Josh Morton reports on the match that took place last Sunday between Norwich City and West Ham.
In Premier League action last Sunday, West Ham United cruised to a 0-4 away win to Norwich City at Carrow Road, with a brace from Said Benrahma and goals from Michael Antonio and Manuel Lanzini.
Back On Track
The Irons travelled to Norfolk being 7th in the table and were looking for a reaction following their crushing defeat Europa League semi-final defeat at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night. Hammers manager David Moyes made two changes to that lineup, with Said Benrahma and Vladimir Coufal replacing Tomas Soucek and Ben Johnson.
Dream Start
The Irons started the game well with some early offense and after 12 minutes, they found the breakthrough as Jarrod Bowen played in Said Benrahma on the left, with his effort from just inside the box deflected past Norwich keeper Tim Krul, who got a hand to the ball, but couldn’t stop it from finding the net.
Norwich looked for a reaction with a flurry of set pieces, but efforts from both Billy Gilmour and Pierre Lees-Melou were both blocked in the West Ham box.
Soon after, the Irons should’ve had a second as a slick attacking move lead to a shot from Pablo Fornals being deflected to Jarod Bowen just six yards out, but the winger lashed wide. However, his side would not have to wait long to double their lead as in the 30th minute, Bowen slipped in Michail Antonio, who bared down on goal.
The chance seemed to have gone as Norwich defender Grant Hanley got his body in the striker’s way, however Krul’s attempt to claim the ball left him and his defender stranded and allowed for Antonio to tap into an empty net and score his 9th goal of the season.
Bowen’s Hat-Trick Of Assists
West Ham continued to apply pressure and were looking for their third goal, but it looked like David Moyes men would be going into the break two goals up.
That was until stoppage time in the first half, when Bowen found space on the right and pulled the ball back for Benrahma in the box, who fired high into the net for his second of the game and West Ham’s third, while Jarrod Bowen completed a hat trick of assists.
The Hammers went in at half time with a three-goal cushion and the Yellows were in truth making things easy for them, with poor defending and mistakes in their own box.
Hosts Try Their Luck
Not long after the break, the Canaries looked to have pulled a goal back from a corner as Sam Byram bundled the ball in following a mistake by Fabianski, however after a VAR review, the former Hammer was adjudged to have controlled the ball with his arm, and the goal was disallowed.
The game seemed to be petering out for a 3-0 win for the Irons, until a West Ham corner was swung in and Norwich midfielder Sorensen blocked the ball with his hand. After another VAR review, a penalty was awarded in the 65th and Manuel Lanzini stepped up to coolly convert the penalty into the bottom right corner, sending Krul the wrong way and netting his 5th of the season.
Fight For A Europa League Spot
The Irons saw the rest of the game out comfortably, maintaining their clean sheet and sending the travelling fans home happy with a 4-0 win.
The win has kept West Ham 7th in the table with a game in hand over Manchester United in 6th and in a Europa League position, five points ahead of Wolves who have a game in hand.
Moyes side host Manchester City this Sunday in their penultimate Premier League game and Moyes will be hoping they can cause an upset as they battle for a spot in the Europa League next season, but with the opposition also needing three points in the title race, the tie should be an intense and heated affair. The game takes place at the London Stadium and kicks off at 2 pm.
