Southampton 1-3 West Ham Utd

  • by Staff Writer
  • Saturday, 4th February 2017

West Ham are back in the upper half of the Premier League table tonight after winning a third away game in four at St Mary's this afternoon.

Following the recent successes at Swansea and Middlesbrough, the Hammers continued their run of free-scoring away from the Olympic Stadium as they hit the hosts with a treble assault.

Ye they had to come from behind in order to take all three points after new signing Manolo Gabbiadini - himself strongly linked with a move to West Ham in the past - gave the hosts a 12th-minute lead after surprising Darren Randolph at his near post.




However it was a lead that was to last for less than two minutes, as Andy Carroll converted Pedro Obiang's brilliantly-executed slide-rule pass to bring the Hammers back on level terms.

And in the final minute of normal time in the first half it was the defensive midfielder himself who put West Ham in front for the first time in the game with a perfectly-placed, long-range drive that left Saints 'keeper Fraser Forster clutching at thin air.




Southampton, offering the Hammers the freedom of St Mary's - in much the same way as West Ham did against Manchester City in midweek - always looked likely to concede again, hence it was no surprise when Mark Noble added a third just seven minutes after the restart.

Awarded a free kick in the type of area that used to have Hammers fans reaching for their cellphones, Noble stepped up confidently to blast his effort straight at goal - and into the net, via a slight - but important - deflection via defender Stephen Davis.




Thereafter the Saints enjoyed plenty of chances - a total of 21 shots in all, compared to West Ham's meagre tally of six - but rarely tested Randolph, who was forced to act far too rarely given the circumstances (crucially, only seven efforts were on target, including Gabbiadini's opening goal).

The win lifts West Ham back up to ninth place in the Premier League. Next up for Slaven and the boys are West Bromwich Albion, who visit the OS next Saturday.


West Ham Utd: Randolph, Kouyate (Collins 71), Fonte, Reid, Feghouli, Obiang, Noble, Cresswell, Snodgrass, Antonio, Carroll (Lanzini 56).

Subs not used: Adrian, Fletcher, Calleri, Fernandes, Quina.

Goals: Carroll (14), Obiang (44), Noble (52).

Southampton: Forster, Cedric, Stephens, Yoshida, Bertrand, Romeu, Boufal (Long 64), Davis, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez (Redmond 46), Gabbiadini.

Subs not used: Taylor, Clasie, Gardos, Hojbjerg, McQueen.

Goals: Gabbiadini (12).

Referee: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 31,891.

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