West Ham 1-0 Tottenham: Michail Antonio ignites Champions League charge to deny Mauricio Pochettino's men top spot

It wasn’t quite lasagne-gate, but there were quite a few who will have trooped away from the away end here feeling more than a little queasy.

Tottenham’s dreams of entering Champions League under Martin Jol came to grief at Upton Park in 2006, when half the team went down with food poisoning on the morning of the match; and while this was no fatal blow to Tottenham’s ambitions this season, the stakes are greater now, with the first title since 1961 increasingly at stake.

Tottenham arrived here as the new Premier League favourites. Not esteemed enough to be invited to secret meetings at the Dorchester Hotel, mind you, but ever more frequently spoken of as champions elect. Young, exciting to watch, organised, defensively astute, with bags of stamina and a deadly eye for goal, it is Tottenham that are most fancied to reel Leicester in, and that process was supposed to begin in earnest with their final visit to this corner of east London.

West Ham forward Michail Antonio (left) sprints towards provider Dimitri Payet after nodding West Ham ahead against Tottenham

All eyes on Tottenham's goal as Antonio (right) leaps away from the attention of marker Nacer Chadli (centre) to head in the opener

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris endeavours to keep out Antonio's header but can't deal with the force as the hosts took an early lead

The West Ham squad celebrate after going 1-0 up after seven minutes to put the kibosh on Spurs' hopes of topping the table

MATCH FACTS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE FROM UPTON PARK

West Ham (5-4-1): Adrian 7; Antonio 8.5, Kouyate 9, Collins 7.5 (Oxford 65, 6.5), Ogbonna 8, Cresswell 7.5; Lanzini 8, (Sakho 83), Noble 8, Obiang 8, Payet 8; Emenike 7 (Carroll 72, 6)

Subs not used: Randolph, Song, Henry, Dobson

Scorer: Antonio 7 

Manager: Bilic 7 

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Lloris 6.5; Trippier 6, Wimmer 6.5 (Carroll 76), Alderweireld 6.5, Davies 6; Dier 6.5, Mason 6; Chadli 5 (Alli 60), Eriksen 6, Lamela 6.5 (Son 69); Kane 6

Subs not used: Vorm, Walker, Rose, Onomah

Booked: Alderweireld, Wimmer, Davies

Manager: Pochettino 6.5 

Referee: Andre Marriner 7

MOTM: Kouyate 

Attendance: 34,977 

Ratings by Sami Mokbel 

Here's the heat map for man of the match Chekhou Kouyate, who played in an unfamiliar role at centre back and slotted in seamlessly. Click here for more stats, graphics and heat maps in Match Zone

All they had to do was win. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? After all, Tottenham put four past West Ham the last time they played, earlier in the season.

It’s a world apart now, though, the challenge. This was a win to go top of the league. So it wasn’t like any win Tottenham have searched for all season. It was different, and so were they.

Tottenham were second best. It is not often that has been said this season. They have been excellent most weeks, yet here was a Tottenham rarely seen under Maurico Pochettino. Better after half-time than in the first-half, true, but not greatly exhilarating at any stage, and undeserving of a point. 

Take nothing away from West Ham, though. It would be harsh to make this simply a matter of Tottenham’s failure.

Slaven Bilic set his team up perfectly with three at the back, they scored early and made the most of that advantage with a bright, courageous display. West Ham are closing in on their own milestone season, too – creeping ever closer to the Champions League spots, now a point off Manchester City’s fourth place. 

This performance showed why. Even in the second-half, when Tottenham threw everything at an equalising goal, bringing on all the players Pochettino had hoped to rest for Saturday’s north London derby, West Ham still created decent chances.

In the 55th minute, Aaron Cresswell should have done more with a cross from Dimitri Payet, burying his header in the fraying Upton Park turf. After 66 minutes, a Payet free-kick from the right side – a similar position to his dead ball that won the FA Cup replay with Liverpool – was flicked over the bar by Michail Antonio from close range.

Tottenham had the odd opportunity, but disappointingly few for the team that has had most shots on target in the Premier League this season. The best of it was a Toby Alderweireld effort from long range, parried by goalkeeper Adrian, and then whipped off the toes of the lurking Harry Kane. 

Erik Lamela had a header go wide, Kane went close at the far post from a Christian Eriksen cross. It really was that limited. A single shot on target. 

