Sol Campbell's future at Tottenham has been in doubt for months now as the England defender continually refuses to pledge his future to the club. But last night he helped bring them closer to the sort of success that might persuade him to stay with a second-half winner that returned the London side to the top five in the Premiership.

West Ham are still without a victory this season and remain rooted to the bottom.

A groin strain deprived West Ham of Davor Suker last night while Igor Stimac is suspended. However the return from injury of Frederic Kanoute and Rio Ferdinand compensated.

Prompted by Joe Cole's willingness to take players on, West Ham created three scoreable chances in the first 20 minutes. First Paolo di Canio deftly played in Kanoute, but the striker could only direct his first-time shot straight at Neil Sullivan. A trademark 25-yard blast from Stuart Pearce also flew too close to the goalkeeper while Carrick conjured an 18-yard shot which Sullivan did well to get down to.

Les Ferdinand went close for Tottenham with a couple of headers and Tim Sherwood fired a tapped free-kick straight at Shaka Hislop before almost catching the goalkeeper off his line with a header. But as the break beckoned, West Ham came even closer, Di Canio played Trevor Sinclair into the Tottenham area only for the wing-back to see his goal-bound shot saved by Sullivan's legs.

Tottenham's plans were disrupted 17 seconds after the restart when Luke Young was injured in a challenge with Cole and replaced by Ramon Vega. But Tottenham soon asserted themselves. In the space of a minute Pearce then Steve Lomas were forced to make crucial tackles in their own six-yard box. Oyvind Leonhardsen then just failed to get his head to Vega's cross from the right before blasting Ferdinand's noddown over the bar from 12 yards.

They continued to press and a goal duly arrived on 67 minutes, Leonhardsen swinging in a corner from the right. Campbell jumped above Kanoute and fired in a header from six yards which hit the bar, bounced down, hit Hislop on the back and rebounded over the line.

TOTTENHAM: Sullivan, Carr, Taricco (Thatcher 73), Freund, Campbell, Sherwood, Ferdinand, Iversen, Rebrov, Leonhardsen, Young (Vega 50). Subs Not Used: Walker, Clemence, Etherington. Booked: Freund. Goals: Campbell 67.

WEST HAM: Hislop, S Pearce, Ferdinand, Winterburn, Sinclair, Lampard, Lomas, Cole, Carrick, Kanoute, Di Canio. Subs Not Used: Forrest, Moncur, Peacock, Kitson, Potts. Booked: Lampard.

Referee: S Dunn (Bristol).