With lockdown easing, a besuited Nigel, Matt, Lisa and myself are allowed upstairs at the Lucky Pub, the Leicester Arms, to watch this vital game. A pint of Portobello tastes very good after all those months in front of the computer.
Private Matt is distributing copies of When Saturday Comes and insisting that he never doubted Captain Benrahma for a moment during the Brighton match.
Can we take advantage of Spurs losing at home? Fabianski has managed to injure himself in the warm-up and Randolph is now in goal, which seems ominous.
Big Sam's men begin the match with a terrible back pass from Ajayi. Antonio has far too much time, pokes the ball past the keeper, looks to have made a mess of it but is touched by Johnstone and goes down for a penalty. Declan Rice steps up and thumps it against the post. We get the feeling that this might be the game where our Europa challenge comes unstuck, particularly as Nigel has forgotten his lucky banana and lucky Status Quo tour bag.
SALAD DAZE
We're looking tired and nervous. Soucek and Fornals are giving away fouls and WHU's passing is awry as Albion are inspired by their home fans. When Pereira's corner flies in off Soucek's head past a flailing Randolph it looks like it's going to be a long evening. Randolph redeems himself with an excellent reflex save to deny Pereira.
Benrahma has had a shot tipped over by Johnstone but it's looking bleak as half-time approaches. Then Fornals flings over a cross, Bartlett misheads it to Benrahma and the West Ham man plays in a low cross that is tapped home by Soucek. After an agonising VAR pause it's deemed onside by a toe. A good time to score.
The second half sees Cresswell strike the outside of the post with a clever free-kick but it still looks like ending in a draw. We can't understand why Moyes keeps Fornals on and subs Benrahma, who has done ok, for Bowen. But although Fornals is not playing well, he never stops running and clearly the gaffer thinks we need energy against Big Sam's side.
OGGY! OGGY! OGGY!
Fornals pokes against the keeper after making a good run behind the defence. This results in a a corner in the 82nd minute and Mystic Matt moves into action. "We're shit at corners, we'll never score from this!" he declares. Cresswell duly swipes in an inviting corner. Dawson and Soucek distract the defenders and Ogbonna ghosts in at the back post to head home.
The Baggies have to come forward and as they do so Fornals wins the ball to release Lingard. Jesse looks he might have deliberated for too long, but then plays in Antonio who has run behind the defence to stroke home the third. Always in doubt, but we've shown massive character to get through this.
The game ends with a late cameo from Michael the Thespian who has arrived after an evening at The Mousetrap and is dispensing theatrical bon mots. The team spirit is shown by the celebrations at the end. Fornals, whom we thought should have been subbed, has played a part in all three goals. Maybe Moyes does know what he's doing.
We go above Spurs! We can't finish lower than seventh and a point against Southampton will guarantee sixth place, West Ham's best finish since 1999, and Europa League football. We're also now guaranteed to finish above Arsenal for the first time in Premier League history. Who would have though this possible after the first two defeats of the season?
There's work to be done against Southampton, but we are close to a European Tour. Irons!
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