Manuel Pellegrini Claims Win Over Tottenham Proves West Ham Can Compete With the 'Big 6'

Manuel Pellegrini insisted that Saturday's 1-0 victory over Tottenham proved that West Ham can compete with the Premier League's 'big six'. A second half strike

Manuel Pellegrini insisted that Saturday's 1-0 victory over Tottenham proved that West Ham can compete with the Premier League's 'big six'.

A second half strike from Michail Antonio was enough for the Hammers to seal a shock victory in north London, ensuring that Pellegrini's side became the first visiting team to win at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

FULL-TIME Spurs 0-1 West Ham

Michail Antonio's rifled goal hands the Hammers victory as Spurs drop points at their new stadium for the first time#TOTWHU pic.twitter.com/aaARB6Yxkt

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 27, 2019

After making a slow start to the game, West Ham seized the initiative against Tottenham in the second half to seal all three points. As quoted by the Evening Standard, Pellegrini said after the victory: "I said last week that the team was doing well, we deserved against Man United and Leicester better results.

"I am absolutely sure that if my team plays in that way, with the personality of a big team then we can beat anyone.

"This was our major rival so our fans are very happy also, in a stadium where nobody had scored against them before and nobody had won before so I am very happy with the performance and with the way we played.

BEN STANSALL/GettyImages

"If you review our games against the big six, Arsenal we played well in both, Manchester United also. Against Chelsea most part of the second half of the second game, at home we played well.

"Against Tottenham we lost 1-0 at home but also had a very tight game, today we won. We demonstrate that we are able to play as a big team and they must demonstrate that they are better."

EVERY WEST HAM FAN RIGHT NOW!! pic.twitter.com/sjBeqX4plq

— West Ham United (@WestHam) April 27, 2019

Saturday's win left West Ham two points adrift of tenth-placed Leicester with two games remaining, meaning that a top-half finish is still attainable for Pellegrini's side, though the Foxes play their game in hand against Arsenal on Sunday.