EPL Match Report: West Ham 3-0 Southampton
West Ham completed back-to-back triumphs in the Premier League, as the Hammers romped home with an emphatic 3-0 scoreline against Southampton at the London Stadium on Saturday, thanks to a brace from Marko Arnautovic.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side came into the game high on confidence after their 1-0 victory over London rivals Spurs away from home last week and the east Londoners were able to put a lacklustre Southampton to the sword with some wonderful free-flowing football at home. One cannot help but feel after this performance that the Hammers could have easily managed to secure the Europa League qualification spot had they been more consistent throughout the season.
Both Southampton and West Ham started the game on a bright note, with the Saints pressing higher up the pitch to win the ball back from the hosts. The visitors had an early chance when Danny Ings teed up Stuart Armstrong with some good hold up play, only for the former Celtic man to fire his shot high and wide from a promising position. The next big chance fell to Mohamed Elyounoussi but he too lacked the composure to find the perfect finish after a mazy run.
It was West Ham, though, who drew first blood, thanks to some sloppy passing from the visitors. Mark Noble unleashed an inch-perfect through ball for Marko Arnautovic to make it 1-0 for the Hammers just 16 minutes into the game.
West Ham continued to create chances and the Hammers could have inflicted more pain on the visitors had it not been for goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Michail Antonio called the Saints’ stopper into action twice in the first half, while Manuel Lanzini showed how dangerous he can be when he is at his best.
Southampton needed to pull their socks up after a disappointing first half display and Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side started off as the brighter of the two teams after the interval. Nathan Redmond created plenty of problems for the Hammers’ backline and had a shot blocked by Fabian Balbuena before calling Lukasz Fabianski into action thirteen minutes later.
However, West Ham took the game by the scruff of the neck after enduring the early onslaught and Lanzini once again forced a save from Forster before Arnautovic got his second of the game with a fine header. Southampton failed to clear their lines from Arthur Masuaku’s cross and the Austrian was at the right place and at the right time to grab his chance.
Things got bad to worse for the Saints when Ryan Fredericks exchanged a neat one-two with substitute Jack Wilshere before beating Forster to score his first Premier League goal, putting the final nail in the opposition’s coffin.
Lanzini and Wilshere showed some delightful link-up play in the midfield but it was another substitute Lucas Perez, who teed up Arnautovic with a powerful run down the right. Arnautovic, however, fired his attempt tantalisingly wide of the post and failed to complete his hat-trick.
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The Hammers looked head and shoulders above Southampton in this game and Ralph Hasenhuttl has plenty of thinking to do before the Saints take on already-relegated Huddersfield Town in their final game, though they have virtually beaten the drop in the top-flight.
Let us see how some of the West Ham fans reacted to the emphatic 3-0 victory
#westham fans after Marko Arnautovic makes us fall in love with him again… pic.twitter.com/lwotr13qSc
— Ryan McCready (@RyanMcCready94) May 4, 2019
We cant be stopped this week 🔥🔥🔥!! 2 out of 2 in the premier league this Afternoon, we are backing @NUFC to get a massive draw this evening! #bettingtips #wolves #westham #epl #newcastle #NEWLIV #bettingtips #makemoney pic.twitter.com/LhcMgFAUZP
— Apollo Sports Ratings (@ApolloRatings) May 4, 2019
Fredericks what a beautiful man you are 😍😍😍⚒
— Emily (@xo_emilyC) May 4, 2019
Thank you west ham #WHU
— Ejikeme Makuo (@EjikemeMakuo) April 27, 2019
👏🏻 COYI, nice to see Wilshere finally playing #WHU 🔨
— Adam ⚒ (@adambrett3) May 4, 2019
Is that Mark Noble or Pirlo? 🎯 #WHU
— ⚒ COYIrons.com ⚒ (@COYIrons_com) May 4, 2019
#WHU When big Arnie is smiling then he’s scoring, keep smiling my son, I predict you will be the top goal scorer next season, defo top 10 finish COYI ⚒
— gurkey (@Gurkester) May 4, 2019
FREDERICKS!!! Brilliant play from Wilshere, that flick 🔥 #WHU #COYI
pic.twitter.com/LPatTPAlwS— ⚒ COYIrons.com ⚒ (@COYIrons_com) May 4, 2019
