The ominous storm clouds that had gathered over White Hart Lane have now moved east and are hanging, heavier by the day, over Upton Park. A 68th-minute goal by Ledley King was all that separated the teams until the last minute, but it was not so much the margin but the manner of the victory that mattered.

Tottenham Hotspur were far superior, both in chances created and the effectiveness of their attacking play, and will surely continue to be upwardly mobile in the second half of the season. For West Ham United, the future appears increasingly uncertain.

The concerns off-field pale into insignificance beside the impending crisis on it, with one win in ten Barclays Premier League matches. After earning an excellent draw away to Liverpool last week, this was a chance for Gianfranco Zola’s players to build morale and push into the top half of the table, but that scenario never looked remotely like developing and, such is the compressed state of the table, West Ham now totter precariously above the relegation places.

So uninspiring was West Ham’s play that the atmosphere was flat long before the final whistle, the home crowd never remotely optimistic that defeat could be averted, even if David Di Michele, the substitute, almost confounded expectations. The only audible noise was the crowing of the away contingent, who recognised this as a result that worked on more than one level.

It effectively stuck West Ham where Tottenham had been, except that West Ham are a club who have already pulled their managerial rabbit from the hat, so they cannot rely on that old trick by making a new appointment. Right now, Zola, the East London side’s rabbit, would appear to be fixed in the headlights.

This was also the match that may begin to rebuild the reputation of Heurelho Gomes in the Tottenham goal. In the 89th minute, with the stadium already half-empty, he made a superb double-save from Lucas Neill and Di Michele to prevent the draw. Neill shot from the edge of the area, Gomes saved and, when the ball fell to the Italy forward at close range after a scramble, the goalkeeper was equal to it again. Within a minute, Jamie O’Hara had torn down the other end and closed the game as a contest with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area, which marched Tottenham to the comfort zone. It was no more than they deserved, the scoreline reflecting a surprising gulf in class between the teams.

Until that point, Tottenham had led through King. After West Ham’s stalwart resistance at Anfield, this was a return to the bad old days, a real soft touch, King rising unchallenged above Matthew Upson and James Collins, the West Ham centre halves, to head in a cross by Aaron Lennon. West Ham could not complain. They had barely threatened in the second half, and were constantly troubled by Lennon and the inventiveness of Luka Modric, making an impressive return from injury.

Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham manager, used Modric in his now familiar role, played as a second striker in the hole behind Roman Pavlyuchenko — and later Darren Bent — and while his performance was not flawless, it was more than West Ham could handle. Modric was at the centre of so much that was good about Tottenham’s forward play and was as physically competitive as his size allows. Lennon was a threat from both flanks, but particularly the right, and outshone David Bentley, his international rival, who was withdrawn with ten minutes remaining, having offered little.

Tottenham are ahead of West Ham on goal difference, prompting mockery from the visiting supporters gathered behind the goal of what was once the North Bank, but the reality is that three points separate these clubs from the bottom three, so neither are safe, even if the omens are better for Redknapp and his players.

Indeed, despite the much-lauded revival of Tottenham under Redknapp, and the avowed devotion to the beautiful game from Zola at West Ham, these remain two ordinary teams fighting relegation in a tight division. Neither can be comfortable with their circumstances and, for long periods at Upton Park, this showed.

There were chances snatched at and missed at either end and too many final passes that went astray. In the first half, West Ham were rescued by a post and the dependable Robert Green in goal; Tottenham by the close attention of Chris Foy, the referee.

Tottenham had the earliest chance of the game, a cross from Lennon, laid back by Bentley into the path of Modric, whose finish was uncharacteristically faint-hearted, resulting in a weak, side-footed shot, steered directly at a thankful Green.

The goalkeeper also dealt comfortably with a header from Pavlyuchenko and it was not until late in the first half that Tottenham signalled an intention to leave Upton Park with more than a point. Vedran Corluka’s cross was cleared but only to Bentley, who returned fire with a splendid, first-time shot. It brought the best out of Green, who leapt at full stretch to the left, keeping his hands strong to force the ball around the post for a corner.

Just before half-time, Jermaine Jenas and Modric combined in a lovely move, finding Lennon whose low shot across the face of goal reached Pavlyuchenko unmarked at the far post, extending a leg and beating Green, only to be thwarted by the woodwork.

There was nothing to compare from West Ham, whose best opportunities were largely hopeful shots attempted from long range, Carlton Cole, the striker, committing the cardinal sin of never testing Gomes. West Ham did get the ball in the net after 22 minutes, an own goal from Jenas, under pressure from a corner, but Foy had spotted Neill scrambling over him and gave a foul.

Tough matches against Chelsea and Aston Villa follow for West Ham, making this defeat ever more significant. It was a big chance for Zola’s team, and they blew it. By the next time they get one, dark clouds could be the least of their worries. The heavens might have opened over East London.

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green — L Neill, J Collins, M Upson, H Ilunga — J Faubert (sub: M Noble, 53min), H Mullins (sub: D Di Michele, 73), S Parker (sub: D Tristán, 83), V Behrami — C Bellamy, C Cole. Substitutes not used: J Lastuvka, L Boa Morte, C Davenport, J Collison. Booked: Behrami, Noble.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-1-1): H Gomes — V Corluka, J Woodgate, L King, B Assou-Ekotto — D Bentley (sub: J O’Hara, 81), D Zokora, J Jenas, A Lennon — L Modric — R Pavlyuchenko (sub: D Bent, 54). Substitutes not used: C Sánchez, G Bale, T Huddlestone, M Dawson, K-P Boateng.

Referee: C Foy.