bilic will be happy with what he has seen so far, with his side looking strong at the back and creating a couple of openings, but it should be remembered that Adrian did pull off a top save a little earlier.
Reid does very well up against Kane. The Englishman looked to have just got a yard on the defender, but Reid stuck with it and got in a block inside the box. Two minutes of the first half left to play and there is little between the sides.
Two minutes have been added on at the end of this first half at the London Stadium. Not a great deal of goalmouth action in the past 15 minutes or so, and it looks likely that we will head into the break without the deadlock being broken.
HALF TIME: WEST HAM UNITED 0-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Referee Anthony Taylor brings the first half to an end, with the sides locked at 0-0 midway through. Adrian produced a superb save to deny Harry Kane from the best chance of the contest so far, while West Ham also managed a couple of shots on target.
Manuel Lanzini was looking a threat early on for the hosts, getting into dangerous positions on a couple of occasions but dragging wide of the target from the best of those openings. The first on-goal attempt of the evening arrived 15 minutes in when Cheikhou Kouyate's header was easily dealt with down the middle by Hugo Lloris, who also had to get behind Mark Noble's 25-yard drive later in the half.
Tottenham were far from their best in the opening 45 minutes but will perhaps feel that they should have taken a lead into the break, having created the best two openings through Harry Kane and Eric Dier. Kane saw his shot somehow helped over the crossbar by the trailing leg of Adrian, after both his and Dele Alli's initial efforts inside the box were blocked, while Dier's header from the resulting corner was palmed away.
Referee Anthony Taylor was kept busy, handing out three yellow cards for strong tackles in the first half and being given a big decision to make a little over a quarter of the way through when Lloris took out Lanzini outside the box, adjudging that the Frenchman got some of the ball before the player. All square at the break, then, so could we see some changes made before the second half?
WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Randolph, Nordtveit, Feghouli, Snodgrass, Fletcher, Fernandes, Rice
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBS: Vorm, Trippier, Wimmer, Dembele, Nkoudou, Sissoko, Janssen
RESTART! We are back under way at the London Stadium, where neither manager has made a change at the break. West Ham showed plenty of signs of promise in the first half, while Tottenham wasted their best opening.
Tottenham probing away early in the second half, with Wanyama sending in a dangerous cross from the right which is headed behind for a corner. No way through for the Lilywhites from the set-piece, as the Hammers again remain strong.
SHOT! Calleri delays his cross and when sending it in has nobody to aim from. The next attack is better from the Hammers' perspective, as the ball is worked to Andre Ayew who blasts over from the edge of the area.
Spurs still really struggling to find their groove. West Ham looking the more likely as the ball is chased down by Andre Ayew, only for Lloris to get their first. Pochettino possibly thinking about making a change soon.
Pochettino biting his nails down on the touchline, knowing that as things stand the title race is essentially over. Only a win will do for Tottenham, but at the moment they cannot seem to create any sort of chance.
CHANCE! Fifty-six minutes on the clock and still Spurs await that moment of inspiration from one of their attacking players. Son pulls the ball back for Eriksen, but the Dane did not make the desired contact and Adrian barely had a save to make.
A sense that Spurs are about to turn the screw a little over the past couple of minutes following that Eriksen chance. The hour mark fast approaching at the London Stadium, where will are waiting for the breakthrough moment.
To highlight how tight things have been so far, West Ham have covered 72.67km and Spurs 72.62k - plenty of energy from both teams right across the field. Home fans now urging their players on in search of a killer goal to Tottenham's title hopes.
SAVE! Tottenham definitely starting to show their true colours now, getting forward in numbers and testing Adrian through a decent Son strike. So often Spurs have managed to step things up around this time in a match.
GOAL! WEST HAM UNITED 1-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (MANUEL LANZINI)
A huge, huge moment in the Premier League title race. It is a scrappy goal but one that could well have sent the title Chelsea's way, as Lanzini prods the ball home from a few yards out. Cresswell's initial delivery was not dealt with and the ball bounced nicely into the playmaker's path.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Twenty-five minutes remaining for Tottenham to find a couple of goals. Pochettino takes action, bringing on Dembele for Vertonghen in his first roll of the dice. Lanzini booked for his over-celebration.
A very quiet away end at the London Stadium at the moment, as Trippier strips down ready to come on - Walker the man likely to make way. Pochettino has to go all out now, with just 20 minutes or so left to play.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Here comes that second Tottenham sub, with Janssen replacing Wanyama. Two of the visitors' better players being sacrificed for more attack-minded options due to two goals being required.
Alli with a decent ball into the box but it is just behind Kane. One goal for Spurs now changes the momentum of things, but at the moment it is West Ham who are looking the more likely to add the game's second goal.
Byram having all sorts of fun down the right-hand flank, sending the ball back towards the edge of the box where it is cleared away. West Ham certainly not sitting back, instead looking to find a second to seal the win for good.
SAVE! A potentially huge moment in not only the match but also the title race. A disaster for Alderweireld, who gave the ball away and allowed Calleri a clean shot on goal. Stunning stop from Lloris to keep this game alive.
Spurs starting to get frustrated now as home fans refuse to pass the ball back for a corner. A good minute of play eaten up before Eriksen could swing in the corner, which Kouyate got his head to. Adrian collected the follow-up cross.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Walker, far from his best this evening, is replaced by Trippier in Tottenham's final change of the match. Pochettino can do no more now - it is down to those on the pitch to turn this game around.
Davies follows through on Noble, leaving the Englishman in a little pain on the ground. Now just seven minutes on the clock left for Spurs to find a couple of goals, or else Chelsea fans can really start to party.
WEST HAM UNITED SUB! Andre Ayew has put in a decent enough shift this evening, doing plenty of running and earning a deserved applause as he makes way for Snodgrass. United still not sitting back, instead looking for another goal.
CLOSE! Eriksen rescued Spurs at Palace recently and so nearly did likewise here, with his shot leaving Adrian rather worried. The ball fizzed past the post in the end from what could be Tottenham's last opening.
WEST HAM UNITED SUB! Ashley Fletcher has been introduced to provide some more energy in attack, taking over from Calleri. Five minutes are expected to be added on here, so this one is not quite over just yet.
WEST HAM UNITED SUB! Bilic eats up another minute or so by bringing on Fernandes for Lanzini, who has been the best player on the pitch tonight. Great running from the playmaker and what appears likely to be the winning goal.
YELLOW CARD! Trippier taking one for the team to prevent West Ham springing in behind. West Ham surely there now, just a minute or so away from a crucial win that takes them over the 40-point mark for the season.
FULL TIME: WEST HAM UNITED 1-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
The full-time whistle sounds at the London Stadium on a huge night in the Premier League, as not only have West Ham United made certain of safety but they have also effectively ended Tottenham Hotspur's title hopes. The Lilywhites needed three points tonight but have left with none - Manuel Lanzini's close-range finish 65 minutes in proving the difference in the end.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from East London. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction will follow elsewhere on the site in the next hour or so. Thanks for joining!
