Goals from Jesse Lingard and Craig Dawson kept West Ham in the hunt for a top-four Premier League finish with a 2-0 win over Leeds at the London Stadium. – By Madellene Markit.
The Hammers are back up to fifth after Lingard converted the rebound from his own missed penalty and fellow January signing Dawson crashed in a fine header.
A year ago on Sunday West Ham played their final match before lockdown, a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal which left them out of the relegation zone only on goal difference.
Since then, West Ham have collected 60 points from 34 games and transformed themselves from a side battling the drop to one mounting a genuine challenge for European qualification.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa might have known it wasn’t going to be his night when his side had two early goals disallowed.
Tyler Roberts’ effort was ruled out for offside against Helder Costa before Patrick Bamford netted from Raphinha’s cut-back, only for replays to show the ball had gone over the touchline before the cross.
West Ham took the lead in the 21st minute after Luke Ayling tripped Jesse Lingard in the area. Lingard took the penalty and although Illan Meslier saved his shot, the on-loan Manchester United midfielder snapped up the rebound.
Leeds missed a hatful of chances in either half with Patrick Bamford twice guilty of gilt-edged misses and substitute Rodrigo’s effort cleared off the line late on.
The hosts instead taught their visitors a lesson in clinical finishing, with Dawson and Lingard now scorers of seven of West Ham’s last 13 Premier League goals, to leapfrog Everton into fifth, two points off a top-four spot.
But they have won four of their last six league games to leave Hammers fans dreaming of a place in Europe’s elite club competition.
“We are doing really well and having a good season. It could be a great season,” Moyes said. “I’m not saying we will finish in the top four but we need to hang in and see what we can do.”
