West Ham 2 Tottenham 0: Kevin Nolan happy with 'fantastic' display as Hammers turnaround fortunes with 'deserved' victory

West Ham captain Kevin Nolan feels his side got just what they deserved after beating Tottenham to ensure their Premier League survival - and believes the Hammers could be a force to be reckoned with next season.

An own goal from Spurs striker Harry Kane and a Stewart Downing free-kick before the break earned West Ham a 2-0 victory over a Spurs side who had been reduced to 10 men following Younes Kaboul's 25th-minute red card.

The win ended a four-match losing streak for the Hammers and means they will be playing top-flight football again next season.

Nolan told BT Sport: "The last few weeks we haven't got what we deserved, especially here at home. But today everything we set out to do went to plan, we set off like a house on fire, put them under pressure and in the end got our just desserts.

"I thought we were fantastic with and without the ball and we got everything we deserved."

The former Newcastle midfielder also has high hopes for the future - providing his side can avoid the problems that have plagued them this term.

He added: "It's nice to have the 40 points, knowing that now we're going to have another year in the Premier League and, touch wood, we'll have an injury-free season. And the fact we'll have a lot of players back after injury this season, hopefully that turns for us next year and we'll be a good force.

"When we put performance in like that, you see the camaraderie we've shown all season long with what's been thrown at us with injuries, by suspensions, things that have gone horribly wrong....we've got to learn from that next season.

"Hopefully we can get a few new recruits in and next year we'll be a force."

Regarding the criticism that manager Sam Allardyce has faced, Nolan added: "We've all been disappointed with what's happened in the past few weeks, but it's to be expected.

"The fans can say what they want, they pay the money to say that, and what we've got to do is prove it out on the pitch."

Allardyce said of the Hammers support when asked about the same subject: "They're a great bunch of fans. They know what they want, if they don't see what they want they tell you. It's a tough job but you have to get on with it.

"It was a great victory in the end and a good performance."

West Ham 2 Tottenham 0 match report

Spurs boss Tim Sherwood's future has also been the source of much speculation, with Saturday's clash being branded the P45 derby.

When asked about the possibility of still being in charge next term, Sherwood said: "I've got to talk to the chairman at end of the season.

"It's a shame that we haven't won today but that can't affect a club like Tottenham's decision whether to keep me or not.

"If a club like Tottenham, which is a giant club, are relying on two or three games at the end of the season to know whether I'm good enough to take them forward, then we've got a serious problem."

PA