Fulham vs West Ham United. Premier League.
Craven CottageAttendance24,491.
Report and free match highlights as Harrison Reed's 23rd-minute own goal lifts West Ham away from relegation danger with a priceless 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage
Sunday 9 April 2023 08:26, UK
West Ham secured a vital 1-0 victory at Fulham to ease their relegation fears and ease the pressure on boss David Moyes, in a game he could not afford to lose at Craven Cottage.
Moyes admitted his job was on the line after the 5-1 humiliation at home to Newcastle on Wednesday but, having retained the support of co-owner David Sullivan, it was Harrison Reed's unfortunate 23rd-minute first-half own goal that proved the difference.
Lacking in a focal point of real quality in the continued absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Carlos Vinicius fed off scraps for Fulham, but Lukasz Fabianski was barely drawn into action, with Andreas Pereira being thwarted as he attempted to round the goalkeeper as close as the hosts would come.
Bernd Leno denied Danny Ings, who was immediately subbed to the annoyance of the Hammers supporters, but it would not invite a sustained period of Fulham pressure as the visitors held on for a first Premier League away win since August.
Fulham have now lost four consecutive league games for the first time since April 2021 as they remain 10th in the table, while West Ham rise to 13th - three points above the relegation zone.
Moyes said: "We had to defend pretty well for periods of the game but I thought we defended really well today. It's two clean sheets in a week, two 1-0 victories in a week. We ground it out today and found a way to get a result."
With Fulham manager Marco Silva watching on from the stands, serving the first of his two-game touchline ban, Moyes was animated and relieved at the final whistle. The Scot lives to fight another day.
Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady were sat in the stands at Craven Cottage, and the Hammers' hierarchy witnessed a resolute display which secured three points that were richly deserved against a tepid Fulham, who are starting to have the look of a side thinking about next season.
Moyes had made five changes as he sought a response to the Newcastle debacle, but it was a moment of good fortune which decided this fraught contest.
One of those alterations, Vladimir Coufal, dug out a cross to evade Antonee Robinson and, after Tim Ream had presented his clearance to Jarrod Bowen, his low centre struck the inside of Reed's heel to bamboozle Leno.
An ugly game had its fitting winner, but it was a priceless moment for Moyes.
"It was a frustrating afternoon for us," Silva said. "We had almost 80 per cent possession but it's not important if you don't use it.
"They played in a low block and they tried to be compact while exploiting transitions and with set-pieces. We arrived thinking in this way, but we were so static in the first half. We weren't dynamic and we didn't create many chances."
Ings ought to have made the second half far more comfortable when he latched onto Bowen's through ball to loft his finish onto Leno's head as he advanced at his feet, but for all of Fulham's possession, they lacked any degree of penetration.
Tosin Adarabioyo headed into Fabianski's gloves after Pereira had been denied in trying to round the veteran West Ham goalkeeper - but that was as hairy as it got for the Hammers, who really ought to have put the game to bed in stoppage time when Maxwel Cornet shot straight at Leno, failing to capitalise on a mistake by Ream.
Fulham are on the beach, and Moyes is still alive.
Fulham boss Marco Silva:
"They scored through our own goal which should be disallowed because it was a clear handball from Coufal in the build-up. Why VAR didn't check that moment, it is difficult for us as it was right in front of the linesman.
"Even so, we are punished by our performance in the first half. We looked for more creativity with our changes at half-time to become more unpredictable. It was a better second half with two or three dangerous moments, but it was not enough for us to equalise.
"The quality in our execution wasn't at the level it should be.
"I only know one way [to turn results around] and that is through working hard. It was in this way that we've had so many good performances this season so far and why we're where we are in the table. We need to show personality on the pitch to improve.
"When you're not getting results, it is normal to play without confidence but it is up to us to change it."
West Ham boss David Moyes:
"We nicked a goal. The changes worked and we saw a few of the boys that have been around a while and know their jobs. That gave us a foundation to work from. They are really good, experienced players who I can trust.
"We started with Danny [Ings] and Mic [Michail Antonio] today to see if it could give us something else. In bits it did.
"We want to probably play a more expansive game, that's the plan. But I think you understand that when you are in this position in the league there's a way you have to play. I think, today, the decisions we made and when we made them all worked really well.
"We're really looking forward to Europe now, another chance to get to a semi-final. We're hoping that we can do it.
"Sometimes when you're not in the right position you have to find ways of winning and I thought we did that today. We'd like to be playing a bit different."
Sky Sports' Ben Grounds at Craven Cottage:
This was a game Moyes quite simply knew he could not lose. No matter what. In the end, it was entirely fitting that a match all about the result would be decided in such untidy fashion.
Not since a victory at Aston Villa in their second away game of the season had the travelling West Ham fans been able to celebrate three points - although history was on their side here, having won more away fixtures against Fulham than any other Premier League team.
Those supporters, though, still lambasted manager Moyes with chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' during the second half, his decision to replace striker Ings with Flynn Downes greeted with derision from the away section.
"I can't really answer that. People will do that if they chose to do so," said the West Ham boss afterwards.
Relegation worries eased, Moyes marched across the pitch and towards the Cottage in the far corner, affording himself time to acknowledge the travelling fans, only to see a banner which read in black and white 'Moyes Out'.
Before heading down the tunnel, he looked up and gave Sullivan and Brady a thumbs up. It was job done on the banks of the River Thames.
Given how tight it is down at the bottom, West Ham cannot rest on their laurels and having earned himself a stay of execution heading into Thursday's Europa Conference League quarter-final with Gent, his decision to ring the changes paid off handsomely.
Kurt Zouma made 14 clearances while his new defensive partner Angelo Ogbonna was equally superb in making 12. It is a selection headache that Moyes would welcome, so long as his side build on this most scrappy of victories.
Fulham head to relegation candidates Everton on Saturday April 15. Kick-off 3pm.
West Ham host Gent in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final tie on Thursday April 13. Kick-off 5.45pm.
They return to league action three days later on Sunday April 16 at home to Arsenal, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 2pm.
April 15: Everton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 22: Leeds (H) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
April 25: Aston Villa (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Man City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: Liverpool (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 8: Leicester (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Southampton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Man Utd (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
April 13: Gent (A) - Europa Conference League quarter-finals, first leg, kick-off 5.45pm
April 16: Arsenal (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
April 20: Gent (H) - Europa Conference League quarter-finals, second leg, kick-off 8pm
April 23: Bournemouth (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm
April 26: Liverpool (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 29: Crystal Palace (A) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
May 3: Man City (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 7: Man Utd (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7pm
May 13: Brentford (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Leeds (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Leicester City (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
