3️⃣ points as West Ham do just enough to squeeze past Southampton | OneFootball

A first half Sebastien Haller goal was enough to give West Ham a 1-0 win over Southampton to ease the pressure on Manuel Pellegrini.

The Chilean tactician was thought to have been set for the sack should they have lost here, but the French forward ensured they went back to the capital with all three points.

Square one

After impressive wins over Norwich and Watford it seems like it’s back to square one for Southampton who have now lost to Newcastle and West Ham in successive weeks.

The Saints had Alex McCarthy – and VAR – to thank for the fact that they didn’t lose this game by more than a goal, and should really start to worry about their frailties in defence.

A better, more clinical side would have taken them to the cleaners here, and although Danny Ings is playing some of the best football of his career, when he has an off day – like today was – Southampton don’t look like they are staying in the division.

Two’s company

It’s been a fairly subdued start to life in the Premier League for Sebastien Haller.

Brought for big money back in the summer, the 25-year-old was supposed to score the goals that took West Ham into European contention and prove that the Hammers really do know what they’re doing when it comes to signing centre-forwards.

It hasn’t quite worked like that.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt man has netted just five times so far, despite playing 15 times for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.

But there were signs of optimism at St Mary’s this evening.

Paired alongside Michail Antonio, the two of them clearly had an innate understanding and found each other a few times with clever flicks and neat-interplay.

And the Frenchman got his just desserts on 37 minutes when he finished smartly from inside the area.

It was the first time they had started together and looks to be something that should happen more often for the east Londoners.

England calling?

We’ve seen how Gareth Southgate isn’t afraid of calling up players who are in form in the Premier League, no matter where they ply their trade.

Previous regimes may have been sniffy about a striker tearing it up at West Ham, but not Southgate.

And that’s why, should his form continue, that it may not be too much of a surprise to see Michail Antonio in the next Three Lions squad.

The 29-year-old has done things the hard way, coming through the lower leagues and taking knocks along the way.

But right now, he’s sensational.

With Jamie Vardy retired and Callum Wilson in a rut, why shouldn’t Antonio be challenging to be Harry Kane’s understudy?