Julen Lopetegui's West Ham United beat Southampton 1-0 away from home on Thursday afternoon and spoiled Saints manager Ivan Juric's first game in charge of the club.
The first half ended goalless but was overshadowed by injuries to Hammers centre-back Max Kilman and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, who was stretchered off after taking a blow to the face.
Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring in the second half in scrappy fashion, taking advantage of a loose ball in the box and poking home from the six-yard box, and his goal was enough to secure all three points.
The Saints remain rooted to the bottom of the table with just six points from 18 matchweeks and are eight points from 17th-placed Leicester City, while West Ham are 13th with 23 points.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© PA Photos
Every point is valuable for Southampton, and they will be immensely disappointed that they failed to take advantage of a West Ham side that had lost their starting centre-back and goalkeeper in the first half.
It is difficult to be too critical of Juric given he has only just arrived on the South Coast, but the Saints look like a side resigned to relegation.
West Ham did not play particularly well, but Lopetegui's side have now won two and drawn two of their last four games in the Premier League, picking up more points in that period than they had in their previous seven league outings.
SOUTHAMPTON VS. WEST HAM UNITED HIGHLIGHTS
36th min: Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United) injury
© Imago
Fabianski takes a blow to the face when defending his box against a corner and is in some discomfort before he is taken off the pitch on a stretcher; Alphonse Areola replaces him.
Jarrod Bowen goal vs. Southampton (59th min, Southampton 0-1 West Ham United)
Hammer blow for Southampton!
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 26, 2024
Jarrod Bowen nips in at the backpost for a vital goal ⚒️#PLonPrime #SOUWHU pic.twitter.com/17YMqhNhh9
Edson Alvarez lofts a ball to the far post from the left flank to Tomas Soucek on the right of the box, and he heads across goal to Niclas Fullkrug, who manages to flick the ball on towards Bowen before the forward taps home from mere yards out.
The Hammers take the lead!
MAN OF THE MATCH - JARROD BOWEN
© PA Photos
Bowen has proven time and again for West Ham that when his team need a hero and need someone to pop up with a crucial goal, he will be around to finish chances more often than not.
The forward produced six shots during the game, had 48 touches - 10 of which were inside Southampton's box - and was a constant threat.
SOUTHAMPTON VS. WEST HAM UNITED MATCH STATS
Possession: Southampton 55%-45% West Ham United
Shots: Southampton 18-16 West Ham United
Shots on target: Southampton 5-2 West Ham United
Corners: Southampton 2-2 West Ham United
Fouls: Southampton 15-8 West Ham United
BEST STATS
Non-penalty goals since 2023/24 PL season:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) December 26, 2024
20 — Jarrod Bowen
20 — Phil Foden pic.twitter.com/Ln7Dw8vEvy
WHAT NEXT?
Southampton will take on Crystal Palace in three days time, and will then have to wait until January 4 to play Brentford in the Premier League at home.
As for the Hammers, they take on first-placed Liverpool on Sunday in the league, before facing Manchester City away from home on January 4.
Lewis Nolan
