Eric Dier late goal lifts Tottenham over West Ham United 1-0

Younes Kaboul hugged Eric Dier after the latter scored the winning goal

 Tottenham Hotspur.com

Eric Dier struck a dramatic debut goal in injury time as we opened our Premier League campaign with a win at West Ham on Saturday.

Dier provided the perfect finish to a fine move in the 93rd minute - our 50th Premier League goal against the Hammers - to secure three points in Mauricio Pochettino's first match as Head Coach.

Earlier, Dier formed part of a dogged defensive display after we were reduced to 10 men following Kyle Naughton's red card for handball in the 30th minute.

However, Mark Noble missed the spot-kick and we repelled everything the Hammers had to throw at us until the numbers were levelled up on 64 minutes when James Collins picked up his second yellow card to follow Naughton down the tunnel for an early bath.

It looked like ending 0-0 - until Dier capped an impressive display with the winner to send the Spurs fans into raptures.

Mauricio named his first Spurs team for a competitive fixture without the players who featured in the latter stages of the World Cup - Paulinho and the Belgian contingent - while handing a debut to Dier alongside captain Younes Kaboul - his 100th Premier League appearance for us - at the back.

Nabil Bentaleb and Etienne Capoue held the midfield enforcer roles, with playmakers Erik Lamela, Aaron Lennon and Christian Eriksen ahead of them and behind target man Emmanuel Adebayor.

A keeper - West Ham's Adrian on this occasion - was called into action for the first time on eight minutes when he routinely fielded an Eriksen free-kick. The game certainly did not explode into action from the off, more gentle sparring and probing, as opposed to any kind of onslaught.

Territory-wise, it was the men in white shirts looking the most assured and slightly more on the front foot, but without causing too much anxiety among the home crowd.

West Ham began to exert a little bit of pressure towards the midway point of the half, with a more direct style causing some uncertainty at the back, but nothing that resulted in Hugo Lloris having to become involved in play.

Kevin Nolan nodded wide from a Joey O'Brien cross before Carlton Cole squared across the area, forcing Danny Rose into an emergency clearing operation at the back post. Those in claret and blue were lifted and the atmosphere momentarily increased in volume.

It cranked up further when, in the 28th minute, a corner was allowed to be nodded back into the danger zone and Nolan tried a shot on the turn that was blocked by the close attendance of Naughton. Probably unavoidably, Naughton's arms played a part in the block and after prompting from his assistant, referee Mr Foy pointed to the spot and also showed red to Naughton.

Arsenal fights for a Champion's League spot, clawed back over West Ham United 3-1

BBC Sport

By Pete Oliver

BBC Sport

Lukas Podolski struck twice as Arsenal came from behind to beat West Ham and move back above Everton in the race for a Champions League place. Matt Jarvis headed the Hammers in front as they threatened to extend Arsenal's winless league run to five games.

But Podolski levelled with a shot on the turn two minutes later for the impressive FA Cup finalists. Olivier Giroud's classy finish and Podolski's driven second sealed the win as Arsenal moved up to fourth.

Fresh from sealing a place in the Cup final courtesy of their penalty shoot-out win over Wigan, the result was just what Arsene Wenger's side needed to enhance their chance of qualifying for the Champions League for a 17th successive season. With Everton playing against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Wednesday night, the Gunners could ill afford another slip-up following their recent poor league run.

And they showed all the resilience - and quality - needed to stay the pace and hold off the determined challenge of Roberto Martinez's in-form side.

Podolski took his goal tally for the season into double figures, while Giroud's crucial strike, early in the second half, was his 20th of the campaign. After their efforts expended in ending Wigan's reign as Cup holders, Arsenal, despite making five changes to their starting line-up, actually made a sluggish start to offer West Ham early encouragement.

The Hammers, still seeking points to guarantee their Premier League safety, could have taken advantage with Mohamed Diame lifting their best chance over the top from Andy Carroll's low cross.

