Tottenham Hotspur suffered a worrying injury scare on Tuesday night when Brennan Johnson was sent off against West Ham United at the London Stadium
Ange Postecoglou’s team failed to reach the top 4 of the Premier League against their London rivals as they were held to a 1-1 draw
Johnson added to his tally against Luton Town this weekend in the opening match at the London Stadium by blocking Timo Werner’s low cross into the net from close range
Kurt Zouma equalized in the 19th minute and the match ended like that
Minute 90, Johnson is replaced by Giovani Lo Celso
The Wales international went straight down the tunnel after coming off the field, raising concerns about another injury for Postecoglou
Johnson has made 30 appearances for Spurs since leaving Nottingham Forest in the summer
His goal against West Ham was his fifth in the Premier League this season
The winger was seen with his knee bandaged during an interview on TNT Sport after the match
When asked about this, Johnson replied: “I think it’s fine
It’s just from one angle
I don’t know who it was but I got kicked in the knee and it stiffened a bit
But it’s okay, I’m fine
Postecoglou is expected to be asked about Johnson and his fitness in the post-match press conference
Tottenham is 2 points behind Aston Villa in the Champions League race
Villa travel to Manchester City tomorrow night but will be without Ollie Watkins through injury
After the away trip at Etihad Stadium, Spurs will have matches with 4 main opponents
Tottenham lost more ground in the battle with Aston Villa for a top-four finish after they were held to a 1-1 draw at London rivals West Ham.
Ange Postecoglou’s team could have leapfrogged fourth-placed Aston Villa with all three points and made the perfect start when Brennan Johnson tapped home early on for his fifth goal of the season since his move from Nottingham Forest last summer.
Top-four blow
West Ham, who let a 3-1 lead slip to lose 4-3 at Newcastle United over the weekend, responded not long after as in the 19th minute, Kurt Zouma scored from Jarrod Bowen’s corner and they could have easily claimed all three points.
While spur dominated possession throughout in east London, David Moyes watched Michail Antonio race through on the hour mark but fire straight at Guglielmo Vicario as the capital rivals could not be separated.
A light show followed by a firework display greeted the players onto a soaked London Stadium pitch and Moyes should have seen his team start with a bang.
Only four minutes were on the clock when Mohammed Kudus crossed in for Bowen, but the Hammers’ leading marksman fluffed his lines from a matter of yards.
It would prove costly as Spurs went ahead with their first attack of the match. A neat move ended with Timo Werner bursting past Vladimir Coufal before he squared for the recalled Johnson to tap home in the fifth minute.
It continued Johnson’s purple patch, after his brace of assists against Luton, but also ended a run of six first halves without a goal for Tottenham.
The visitors went close again when a Pedro Porro effort whistled past the post before Son Heung-min curled straight at Lukasz Fabianski, in for the injured Alphonse Areola.
West Ham remained a threat at set-pieces though, after Kudus had an early shot deflected over, and levelled after 19 minutes.
Bowen’s inswinging corner was diverted beyond Vicario by the back of home captain Zouma, who was inexplicably unmarked in the six-yard area.
It got the West Ham fans up on their feet and they almost had another goal to celebrate eight minutes before half-time, but James Ward-Prowse’s 25-yard free-kick was parried away by Vicario.
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