Jarrod Bowen praised a shift in West Ham’s mindset as they won at Arsenal in the Premier League for the first time since 2015.
The Hammers secured a 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium to go four points behind the top four and prevent their hosts moving back to the top of the table.
Bowen capitalised on rocky Arsenal defending to cross for Tomas Soucek to open the scoring, the goal standing after a lengthy VAR check could not conclude if the ball had gone out of play before the England international’s centre.
Former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos then headed in his first West Ham goal to seal the three points – with David Moyes’ side now having beaten Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal this month.
While those victories have been tinged with setbacks – a 5-0 league thrashing at Fulham and a meek Carabao Cup exit at Liverpool – Bowen feels building on Saturday’s win over United with another three points against a title challenger shows progress.
“It’s a massive win,” Bowen told the club’s official website.
“We knew it was going to be difficult as these are top side, but we managed to build on what we did against Manchester United.
“I think, for us, we haven’t been consistent enough. We might have won one game and then the Fulham game springs to mind when we conceded five, and if we want to be spoken about to go to the top six and finishing higher in the division then we need to be consistent.
“Like I say, this was a hard game, but I said after the Man United game that we needed to come here with a mindset to take points and we’ve done that.
“It’s those consistency levels…We play Brighton in a few days (Tuesday) and we have to go there and win that as well.”
Things could have been even better for West Ham had Said Benrahma’s stoppage-time penalty not been saved by David Raya – but for Arsenal it was a night to forget.
Mikel Arteta’s men had 30 attempts on goal but could not trouble the scorers as they failed to produce the win required to usurp Liverpool at the summit.
“I think we created more than enough to score goals to win the game,” said captain Martin Odegaard.
“It was the little details and the little last pass or the finish that was missing. We have to learn from it and make sure we get sharper and better in front of the goals.
“The goals we conceded were too easy, so definitely in front of the goals, inside the boxes, that’s where the games are decided. We weren’t good enough.”
Bournemouth 1-0 Tottenham: Huijsen downs sorry Spurs
Bournemouth moved into the top half of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Tottenham at the Vitality Stadium.
Dean Huijsen scored the decisive goal in the 17th minute when the Spurs defence allowed the 19-year-old defender to head in unmarked from a Marcus Tavernier corner.
The hosts had the chance to put the game to bed in the second half as Ryan Christie was denied by the woodwork and an Evanilson goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review.
Tottenham were unable to make meaningful inroads throughout the first half and despite their performance picking up after the break, the visitors failed to find a way back and fell to their sixth league defeat of the season.
Bournemouth leapfrogged their opponents into ninth place on 21 points, while Tottenham dropped to 10th, one point behind the Cherries.
Data Debrief: Home comforts for Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth have now won four of their last five games at their home ground. What makes their home form even more impressive is the fact that they have beaten Arsenal 2-0 and champions Manchester City 2-1 during that run.
On Thursday, the Cherries attempted 21 shots, which was their highest total in a league match this season.
They only scored one, but it proved decisive. Huijsen became Bournemouth’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Premier League at 19 years and 235 days and the third-youngest Spaniard, after Cesc Fabregas and Stefan Bajcetic.
Meanwhile, Spurs have now lost seven of their last 11 away games in the league (W3 D1), as Ange Postecoglou's team, who had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half, failed to show anywhere close to their best form.
Lazio 3-1 Napoli: Noslin hat-trick fires Biancocelesti into Coppa Italia quarter-finals
Tijjani Noslin's hat-trick booked Lazio's place in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals following a 3-1 victory over Napoli.
The Dutch forward's first treble of his career proved decisive at Stadio Olimpico, where Giovanni Simeone's strike proved nothing more than a consolation for the visitors.
Lazio were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute after Elia Caprile brought down Pedro, but the Napoli goalkeeper redeemed himself with a smart save to deny Mattia Zaccagni from 12 yards.
Nevertheless, the hosts broke through in the 32nd minute. Samuel Gigot headed Loum Tchaouna's deep centre back across goal for Noslin to nod home.
Simeone brought Napoli level four minutes later, tucking away a rebound after Christos Mandas could only parry David Neres' initial effort.
However, Noslin put Lazio back in front within five minutes after Pedro cushioned a cross neatly into his path, before completing his hat-trick early in the second half when heading home Zaccagni's centre.
Data Debrief: Another last-16 exit for Partenopei
Lazio are through to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals for a 14th consecutive season, after Noslin stole the show in Rome.
The Dutchman had never previously in his career scored two goals in the same match, let alone three.
Meanwhile, Napoli have now won just one of their last six away games in the Coppa Italia, and have exited the tournament at this stage in each of the last four seasons.
Silva hails 'amazing' Iwobi as Fulham down Brighton
Marco Silva hailed the "amazing" job Alex Iwobi did, as his brace fired Fulham to a 3-1 win over Brighton at Craven Cottage on Thursday.
The Nigeria international, playing in a more central midfield role, pounced on Bart Verbruggen's error after only four minutes to put the hosts ahead.
And he rounded out the win with a fine curling effort three minutes from time, after Matt O'Riley's luckless own goal had restored Fulham's lead following Carlos Baleba's brilliant equaliser.
Speaking to Amazon Prime, Cottagers boss Silva said of Iwobi: "This evening, we played with Alex Iwobi in a different position. He's an offensive player and did an amazing job this evening.
"It was a big three points for us in a tough game. We started in the best way possible with the early goal, but Brighton made it really difficult for us in the first half. They started with three at the back, and it made it difficult for us to connect with the wide players.
"We had chances as well. Second half, we were much better. We conceded in a moment we should prepare better for the long ball. It was a good shot from the edge of the box. [A] difficult game, but a big three points for us."
Iwobi hinted his early opener was a product of Fulham's set-up, while he revelled in giving the home fans a "gift" with his expertly taken second late on.
"We know Brighton like to play and so do we. I was able to capitalise on the high press," he said.
"We know that Brighton like to play out from the back, so we came up with a structure, and it obviously worked for the first goal. We take it, however it goes in, a goal is a goal. We wanted a goal from a set-piece because we were a real threat last season.
"It's [his second goal] a gift for Fulham and the fans. It was a good pass from Antonee Robinson, and it was a good finish."
Lewis Dunk cut a frustrated figure after the game and felt he should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul from Issa Diop leading up to Fulham's second goal.
The Brighton captain was particularly annoyed VAR failed to spot an infringement.
"It was a foul," he said. "It was the same as the one on the halfway line and in the box. I jumped for the header, and he put his hands in my back.
"How the ref or VAR can't see it, it is what it is. It was clear. It's annoying. If you watch the replay, it's a clear foul, a push in my back.
"I don't think the scoreline reflects the game. We picked ourselves up, and I thought we were the better side, but that's football.
"It baffles me sometimes how we have some people watching on a screen, and they can't get the decision right."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