Giroud could not claim tiredness as an excuse after starting on the bench at Wembley but Arsenal's leading scorer was guilty of a terrible miss with almost half an hour gone as Wenger's side improved. 

The Frenchman was sent clear by Santi Cazorla's fine pass but elected to try to flick the ball past Adrian with the outside of his left foot and failed to generate the power to trouble the West Ham keeper. And the visitors made Giroud and Arsenal pay five minutes before half-time when they went in front through Jarvis.

Antonio Nocerino's persistence bursting in from the right-hand side created the chance and when the ball popped up in the six-yard box, Jarvis nodded in only his second league goal of the season.

Arsenal would have felt the pressure had they gone in behind at the break but they were quickly level as they found a way through a West Ham defence that had previously kept 13 clean sheets this season.

Again Cazorla was the creator following a poor clearance from Stewart Downing and this time his pass was not wasted as Podolski swivelled to drill a left-foot shot across Adrian and into the bottom corner. 

The goal lifted the mood around the Emirates Stadium and 10 minutes into the second half Arsenal went ahead thanks to a touch of class from Giroud.

The striker displayed a brilliant first touch from Thomas Vermaelen's long ball back into the box following a corner and with his second drove the ball through the legs of Adrian from just inside the corner of the six-yard box.

The goal sent further confidence soaring through the home side and rather than sit on their lead they went for a third goal to completely kill the game off.

Podolski saw a fierce free-kick beaten away by Adrian and the outstanding Cazorla was only inches wide with a swerving left-foot shot.

But Arsenal's pressure finally paid off 12 minutes from the end when substitute Aaron Ramsey headed down for Podolski to fire past Adrian and keep the Gunners firing on two fronts.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:

"When the team went through a bad patch with a lack of confidence because of goals going against us, you need to repair that with results and resilience.

"It was a gamble to rest players but I said before the game that it was the oldest team I had played at Arsenal, so I trusted the experience of the players.

"That experience always helps when your backs are against the wall."

"I liked that Giroud used his upper body and got a great first touch to score the goal. He is a great guy and he has gone through a difficult period, but tonight you could see that he is refreshed and he is up for it."

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce:

"After doing so much to get ahead, not going in 1-0 up at half-time was a big disappointment. The second goal sickened me because the performance meant nothing after that. We didn't create enough.

"We've fallen behind in pre-season planning - contracts to new players, along with players in and players out. As soon as you're safe, the planning has to start. That way I don't get shouted at by the wife when I'm on the phone for six hours a day on my holidays."

Come from behind Everton win courtesy of Romelu Lukaku 2-3

Leighton Baines after his second free kick goal

Romel Lukaku completed a come from behind win of Everton against West Ham United in the latest round of the English Premiere League. Lukaku's bullet header in the 85th minute came just two minutes after Leighton Baines scored his second free kick shot from the same spot to secure a 2-3 victory. Lukaku's brilliant goal seems to eclipse Leighton Baines double for the night. 

Ironically, it was Lukaku who pass the ball to Kevin Mirallas on the right flank.  Mirallas, then almost out of space lay it back with lobbing cross which was perfectly timed by Lukaku to launch his bullet header that sent Everton fans in frenzy. 

Earlier, West Ham United seized the initiative in the 32nd minute when Matt Jarvis squared the ball to Ravel Morrison at the center.  Morrison's shot got a help from a deflection by Everton defender Sylvain Distin to find the ball at the back of the net.  It is only in the second half when Everton answered as Leighton Baines scored a curling free kick courtesy of a James Collin foul on Kevin Mirallas. 

West Ham United however seems determined to finish Everton as Mark Noble gave back West Ham the lead through a completed penalty shot from a foul by James MacCarthy on West Ham captain Kevin Nolan. 

Mark Noble's heroics however was overshadowed when he committed his second yellow card in the 81st minute off a foul on Kevin Mirallas.  Adding insult to injury in his sent off is that it allowed Leighton Baines to score his second goal and an equalizer sending a double whammy on West Ham United.