West Ham United

Dan George
BBC Sport England

Image source, Getty Images

At full-time on Saturday aside from the jubilant away support, the London Stadium was a picture of frustration.

Supporters had booed at half-time and did the same at the full-time whistle, partly in protest against the referee, but also due to the fact that they had just failed to win a third straight home game.

Prior to being beaten by Saints, the Irons drew with QPR and lost to Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

It appeared that this mood had also filtered down to the dugout, with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo quick to leave his press conference after the game having answered less than two minutes of questions from the written media.

Despite this, West Ham remain well in the hunt for automatic promotion after 12 Championship games.

A win on Saturday would have seen them climb to the top of the table, but they remain just three points adrift of leaders Middlesbrough.

The Hammers are still a dangerous side in attack and showed this against Southampton with Kyle Walker-Peters and Tomas Soucek scoring two high-quality goals.

Star player Jarrod Bowen had a quiet match for his high standards but still caused Southampton left-back Ryan Manning all kinds of problems with his surging runs in and around the box.

He is also the highest-scoring Championship player this season that is not a centre-forward after finding the net on six occasions.

West Ham could put some of these worries behind them come Saturday, having the chance to go top of the league if they beat West Bromwich Albion and other results go their way.

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after his side's 3-2 defeat against Southampton on Saturday.

For the match report and a written selection of his quotes click here.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Championship match between West Ham United and Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Philip: Perhaps I'm losing faith in Nuno. We have the talent, but we're not keeping any shape. Too many instances of players clustered, unable to navigate each other and control the ball. We're also arriving in the box too early, making the pass too late. We need some discipline. Southampton were always in position, playing as a collective, and that will best a side of individuals all the time.

Hugh: Terrible defensive display standing off and watching for most of the first half. There is no development in tactics, it's one dimensional and teams have worked out how to counter it from the start as it doesn't change. Because the defence does not work, the team lacks confidence and it shows on the pitch.

Spencer: Another poor start to a game, more defensive mistakes and our midfield is a problem. It's unbalanced, no ball winners and was continually dissected with one simple straight ball. Far too much of a gap between the defence and the midfield. We don't play as a unit. You have to question the manager as we don't look like a well coached team and have been getting through with individual performances. I hope Nuno learns from this because more performances like that and I can see the fans turning.

Image source, Shutterstock

Southampton fans

Pablo: Much more clinical finishing from the Saints, having no offsides in the game for us which obviously they have been working on. Peretz was the man of the match with some outstanding saves.

Stephen: Intense, rugged, composed. Despite defensive pressures they stayed calm allowing purposeful attacks which carried them forward with clear attempts on goal being rewarded. The players, including the bench, did not let anything distract them from winning.

Geoff: A very professional performance without two of our best players. The spirit shown by the whole squad is a big confidence boost for the rest of the season.

Image source, Opta

West Ham will hope to strengthen their grip on an automatic promotion spot in the Championship when they host Southampton on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 15:00 BST).

The Hammers won 1-0 at Swansea last time out to move within one point of the league leaders and extend their unbeaten run to nine games (W6 D3).

Saints, who have lost just one of their past 10 matches (W6 D3), start the weekend in eighth but could cut the gap to West Ham to just two points with victory.

• West Ham have lost just one of their past 13 league games against Southampton (W8 D4), a 3-2 home defeat in December 2021.

• Southampton have lost five of their previous seven away league games against West Ham (D1 L1), conceding 16 goals in that time (2.3 per game).

• West Ham have scored a league-leading 30 goals in the Championship so far this season, their joint-most after their opening 11 games of a league campaign along with 1930-31.

• Only Swansea City (8) have conceded fewer goals in the Championship this season than Southampton (10), with the Saints looking to keep four successive league clean sheets for the first time since February 2016 (run of six).

• West Ham (15.9) and Southampton (15.4) are two of the top three sides in the Championship this season for xG from open play, with Middlesbrough second (15.8).

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after the 1-0 win at Swansea City on Saturday.

For the match report, and a written selection of his quotes, click here.

