West Ham 2 West Brom 1 - Report

The Baggies headed to the London Stadium eager to build on their Black Country derby win over Wolves.

But despite an overall positive performance in the capital, they returned home with nothing to show for their efforts.

West Ham opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time when Jarrod Bowen turned the ball in from close range.

Pereira then pulled Sam Allardyce’s side level shortly after the re-start with a wonderful strike from 18-yards.

To the host’s credit, they responded well to the set-back and after a succession of good chances got back in front through Michail Antonio.

But in the final 15 minutes, the Baggies threw men forward in a bid to get an equaliser.

And they came close to getting one right at the end with substitute Darnell Furlong powering a strike just inches wide after he met a whipped Kieran Gibbs cross.

Report

In naming his starting line-up, boss Allardyce made two changes from the team that secured a morale-boosting win over Wolves in the Black Country derby.

Having missed that match due to contracting coronavirus, Sam Johnstone was able to return in goal having completed his isolation period.

But Allardyce also had to make a change in midfield with Robert Snodgrass not available against his former side.

The 33-year-old missed out due to an agreement the Hammers struck prior to his move to The Hawthorns earlier this month.

West Ham initially wanted to sanction Snodgrass’s move today (January 20) but Albion wanted him earlier to get to know his team mates and so he could play against Wolves.

And that led to the two clubs coming to an agreement preventing the midfielder from playing at the London Stadium - but he can play when the two sides meet in May.

Having been suspended against Wolves, Conor Gallagher took over Snodgrass’s duties on the right wing.

And that allowed Albion to continue in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Matheus Pereira in the number 10 role, Kamil Grosicki on the left and Callum Robinson up front.

West Ham also lined up in the same system with Said Benrahma operating in an attacking midfield role behind Michail Antonio.

Bowen was on the right flank with Manuel Lanzini on the left.

In what proved to be an intriguing opening 20 minutes, ex-Baggie Craig Dawson almost broke Albion hearts early-on when he met a corner at the back post only to head wide.

Albion then created two decent chances of their own.

The first began with a delicious pass from Pereira that sent Grosicki charging towards goal.

Under the pressure, the Poland international then checked back and fed Pereira on the edge of the box. The Brazilian, though, sent his effort high and wide.

Then just moments later, a hooked Jake Livermore cross was inadvertently sent towards his own goal by Angelo Ogbonna.

Lukasz Fabianski, though, was in the right place to spare his team mate’s blushes and keep the ball out.

From that point on, the Hammers went on to dominate possession albeit with Albion remaining a threat on the counter.

The hosts came close to opening the scoring when Vladimir Coufal let fly from the edge of the box only to see his effort take a deflection before sailing inches wide.

Aaron Cresswell then hit the byline before picking out Manuel Lanzini inside the area.

But the Argentine then sent a strike straight into the arms of Johnstone when he really should have done better.

Despite West Ham looking bright on the ball, Albion - overall - had defended well.

And they continued to post a threat on the break with Ajayi enjoying success with some wonderful raking balls out to Grosicki.

From one of those counters, Allardyce’s men almost took the lead with a sweeping move seeing Robinson charge down the left.

In the middle, Pereira burst forward and pointed to where he wanted the ball played for a tap-in.

But while Robinson as good as put it there, Fabianksi did really well to dive from his line and smoother the cross.

Allardyce’s men seemed destined to get to half-time all-square. But deep into one minute of added-on time, West Ham got themselves in front.

Benrahma sent in a deep cross which Coufal sent back into the danger area.

And the power on his delivery meant Bowen was able to chest the ball home just yards from goal. Just seconds after the re-start, referee Graham Scott blew for half-time.

The Baggies emerged from the re-start eager to play with more attacking intent.

In the first few minutes, Pereira found Gallagher in the box but the Chelsea loanee didn’t quite know whether to cross or shoot and in the end did neither with Fabianski claiming the ball.

Moments later, though, the Baggies were level in a move that started with Pereira collecting the ball around 35-yards from the goal.

The Brazilian carried the ball forward and kept looking for options left and right.

But in the end the former Sporting Lisbon man decided to go alone and spectacularly drilled the ball into the bottom corner from 18-yards.

West Ham responded to the equaliser by creating three glorious chances to go back in front.

First the ball fell from Lanzini just eight-yards out who smashed a fierce effort towards goal.

But from practically on the goalline, Dara O’Shea produced a brilliant header to clear the ball with Rice then sending a strike from the edge of the box just inches wide.

Then just moments later, Albion weren’t alert to a quick West Ham free-kick that saw Rice hit the byline.

The England international then incredibly rolled the ball virtually on the goal-line with the nobody making a connection and the delivery sailing out for a throw-in.

Moyes made a double change just past the hour mark with Pablo Fornals and Andriy Yarmolenko replacing Lanzini and Benrhama.

And the switch proved to be an inspired one with the hosts going back in front just four minutes later - with Yarmolenko playing a key role.

A deep Cresswell cross was nodded down by the Ukrainian towards Antonio.

And just yards out, he then did well to acrobatically fire the ball past Johnstone and into the net.

Allardyce responded by introducing Darnell Furlong for Grosciki in a move that saw the Baggies switch to a 3-5-2 formation.

And Albion came close to pulling level shortly after with Furlong whipping in a dangerous cross which fellow wing-back Gibbs cut-back for Gallagher.

But around 15-yards out, the midfielder then sent a powerful strike straight at Fabianski.

The change in formation had improved Albion and they did everything they could to force an equaliser in the closing stages.

They thought they had got it just as the clock hit the 90-minute mark with Gibbs sending in a cross that was met by Furlong.

The wing-back powered a volley towards goal that looked destined to make the net burst.

But with Fabianksi rooted to the spot, the ball sailed just inches wide.

Allardyce’s men continued to push with the team sending a number of hopeful balls into the box. From one of those, Gallagher was booked for diving.

But despite sustained pressure, they just couldn’t find the equaliser with the Hammers doing just enough to claim all three points.

Teams

West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Lanzini (Fornals 62), Bowen, Benrahma (Yarmolenko 62), Antonio (Noble 84).

Subs not used: Randolph, Alves, Diop, Fredericks, Johnson.

Albion: Johnstone O’Shea, Bartley, Ajayi, Gibbs, Livermore (Robson-Kanu 80), Sawyers, Gallagher, Pereira, Grosicki (Furlong 70), Robinson.

Subs not used: Button, Peltier, Ivanovic, Kipre, Field, Edwards, Krovinovic.