Top performers from Tottenham's crucial win over West Ham

Tottenham has been inconsistent to start the season, but it didn't matter against West Ham United on Sunday.

Spurs turned in one of its best performances of the season in the London derby, earning a lopsided 4-1 win over the Hammers. It was exactly the type of response manager Ange Postecoglou was looking for after a disappointing 3-2 loss to Brighton, which led to Postecoglou labeling it the "worst defeat" he'd ever experienced with Tottenham.

The North London club looked sluggish out of the gate. A sloppy clearance from Tottenham's backline 18 minutes allowed West Ham midfielder Mohamed Kudus to capitalize, putting Spurs in an early 1-0 hole.

It threatened another upsetting loss for Postecoglou's men, but Tottenham settled into the game and looked stronger as the match went on, scoring three goals in eight minutes during a second-half outburst to secure the win. There were plenty of notable performances in the much-needed win, but three players stood out, and they will have to continue to play well to carry the positive momentum.

Top performers from Tottenham's crucial win over West Ham

Son Heung-Min's return

Tottenham's captain looked a little rusty in his return to play, but it didn't stop him from delivering at the elite level Spurs fans have grown accustomed to.

Son Heung-Min delivered the knockout blow with Tottenham's fourth and final goal of the game in the 60th minute, a move of individual brilliance, but he contributed much earlier than that. Minutes earlier, he was denied by the post and was lively in the box while creating 2 chances and making 10 dribbles in West Ham's penalty area.

Spurs are a more complete team with Son in the lineup, even if he isn't 100 percent, and the on-field product will always look better with its best player at the controls. The South Korean star was subbed off in the 70th minute, so his minutes may be managed carefully moving forward, but he was a key reason why Tottenham won and the same will be true moving forward.

Kulusevski's all-around performance

Dejan Kulsevski was everywhere against West Ham, playing the full 90 minutes and bringing the energy down the right side of the field.

His attacking play regularly troubled West Ham's backline, and he finally broke through in the 36th minute with a stepover to freeze Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola long enough to hit it in off both posts, knotting the game at 1-1. Displaying his ability to do it all, he had four passes into West Ham's final third and collected 3 tackles, adding 8 defensive recoveries and 2 blocked shots.

The Swede's goal was his second of the season, and despite Postecoglou's frequent tinkering to Tottenham's starting lineups, only one of his appearances so far have come off the bench. He did a lot of the dirty work for Spurs in the win, as he has often during his time in North London, and his high motor makes him a key part of the team's success.

Bissouma's steady play

In his first two seasons and 51 matches with Tottenham, Yves Bissouma didn't score a single goal, but he's scored two in his first five games this year.

After scoring against Everton in Week 2, Bissouma nutmegged a West Ham defender to slot home the second goal of his Tottenham career, giving Spurs a 2-1 lead they would never relinquish. While his goal will get most of the attention, he completed 37 of 40 (93%) passes and had 4 clearances while halting the momentum of multiple counterattack attempts by the Hammers.

Bissouma started the season in hot water with Postecoglou, but his play has forced the manager to forgive him and insert him as a full-time starter. When he's at his best, he's a controlling midfielder who shuts down the opposing team's attacks with his crunching tackles and can provide support on offense. This is one of the best stretches of his career, and he'll be relied on heavily moving forward.