West Ham reignite top-four hopes with crushing comeback win over Watford
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Updated 28/12/2021 at 18:08 GMT
Premier League, Vicarage Road: Watford 1 (Dennis 5') West Ham 4 (Soucek 27', Benrahma 29', Noble 58', Vlasic 90+2')
Mark Noble celebrates scoring for West Ham
Image credit: Getty Images
West Ham made up lost ground on the Premier League’s top four after a convincing 4-1 win over Watford.
Claudio Ranieri’s side came into the game on the back of four defeats on the bounce – not to mention three postponed fixtures against Burnley, Crystal Palace and Wolves owing to a Covid outbreak within the squad – while the Hammers arrived in Hertfordshire on a four-match winless streak in all competitions.
The hosts made the faster start, however, with Josh King setting up Emmanuel Dennis to lash a shot into the top corner after only five minutes.
The visitors weren’t phased by conceding so early and, from there, they gradually took control of the game. Said Benrahma rattled the crossbar, Michail Antonio looked menacing and, while Watford’s massed defence frustrated them for a while, an equaliser started to feel inevitable.
As it was, two goals came along in quick succession. With 27 minutes on the clock Jarrod Bowen faded an inch-perfect pass into the box for Tomas Soucek, who fired a first-time shot past Daniel Bachmann. Two minutes later, Antonio burst forwards on the left and cut the ball back for Benrahma, whose effort took a deflection off Adam Masna, deceived Bachmann and drifted in.
Bowen had the ball in the back of the net early in the second half, but it was ruled out after VAR spotted a foul from Soucek on Dennis in the build-up and referee Darren England went to the monitor.
Not long afterwards, though, VAR intervened in West Ham’s favour. Antonio lofted a cross into the box and Bowen got in front of Bachmann, who tangled with him without getting any of the ball. Mark Noble made it 3-1 from the spot before Nikola Vlasic added another right at the death, ensuring three points for David Moyes’ side which, thanks to Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against Southampton, bumped them up to fifth in the table.
TALKING POINT
Antonio back in form. Having gone nine games without a goal for West Ham before scoring in the 3-2 defeat to Southampton on Sunday, Antonio has struggled over the last couple of months. Earlier this week he spoke about the team suffering from “mental fatigue”, suggesting that fixture congestion had taken its toll.
While he didn’t score here, he looked to be back to his combustible best. His driving runs down the flanks stretched Watford’s defence throughout the game, his assist for Benrahma’s goal was excellent and it was his cross which led to the penalty that killed the game, making it an influential performance all told.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) Where Antonio provided much of the impetus behind West Ham’s win, Bowen was their standout performer. The assists he provided for the first and fourth goals were superb, while he showed admirable guile and quick thinking to get across Bachmann and win the spot kick.
The build-up play for Vlasic’s goal perfectly encapsulated Bowen’s performance. Having picked up the ball out on the right, he cut inside, almost sent Francisco Sierralta into the stands with a feint and then put the ball on a plate for his teammate.
PLAYER RATINGS
Watford: Bachmann 5, Masina 4, Cathcart 4, Sierralta 4, Femenia 4, Kucka 4, King 6, Sissoko 5, Tufan 4, Hernandez 4, Dennis 7
Subs: Louza 4, Pedro 5, Sema 4
West Ham: Fabianski 8, Coufal 7, Dawson 6, Diop 6, Johnson 6, Noble 7, Soucek 7, Bowen 9, Lanzini 6, Benrahma 7, Antonio 8
Subs: Masuaku 5, Vlasic 6, Kral N/A
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
4’ GOAL! What a start for Watford. King plays a nice through-ball to Dennis, who puts Dawson on the floor with a shimmy before whipping a shot into the top corner.
27’ GOAL! And just like that, West Ham are level. Bowen fades a flawless pass into the box and Soucek charges forward, leathering it first time past Bachmann.
29’ GOAL! What a turnaround. Antonio sprints up the left flank, cuts inside and picks out Benrahma, whose shot takes a deflection off Masina, deceives Bachmann and settles into the back of the net.
55’ PENALTY TO WEST HAM! Antonio lofts a cross into the box from the right and Bowen gets in front of Bachmann, who catches him without getting a touch on the ball. England goes to the monitor once more and awards the spot kick.
58’ GOAL! Noble makes no mistake from the spot, sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner. West Ham lead 3-1, which may well be enough to earn them all three points.
90+2’ GOAL! The Hammers round off an emphatic win with a goal for Vlasic after some beautiful build-up play from Bowen, who cuts in from the right, goes past Sierralta and picks him out with a simple pass.
KEY STATS
- West Ham earned their 22nd Premier League win of 2021 here. As per Opta, only in 1959 have they enjoyed more top-flight victories in a single calendar year in the club’s history, with 23.
- Mark Noble has now scored five Premier League penalties against Watford, with only Alan Shearer, who scored seven against Everton, netting more often from the spot against one team in the competition.
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