Tottenham Hotspur returned from the September international break in style, cruising to a 3–0 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium.
All eyes were on new signing Xavi Simons, and the Dutch international wasted no time making an impression on his Premier League debut.
Spurs thought they had opened the scoring in the first half through Cristian Romero, but referee Jared Gillet ruled the goal out for a foul. However, just two minutes after the restart, Tottenham’s breakthrough arrived.
Standing over a corner in the 47th minute, Simons delivered a pinpoint cross that found Pape Matar Sarr, who headed past goalkeeper Mads Hermansen to make it 1–0.
The assist highlighted Simons’ creativity, and while Sarr’s goal proved to be the match-winner, Tottenham were not finished. Lucas Bergvall doubled the lead before Micky van de Ven sealed the result.
West Ham’s task grew tougher after Tomáš Souček was sent off for a reckless challenge on João Palhinha, forcing the Hammers to play the final 35 minutes with ten men.
Manager Thomas Frank deployed Simons on the left wing in his 4-3-3 setup, showcasing the 22-year-old’s versatility across the attacking line. The former PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig star was substituted in the 71st minute for Richarlison, leaving the pitch to applause from the traveling Spurs fans. Bergvall earned Man of the Match honors with a goal and an assist, but the debut of Simons was the main talking point.
The signing of Simons was a major boost for Spurs, especially after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze this summer. With James Maddison sidelined by a preseason ACL injury, Tottenham needed another creative spark and Simons delivered right away.
The win lifts spirits at Spurs following their pre-break defeat to Bournemouth. Now, attention turns to their Champions League opener against Villarreal on Tuesday, where fans will be eager to see more of Simons on the European stage.
