West Ham 2-1 West Brom: Michail Antonio scores second winner in four days as his acrobatic volley downs Sam Allardyce's men with in-form Hammers now up to SEVENTH

  • Michail Antonio scored the winner as West Ham won 2-1 at home to West Brom  
  • West Ham's latest victory sees David Moyes's side move up to seventh place
  • Jarrod Bowen put West Ham ahead before Matheus Pereira's fine equaliser

Only time will tell which was more costly: the five-second brain freeze which put West Brom on course for a painful defeat on Tuesday night. 

Or Big Sam's big mouth which gave the Baggies another headache before a ball was even kicked.

West Ham certainly won't thank him, even after they took three points.

Michail Antonio scored the winner as West Ham beat West Brom 2-1 to move up to seventh

Michail Antonio scored the winner as West Ham beat West Brom 2-1 to move up to seventh

Antonio managed to score with an acrobatic effort as West Ham took all three points

Antonio managed to score with an acrobatic effort as West Ham took all three points

Michail Antonio celebrates with fellow goalscorer Jarrod Bowen after putting West Ham ahead

Michail Antonio celebrates with fellow goalscorer Jarrod Bowen after putting West Ham ahead

MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS

WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 6.5; Coufal 6.5, Dawson 6.5, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 7; Rice 7, Soucek 6; Bowen 7, Lanzini 6.5 (Fornals 62, 6), Benrahma 6.5 (Yarmolenko 62, 7); Antonio 7 (Noble 84, 6)

Subs not used: Randolph, Balbuena, Alves, Diop, Fredericks, Johnson

Scorers: Bowen 45, Antonio 66

Manager: David Moyes 6.5

WEST BROM (4-4-1-1): Johnstone 6; O’Shea 6.5, Ajayi 5.5, Bartley 6.5, Gibbs 6; Gallagher 6, Livermore 5.5, Sawyers 6, Grosicki 6; Pereira 7; Robinson 7

Subs not used: Button, Furlong, Robson-Kanu, Krovinovic, Ivanovic, Edwards, Peltier, Kipre, Field

Scorer: Pereira 51

Booked: Gallagher

Manager: Sam Allardyce 6

Referee: Graham Scott 6

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Michail Antonio's second winner in four days booted David Moyes's concerns over a new striker slightly further down the road and ensured the Hammers have amassed their best ever Premier League points tally at this stage.


But the man who left under the spotlight's glare had earlier sat among the empty seats of the London Stadium.

Robert Snodgrass moved from West Ham to West Brom earlier this month. He missed this match, Allardyce explained before kick-off, because of a gentlemen's agreement.

'We could only get the deal done with that,' he said.

It was an off-hand revelation which pricked ears at Premier League HQ. They are now looking into whether any regulations have been breached.

Rule 1.7 states: 'No club shall enter into a contract which enables any other party to that contract to acquire the ability materially to influence its policies or the performance of its teams in league matches.'

The clubs insist it was an informal pact and afterwards both bosses stayed tight-lipped.

'I can't answer that,' Allardyce said.

'Before I answer anything that might cause me, West Ham or anybody else any trouble, I'll wait to see what the Premier League say.

'I've got bigger things to worry about than what the Premier League think.'

No one need remind Big Sam of the perils of a loose tongue and Moyes followed suit, adding. 'I don't think it is any of my business. I am not sure it is any of yours, to be honest.

'The Premier League have to do what they have to do. Robert Snodgrass is a very good player, we will miss him a lot. We sent him with our best wishes, we did not take any fee for him because we have so much respect for him.'

Instead both were at pains to divert attention towards those players that did feature.

Bowen celebrates after his goal put West Ham ahead just before half time at London Stadium

Bowen celebrates after his goal put West Ham ahead just before half time at London Stadium

Matheus Pereira equalised for West Brom in the 51st minute as he scored an impressive goal

Matheus Pereira equalised for West Brom in the 51st minute as he scored an impressive goal

'Whether Robert Snodgrass played or not it wouldn't have had any hand in the two goals we conceded,' Allardyce insisted.

And he's probably right.

The former Hammers boss instead rued the lapse in concentration that saw Jarrod Bowen open the scoring with virtually the last kick of the first half.

Matheus Pereira levelled with a rocket shortly after before Antonio ensured West Ham took all three points.

As he pointed out, Allardyce has enough on his place.

Sam Allardyce was left frustrated as West Brom were beaten by his former club West Ham

Sam Allardyce was left frustrated as West Brom were beaten by his former club West Ham

David Moyes guided West Ham to another victory - they now have three league wins in a row

David Moyes guided West Ham to another victory - they now have three league wins in a row

Nineteenth-placed West Brom have now conceded 43 goals - only three teams have ever been as leaky at this point of a Premier League season. All three were relegated.

The last time West Brom suffered successive top-flight defeats against West Ham was in 2005/06. They went down that year, too.

Meanwhile the Hammers march on. That's now four straight wins, all by the barest of margins.

On Tuesday night their breakthrough came after Said Benrahma's cross was allowed to reach Vladimir Coufal in space.

Jarrod Bowen also scored to see West Ham took the lead towards the end of the first half

Bowen scored from close range as West Ham took the lead towards the end of the first half

The West Ham players congratulate Bowen after his goal put his side in the ascendancy

The West Ham players congratulate Bowen after his goal put his side in the ascendancy

The right back fizzed the ball back across goal where Bowen diverted it home off his chest.

'We could have got something if we'd done five seconds of defending properly,' Allardyce insisted.

West Brom were forced out of their shell and within six minutes of the second half, they were level thanks to Pereira.

Almost immediately, though, they teetered once more.

Pereira's goal was of a high standard as West Brom equalised but they ended up being beaten

Pereira's goal was of a high standard as West Brom equalised but they ended up being beaten

Manuel Lanzini's shot was headed off the line and twice Declan Rice went close.

Then, with 24 minutes left, Antonio met Andriy Yarmolenko's header and screwed the ball past Sam Johnstone.

West Brom had chances to level once more. Darnell Furlong flashed an effort wide and then in stoppage time the visitors cried penalty after Conor Gallagher tumbled in the box, only for Graham Scott to rightly penalise him for diving.

It remains to be seen if further punishment follows.

West Brom youngster Conor Gallagher received a yellow card for diving in the closing stages

West Brom youngster Conor Gallagher received a yellow card for diving in the closing stages

Semi Ajayi attempts to control the ball for West Brom while under pressure from Bowen

Semi Ajayi attempts to control the ball for West Brom while under pressure from Bowen

 

Recap as Sportsmail's JEORGE BIRD provided live coverage of the game.