We asked for your thoughts after West Ham edged past Swansea City 1-0 to move within a point of the Championship leaders.

West Ham fans

Mickey: The mark of a good team is to eke out results when needed. A victory away at the league leaders, keeping a clean sheet. Extending the unbeaten run. A very good afternoon.

Sue: Good three points but still struggled in the first half. Can't understand why we always start so slow and defensive. Still not confident that we will get promotion. Need to be more attacking. Second half was better.

John: West Ham were resilient, although luck played its part. We squandered chances to go two or three ahead, Swansea also wasted good chances but overall we got the points.

Emma: Thought West Ham produced a decent result today. Wasn't spectacular by any means, but started with intensity and matched Swansea's energy throughout.

Both teams looked like they had their shooting boots on the wrong feet aside from Mukasa, as it could have ended 5-4 or so. Good result away from home against a team who don't concede many so three points happily taken.

Gavin: Three points most important over the performance which wasn't great. I think there are still starting line-up and in-game management improvements we can do to make games a bit more comfortable. But a great win to close the gap and move into automatic spots which is the sole objective of the season.

Adam: We won today thanks to Swansea being poorer than us. Out front play was poor initially, Pablo totally ineffective in holding the ball up or in the challenge.

Our anticipation was off the mark as the ball constantly eluded us and Swansea will be kicking themselves for not going harder at a team that starts slowly.

Pablo should have secured the win but contrived to fluff the best chance of the game before he went off.

Laura Kenyon
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Shutterstock

It took Divine intervention to seal all three points for West Ham against Swansea this weekend.

Divine Mukasa – arriving in the box and scoring with the game's first shot on target.

At just 19, the finish showed the composure of a player with far more years of experience in the bank. The celebration was understated.

It was a standout performance all-round from the England Under-19 international, who re-joined his boyhood club this season on loan from Manchester City.

Mukasa's stock is continuing to rise. He is praised by fans, catching the attention of pundits and clearly earning the trust of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The stats suggest that is the case - nine appearances from a possible 11 Championship fixtures, in which Mukasa has scored three goals.

West Ham gained ground on the league leaders thanks to a solitary goal from Mukasa, who is being positioned as a key player in their bid to return to the Premier League.

Could his loan move be made permanent come January?

West Ham are looking to continue their impressive run in the Championship as they head to leaders Swansea City on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to BBC Radio London's Emma Jones:

• On returning to winning ways against Lincoln City on Wednesday: "There's always pressure, inside our objective. It was important to achieve a win. We still keep trying to build momentum, and more than anything perform well, compete well, so we can be stronger."

• On Tomas Soucek's two goals in the 6-0 victory: "It was very important for him, after such a long period out, to score goals, to celebrate, to be happy - but there were lots of positives."

• On whether a game against a rival is must-win: "All the matches are must-win, all the points you can win are the same. From the first game, winning is always our objective."

• On playing Swansea: "It will be very tough. They are a good team and doing things very well, so we expect a very competitive match."

• On Swans' boss and fellow Portuguese Victor Matos: "I do know him, but not very well. He is doing a very good job. He is a young manager with a lot of quality. I haven't had the chance to speak to him, but I have big admiration and respect."

Image source, Opta

Swansea's promotion credentials are set to be given their sternest test yet as West Ham visit on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Despite winning four straight games the Swans could start the game second in the Championship, should Middlesbrough overcome Cardiff in the early kick-off, but will seek to continue their unbeaten run at home, taking 11 points from five games so far and conceding only twice.

The Hammers - who lie four points behind City in the standings - are the country's leading scorers with 29 goals across 10 matches, six of those in a midweek win at Lincoln, which made it nine points from five games unbeaten on their travels.

• Swansea won their last league game against West Ham 4-1 in March 2018, last beating the Hammers twice in a row in the league in September 1957 (3 in a row).

• West Ham have won on just one of their past six league visits to Swansea (D3 L2), a 4-1 Premier League win on Boxing Day 2016.