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic (left) speaks with fourth official Mike Dean ahead of kick-off at Upton Park

Tottenham's Argentine midfielder Erik Lamela (left) attempts to dispossess West Ham talisman Dimitri Payet in the early stages 

England and Tottenham striker Harry Kane (left) vies for the ball in an aerial challenge with Hammers defender Angelo Ogbonna

Antonio races towards team-mates Payet (centre) who sent in a vicious in-swinging corner to set up the opener

And so, Leicester march on. A little stumble against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night, yes, but they played with more confidence than Tottenham did here and, now we know, increased the gap on every team in the top four by a point. 

Who would have imagined that coming away from the King Power Stadium two nights ago? Arsenal were at home to Swansea, for heaven’s sake. Yet there Leicester are: ten points up on Manchester City, six on Arsenal, three on Tottenham.

The irony is it is meant to be Leicester who are feeling the heat of leading from the front. Yet it is every bit as much a new experience for Tottenham, too. Pochettino’s team haven’t been number one yet this season, the club has spent just 33 days in its history looking down on the rest of the league, and it is 55 years since the title last came to White Hart Lane, a feat only recalled by those now approaching retirement age.

Lloris is left reflecting whilst the West Ham players celebrate moving into the lead at Upton Park during the Premier League clash

West Ham skipper Mark Noble jumps over a tackle from Tottenham's Lamela under the pouring rain in east London 

Upton Park favourite Payet is hauled to the ground by Tottenham's centre back Toby Alderweireld during the London derby

Lamela received a nasty cut to his head following a robust challenge as Spurs fought to try and find an equaliser at Upton Park

Tottenham midfield general Eric Dier keeps tabs on Payet with the home side looking to protect their first half lead

And it showed, that newness, certainly in a poor first-half. Aside from an Eriksen cross that needed the attention of James Collins to clear, Tottenham failed to make any significant headway before half-time.

Bilic should take credit for much of that. His decision to play three at the back, with Cheikhou Kouyate added to the right of Collins and Angelo Ogbonna, troubled Tottenham – as happened earlier in the season when Watford set up that way against them. Kane couldn’t get in the game, and Eriksen was squeezed in midfield.

True, West Ham caught a break with Pochettino’s decision to rest several key players, not least Dele Alli, their midfield powerhouse. 

Even so, winning leagues is about game management, and he will have been disappointed at the response of his players to West Ham’s energy. 

Even when Collins went off in the 66th minute injured to be replaced by Reece Oxford, they did not look likely of taking advantage.

It did not help that, after seven minutes, Tottenham trailed. It was a simple goal, simply worked. A corner from Payet that found Antonio at the near post, losing Nacer Chadli on marking detail. 

Antonio’s flicked header beat Hugo Lloris, although he may feel he should have done more. Certainly, he was unusually hesitant after that, almost caught in possession in the penalty area twice when waiting too long to release the ball. 

Kane attempts to hook his shot towards Adrian's goal but the striker had a frustrating evening in front of goal for the visitors

Kane reacts having narrowly missed a chance for the away side who failed to boost their title hopes with a result at the Boleyn Ground

Lloris did well in the 16th minute, though, diving full length to tip a shot from Mark Noble around the post. West Ham’s captain has been exceptional this season, with more than a few willing to promote his claims for an England call. Paul Ince, who once played the Noble role at Upton Park, was happy to add his voice to the chorus on Wednesday’s display.

At the back, Tottenham lived dangerously. Alderweireld was shown a yellow card for tripping Payet in the 30th minute, and Kevin Wimmer followed him into Andre Marriner’s book soon after for pulling back Emmanuel Emenike. Meanwhile, West Ham were causing aggravation in the penalty box, Noble’s shot blocked and then played out to Antonio, Wimmer’s charge diverting a goalbound shot for a corner.

They had seemed so stable, so calm, throughout this rise to the near peak. But that final climb is the hardest, and the rarefied air does strange things to people.  

West Ham manager Bilic (right) is involved in an exchange of words with Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino

Hammers forward Emmanuel Emenike (left) and Tottenham's Ben Davies battle for the ball during a tense second-half at Upton Park

Bilic sent on striker Andy Carroll with 20 minutes remaining as the Hammers looked to close out a precious three points

Tottenham's frustration boils over as Dele Alli (left), Ryan Mason (centre) and Dier surround the linesman after a controversial decision 

West Ham captain Noble acknowledges the home fans following the impressive victory to ignite their Champions League chase

The West Ham squad pose for a team photo to celebrate their victory with Hammers co-owner and chairman David Gold (far left)