Dejan Kulusevski proved instrumental in Tottenham’s emphatic 4-1 win over West Ham United, playing a pivotal role in Spurs’ comeback after an early scare from their London rivals.
Tottenham battle back after early West Ham strike
The match began with West Ham United capitalising on Tottenham’s brief lapse in concentration, as Mohammed Kudus opened the scoring for the visitors in the 18th minute. It was a moment of sharp attacking play from the Hammers, with Kudus finishing a neat pull-back from Jarrod Bowen, following a relentless press down Tottenham’s right flank.
Pedro Porro’s failure to track Kudus provided the space needed for the Ghanaian to beat goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from close range. This goal, despite giving West Ham an early lead, sparked Tottenham into action as the hosts responded with an intensity that quickly shifted the momentum in their favour.
Tottenham spent much of the first half pushing for the equaliser, missing several clear chances, including a close-range header by Brennan Johnson in the 28th minute.
However, it was Dejan Kulusevski who eventually restored parity just before half-time. Picking up a perfectly weighted pass from James Maddison, the Swedish winger cut inside on his left foot and fired a precise shot that ricocheted off both posts before nestling into the net. His cool composure under pressure laid the foundation for what would become a dominant second-half performance for the Swede.
Kulusevski sparks second-half dominance
Dejan Kulusevski’s contributions were vital to Tottenham’s victory, not just with his equalising goal, but also with his all-around performance that kept West Ham on the back foot for most of the match.
His match stats speak for themselves, with the Swede posting an impressive FotMob rating of 8.5, completing 29 out of 35 passes for an accuracy rate of 83%.
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Kulusevski had four shots in total, two of which were blocked, and showed his attacking intent with seven touches inside West Ham’s penalty area.
His ability to create chances and move the ball into dangerous areas was evident in his two chances created and four passes into the final third, which highlighted his role as Tottenham’s key playmaker on the day.
Kulusevski also won 100% of his tackles, recovered the ball eight times, made five defensive actions, won eight duels, and won three free-kicks – and all of that with just 59 touches of the ball.
Kulusevski’s growing influence
This performance adds to a string of impressive displays for the Swedish international, whose importance to Ange Postecoglou’s system is becoming more apparent as the season progresses.
Although Son Heung-Min and James Maddison often receive the plaudits for their creativity, Kulusevski is quietly carving out a reputation for being the one to deliver when it matters most.
Whether it’s through scoring, assisting, or playing the critical pass before the assist, Kulusevski is proving himself to be a vital cog in Tottenham’s attacking unit.
As the team pushes towards a top-four finish, his contributions, both in terms of numbers and intangible qualities, will likely be central to their success.