The difference was that West Ham appeared to be slightly more intelligent than Southampton in the areas that mattered. It was a terrible game with a lot of tension and poor quality, so it was not a surprise that the more resilient team won.
The Saints, who had more possession of the ball and a few solid scoring opportunities, had failed. West Ham, who required the VAR to affirm that Nayef Aguero’s game-winning goal was scored onside, did not perform admirably. But they had accomplished enough.
When David Moyes’ back has been against the wall this season, that has typically been West Ham’s approach. They have persevered through difficult times by relying on their resilience, bolstering the impression that they have the fortitude to endure the most intense relegation battle.
This victory, while hardly convincing, was another step in the correct direction.
It concluded with Lukasz Fabianski holding a priceless clean sheet, and while nobody would claim that West Ham was compelling in possession, there was enough to suggest that Moyes can keep them up.
Not that it is given. West Ham, who have moved out of the bottom three and into 14th place, did not exactly dominate the worst team in the league. Indeed, there were instances when the crowd got on West Ham’s back, particularly during a lackluster first half, and Moyes must be aware that his team will face a tougher test on Wednesday night when Newcastle visits the London Stadium. “Today was all about the outcome,” the Scot said. “But the players handled the duress.”
Aguerd’s developing rapport with Kurt Zouma in central defense was crucial to West Ham’s push over the finish line. Moyes requires that they remain in shape. Unsurprisingly, West Ham appeared more secure with Aguerd and Zouma keeping Southampton at a distance, given that they have both sustained lengthy injuries this season.
Certainly, the atmosphere would have been gloomier if Paul Onuachu’s late header had snuck under Fabianski’s crossbar. This performance, however, demonstrated why Southampton will likely be playing in the Championship next season. Aguerd’s goal was Rubén Sellés’s side’s thirteenth set-piece goal conceded this season, which is the most damning statistic. Nothing had transpired for them up until that point, according to Sellés. “We had complete control.”
Up to a point, Sellés was correct.
Southampton began with excellent intentions, with midfielders Roméo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse playing cleanly, but it all felt too good to be true. Without Che Adams, there was insufficient aggression in attack, and there was never any indication that Sékou Mara and Theo Walcott would be a threat to West Ham.
West Ham was excused. The hosts were initially hesitant and offered little in the way of attack. Danny Ings was isolated from his former team. In the No. 10 position, Lucas Paquetá would be praised for making 10 tackles rather than for any offensive contributions.
The perception that Moyes’s tactics are stifling this team’s creativity vanished when West Ham scored a straightforward goal in the 25th minute. Only a prolonged VAR check made it more difficult. Thilo Kehrer’s deep free-kick found Aguerd, who was incorrectly flagged offside after he guided a beautiful header past Gavin Bazunu. The judgment ultimately went in favor of West Ham, and Southampton could only look at themselves after falling asleep.
After taking the lead, West Ham played with greater flexibility, threatening to extend their advantage when Sad Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen both hit the crossbar. Armel Bella-Kotchap and Mohammed Salisu’s absence forced Southampton to tighten up. However, the score could have been tied at halftime. When Romain Perraud aimed for the far corner, West Ham had created space on the left after a deft move. Fabianski, who was back in goal after rehabilitating from a nasty facial injury, denied the Southampton left-back spectacularly.
After halftime, Southampton asserted themselves and improved thanks to numerous Sellés changes.
In place of the ineffectual Mohamed Elyounoussi, Kamaldeen Sulemana fired wide. Carlos Alcaraz and Lavia put Fabianski to the test.
The outcome was uncertain. West Ham stood back, relied on Declan Rice’s interceptions, and attempted to finish off Southampton on the counterattack. The primary threat was Bowen. By the time Sellés replaced Walcott with Onuachu, Southampton had lost much of their momentum due to their inability to deal with the winger’s acceleration.
The advent of the 6ft 7in striker presented West Ham with a new challenge. Southampton had a target to strike, and they nearly did so when Ward-Prowse delivered a cross for Onuachu in the 85th minute, but the Nigerian’s header hit the crossbar. West Ham had possession of the ball.
