×
This is the last article you can read this month
You can read more article this month
You can read more articles this month
Sorry your limit is up for this month
Reset on:
Please help support the Morning Star by subscribing here
This was, to quote the old cliche, a game of two halves with Southampton dominating the first and West Ham taking over after half time, writes Paul Donovan.
It was the greater precision in front of goal of the home side that proved decisive in the end.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic (below) was keen to credit the players who had secured the win, rather than dwell on those who, due to injury, were unable to take part.
“We got the reward in the second half and I want to praise the players,” said Bilic, who felt the introduction of the returning Manuel Lanzini made a major impact.
Bilic was also pleased that West Ham’s star man this season Dimitri Payet will return against Liverpool on Saturday.
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman was pleased with his side’s first half performance but lamented that despite their good play, they failed to go in at half-time with a two or three goal lead.
He contrasted the game with his side’s 4-0 win against Arsenal last Saturday, when Southampton had the same amount of chances but put them away. “We are disappointed but we go on,” said Koeman.
Southampton did not waste any time taking control of the game from the kick-off with Shane Long getting away down the left to send over a cross that Carl Jenkinson, under pressure from Dusan Tadic, was only able to put into his own net.
The pace of Michail Antonio was a key feature of the second half, with a run in from the right in the 69th minute seeing the ball cannon back off the striker and loop over the keeper.
Ten minutes later Antonio was again in the action, this time seeing his header bounce back off the bar for substitute Andy Carroll to forcefully head the rebound into the Southampton net.
