Do not let the final score fool you. This was no close-run thing. Tottenham moved back into the Premier League’s top four with a thoroughly dominant showing against a West Ham side who were out of luck as much as they were outclassed here. Gianfranco Zola’s men may have avoided a thrashing but there was pain in losing both Scott Parker and Herita Illunga to potentially long-term hamstring injuries during the early stage of this encounter.

Parker’s absence in particular will cause Zola great angst. The midfielder has been consistently influential this season and, as was clear here, the east London club are significantly weaker without him. There was risk in playing the midfielder after he suffered some discomfort in his hamstring during Saturday’s 2-0 win against Portsmouth and the gamble proved to be wholly unwise after the pain resurfaced after just nine minutes following a run and shot from the player.

The moment was pivotal. As Parker struggled to run comfortably, Tottenham went on the attack and following a quick exchange of passes between Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe, Luka Modric, on his first start for Spurs since the end of August, bundled the ball past Robert Green in the West Ham goal. The Croatian had run straight past a hobbling Parker to get into the area.

Ilunga departed from the field eight minutes later with an injury that is thought to be more severe than his team-mates. He, though, may have found relief in his substitution such was his inability to deal with the piercing runs of Lennon. Ilunga’s replacement, Jonathan Spector, managed the England winger only marginally better.

Spurs controlled the match from start to finish and after Tom Huddlestone, twice, Peter Crouch and Vedran Corluka had all gone close, Defoe got a deserved second goal for the hosts with a thrashed right-footed drive nine minutes from time after Green had parried the former West Ham striker’s initial effort.

The visitors, in response, created barely anything.

As Spurs climb the table, West Ham remain just above the relegation zone but only a point ahead of Bolton Wanderers having played two games more. With Parker and Ilunga out for some time, they are sure to slide back into the bottom three sooner rather than later.

Premier LeagueTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedSachin Nakraniguardian.co.uk