The Premier League’s greatest-ever goalscorer singled out Jarrod Bowen for praise after West Ham United’s comeback victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night.
If any player epitomised the colossal difference between West Ham’s first-half performance and their second-half display, if was their England international attacker.
Jarrod Bowen barely had a meaningful kick of the ball in the opening 45 minutes, rendered a spectator as Spurs dominated and threatened to blow the visitors away.
But after drawing West Ham level moments after the interval – slamming home with his weaker right boot after a lucky deflection fell his way – Bowen awoke from his slumber and set about dealing Tottenham a fourth defeat in their last five league games, pressing relentlessly from the front and giving Ange Postecoglou’s backline barely a moments’ piece.
Jarrod Bowen sparks West Ham United comeback
“Bowen has been brilliant in the second-half,” Alan Shearer, the Newcastle legend, told Amazon Prime (7 December, 8.30pm). “He’s been horrible to play against, in the nicest possible way, with his energy.
“He’s not given the back four any space at all.”
Bowen, who now has 10 goals in 18 games in all competitions this season, has scored in every single one of his seven away outings in the Premier League so far during 2023/24.
West Ham are now up to ninth. Only three points behind former pacesetters Tottenham. James Ward-Prowse’s bizarre winner in the 74th minute completing the traditional ‘game of two halves’.
Hammers only three points off Tottenham
“Jarrod’s got another goal tonight,” Hammers boss David Moyes said at full-time, Bowen continuing his recent transformation from a winger into a centre-forward.
“We have boys who can hold onto the ball and carry it, Jarrod can run in behind and score goals. He is getting that feeling he wants to be a striker.
“It was a huge performance (from us), because Tottenham are so good. I actually believe they are playing as well as any team in the Premier League at the moment. The football’s very good and the manager’s done a brilliant job.
“We were up against it tonight really. I don’t know if we touched it for maybe eight or nine minutes at the start of the match.”
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