Southampton 1 West Ham 2
We're away going wild in the country at my brother-in-law's gaff in deepest Hertfordshire for this one, forced to watch Torvill and Dean in a Sky-less zone. But what a great result. Injury-ravaged West Ham sides just don't get results at relegation threatened clubs like Southampton when they are experiencing new manager bounce. But Felipe Anderson is making all the difference.
The goal-hungry Robert Snodgrass had a couple of good efforts in the first half and Perez mishit a great chance presented by a Cresswell pull-back in the first half. But the Saints took the lead after the break as the Hammers failed to clear their lines and Antonio didn't push up to catch them offside. Fabianski made a brave save only to see Redmond scramble home a scruffy goal.
Cue the usual defeat at St Mary's? No, three minutes later a header reaches Anderson on the edge of the box is walloped home into the bottom corner by Anderson — a great effort with no backlift.
Fabianski has to make a great save to deny Armstrong at 1-1, but it's the Hammers who get the second from a Southampton corner. Diop clears and Antonio breaks, he looks up and plays Anderson in with a great through ball. The Brazilian wallops it into the top corner and runs to the away fans. If you want a clue to how we're playing under Pellegrini then it's worth noting that Diop had also run the length of the field as the Hammers broke to score.
There's still time for Fabianski to produce another sensational low stop to deny Lemina, Perez to be denied by a last-ditch block and Anderson to twice go close to completing his hat-trick.
Rice had a great game say the fans who were there and let's credit the squad players who came in too, the likes of Antonio, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Obiang, Diangana, Carroll and Perez. But it's one man who is turning WHU into a top-half side and that's Felipe. Five wins out of six. Now let's continue the run at struggling Burnley. Irons!
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