West Ham is sixth in the Premier League and has secured a place in the group stage of next season’s Europa League after beating Southampton in front of 10,000 fans at London Stadium.
David Moyes ‘side only needed to draw to secure a top-six finish. But Pablo Fornals‘s strike in the first half and Declan Rice‘s late strike ensured the Hammers finished.
The campaign with an impressive 65 points, their highest number on the top flight.
Fornals opened the scoring through play, shooting into the empty net. After Alex McCarthy directed Jarrod Bowen‘s efforts to tie his goal to the edge of the six-yard field.
The 25-year-old doubled his lead three minutes later. He stuck to Vladimir Coufal‘s cross and found the net with a slight deviation from Santa defender Jannik Vestergaard.
The Rice ended the beating late with a pass made by a pass from Fornals’s cut.
Southampton ends the campaign with 15 after losing 19 league titles this season.
Going further and further for West Ham?
European titles take a fantastic year for West Ham and their manager Moyes.
In the ten months since the downgrade, Scotsman led the Hammers to its highest finish in 22 years. After losing four starting points by three points.
Moyes is reportedly close to agreeing on a new three-year contract at the club. But will the 58-year-old be able to keep his valuables at London Stadium?
England midfielder Rice is likely to attract other clubs’ attention. And Jesse Lingard’s future, a revelation. Since his loan spell at Manchester United in January is in the air.
Two Czech Republic’s Coufal and Tomas Soucek could also be under contract after effective campaigns.
The Forces put West Ham to face the Saints, signing twice for his club since joining Villarreal in 2019.
Lukasz Fabianski was forced to work multiple times, blocking Kyle Walker-Peters in the first half. Before making a good stop for Jan Bednarek in the second half.
Still, Rice put the result undoubtedly late when he broke left. And hit a low shot past McCarthton’s South goal.
The Saints end the season with a whimper.
This culminated in a disappointing season for Southampton, who scored fewer points in 2021. Than any other Premier League club apart from the relegated Fulham.
They arrived at the table briefly in early November. But the injuries eventually affected them in a small group of Santa. Sometimes with less than ten people.
Ralph Hasenhuttl has opened up his desire to strengthen his summer options. But a significant test for the Austrian manager is likely to persuade star striker Danny Ings to stay at St Mary’s.
The former RB Leipzig coach has admitted that the Saints are “different” from Ings. He has recently been linked with a move to the team Manchester United.
It was a 28-year-old deft flick that almost led to the Southampton strike. But Takumi Minamino‘s effort pulled out inches of Fabianski’s post.
The West Ham goalkeeper had to be fully extended to reject Bednarek in the second half. But there was little hope for the Saints’ recovery when a quick Foronals game gave the Hammers a two-goal lead.
“The way we confessed today was a mirror of what we have seen this season,” Hasenhuttl told afterward. “That is very disturbing.
“And we still do need to look at what we really can achieve. We don’t deserve anything else.”
