There were three changes to the starting line-up with Anthony Gardner, Hossam Ghaly and Jermain Defoe in for Ricardo Rocha, Didier Zokora (calf) and Robbie Keane (suspended).
West Ham scored twice and their goalkeeper Robert Green made four fine saves in the first half
Pascal Chimbonda advanced to the right midfield position after Paul Stalteri came on. Once Tottenham had comeback to 2-2 it looked like the points would be shared but
There was plenty of late drama either side of 17-year-old Adel Taarabt coming on to make his Spurs debut.
Martin Jol said: "We knew we were good enough to create chances from the start, but we were up against a team playing for their lives and we offered them the momentum. We were a bit sloppy to start off with, we gave away some easy balls in midfield and gave them the chance to really express themselves in an aggressive way. All credit to them, I thought they showed a lot of determination and spirit. In the first half we should have scored, we had many chances but the keeper was outstanding."
"Everyone was very angry and disappointed at half-time, a few words were said but we realised if we scored they would get nervous. All we had in mind was to score to get it to 2-1 and then get back in the match. I felt defensively they would have problems against our attacking players, and in the end my feelings were right, but who could have written a script like this one turned out? Afterwards there was a great feeling. In the first half I really felt sorry for the supporters because it was not a good 45 minutes for us. In the second half we came back and if you score four goals to one it is great.
"We scored twice but they then got a free-kick and scored the third goal. That could have been deadly. It doesn't happen too often, scoring four goals at a ground like Upton Park, but it proved to be a magical feeling. I thought at 3-3 I could live with a point having come back level twice, but to score a winner in stoppage time was terrific. Their crowd were gutted and we were jumping up and down at the end - our supporters were terrific too.
"Berbatov struck his free-kick very well to bring the scores level at 3-3 but, as is often said in England, one swallow doesn't make a summer, so we will have to see how he gets on from a free-kick next time. He mentioned it to me a little while ago, suggesting he was a specialist from his younger days in Sofia. This was an opportunity for him and maybe we will now use him more in those situations in the future.
"Jermaine Jenas couldn't play on because of a groin injury and I felt that all our substitutes made an impact on the game. It wasn't easy because we'd used substitutes and the only weapon I had left was 17-year-old Adel Taarabt and he did exactly what I had in mind, so that was good. He came on and displayed some great touches he has already shown in training sessions. He is a big talent and did well when he came on."
"It was like hell, heaven, hell and heaven. It was an amazing English game. Chelsea at home was probably the best win of the season but this was amongst them."
Paul Robinson said: "I predicted something like this before the game. I was sat on the bus chatting with the lads, we all knew it was going to be a tough one and I said 'you watch, it will be one of those 5-4 type games'. It was obviously not the kind of game we wanted, but it is the way it panned out."
"We didn't start too well and we were disappointed with the way we played in the first half. We were poor and we let ourselves and our fans down. They got the two goals, but we knew at half-time that it wasn't all over and wasn't all doom and gloom. Teams in that position are fragile, you get one goal against them and things can change quickly. We knew how much it meant to the fans and we put on a performance in the second half that we can be proud of."
Michael Dawson said: "There were so many ups and downs in the game. We went in at half-time disappointed to be 2-0 down but we said to make sure we went out and scored the next goal. That's what it was all about at that stage because the pressure was probably more on them than us."
"We showed fighting spirit and at 2-2, I thought we'd go on to win it. Then Bobby Zamora made it 3-2 and I was thinking 'oh no' but when Berba scored the free-kick I thought 'come on' and then when I saw Paul Stalteri...I was following it all the way. I got to the half-way line thinking 'please, please' and when I got back in the changing room, I suddenly thought 'what was my celebration all about?' I actually ran all the way down to our fans, did a little slide and then realised I was on my own! I then went over to Paul."
"It meant that much to everyone, to us, to the supporters. We all remembered what happened last season and we went back this season and put in a winning performance. Credit to West Ham, but we fought back twice and winning games like that is fantastic."
Paul Stateri said: "We wanted to go on and win it and I said to a couple of the lads at half-time that if we got a goal, I had a feeling West Ham might get a bit nervous, put more pressure on themselves and be a bit edgy. That's what happened. We got back to 2-1 quite early and at the time I went on, I thought anything could happen. That's how it turned out."
"When the initial free-kick took place I didn't realise they'd left it one against one at the back. Lee won the ball, I saw Jermain on his way and once I played it into the space I looked up, noticed no-one was back and just took off from there. It was probably one of the easiest goals I've ever scored. It was just a relief because we knew they had no time to come back and get an equaliser - if there was still a couple of minutes left, you never know what might have happened.
"It's a fantastic feeling to be on the right side of a game like that and it showed the character and belief of the team at the moment."
Teemu Tainio said: "I think it must have been a great game to watch - and it was a great game to play in as well! West Ham started very brightly and went two up so it became very difficult, but at half time we said we had to really show what we are about.
"I think we came out with a brave approach and got the boost to our confidence with the early goal. Even though they went ahead again we got the three points and it was a very important win for us. It is always nice to get a goal, it doesn't happen too often for me so it was good."
Source: TottenhamHotspur.com