• With 23 points across their opening 10 Championship matches this season (W7 D2 L1), Swansea City are enjoying their second-best Football League campaign at this stage after only 1923-24 (25 - when assuming three points for a win).

• West Ham have lost their past two away league games against sides from Wales and will be looking to avoid losing three in succession for the first time since September 1957 (4).

• Thanks to his goal and two assists against Lincoln in midweek, West Ham's Jarrod Bowen became the first player across England's top four tiers this season to record 5+ goals (6) and 5+ assists (5) this season.

Fit-again Tomas Soucek aims to play a leading role in helping West Ham get back to the Premier League after making an emphatic return to action.

A day after signing a new contract, the Czech midfielder came off the bench and scored twice in Wednesday's 6-0 hammering of Lincoln City.

It was just his second appearance of the season, after suffering an ankle injury at the World Cup.

"I'm as happy as I can be, because I signed a new contract with West Ham and since I came here everything has suited so well and the connection is between me and the club and fans," Soucek told BBC Radio London.

"And to score these two goals is massive for me. This performance also gives me the motivation and ambition for all the hard work I have done, because I missed nearly four months since the injury.

"I scored for many years in the Premier League and the goal is to go straight back, and I want to be a big part of the team.

"My connection with them (the fans) is unbelievable and I wanted to deliver for them. This is my home now."

We asked for your thoughts after Wednesday's eventful Championship match between Lincoln City and West Ham.

The Imps played most of the game with nine men after two early red cards and the Hammers punished them by scoring six.

Here are some of your comments:

Lincoln fans

Neil: Architect of their own downfall, enabled West Ham to take all three points without getting out of first gear.

Peter: Feeling nothing but pride for the nine warriors who stayed professional to the end of a very difficult evening. Clearly the game and result would have been very different but for two bad decisions by two good players. Some very positive performances by players, despite the result. Onwards and upwards, up the Imps.

Kieran: Although the result finished 6–0 against us, the score doesn't tell the full story of the effort, commitment and determination shown by the nine-man team. Every player gave it their all, continued to work hard for one another and never stopped trying, even when things became difficult.

As a new team in the league, we knew there would be challenges, and this game was a reminder of the steep learning curve we face. The pace, physicality and quality of opposition are all things we will continue to learn from as we gain more experience together.

Saying that, I would not have bet against Lincoln if it was 11 v 11.

There are plenty of lessons to take away from this match, and while the result is disappointing, there were positives in the attitude and determination shown by the lads. We will take these lessons on board, keep working hard in training and come back stronger.

Heads up, chests out, and on to the next one!

Image source, Shutterstock

West Ham fans

Nige: Very good. Took a while to break them down but a class above. A stroll for West Ham in the second half. Lincoln too pumped up, maybe hoping to intimidate the Iron. Impressed by a group of Lincoln fans who didn't stop singing. Too good for their team.

Richard: A strange game. Both teams were equal until 23 minutes when the Imps went down to nine men. After that it became a one-way street in which the Hammers couldn't be stopped from going forward and scoring goals almost at will. A six-goal win was probably a fair result even though the Imps were quite disciplined in defence.

The Hammers will need to improve their performance against the league leaders on Saturday if they want to get something from the game. A defeat will see them fall seven points off the top.

Dave: Yet another very poor first half, even against a nine-man team. Lincoln played well.

I just don't understand why we can't play in the first half - until we scored you would have thought we [were the team who] only had nine players.

It seems we have to wait for the second half and the substitutes before we start playing. He [boss Nuno] really needs to look at the team selection, the young Norwegian lad [Edvin Austbo] looks really good and quick, give him a start not coming off the bench.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after their 6-0 away win over Lincoln City.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Former West Ham United defender Anton Ferdinand says he knows exactly how the current crop of players feel as they fight for promotion back to the Premier League.

Ferdinand, now 41, made his professional debut for the Hammers on the opening day of the 2003-04 campaign after the club's relegation the previous season.

They missed out on an immediate return to the top flight, losing to Crystal Palace in the play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, but came back the following year to defeat Preston.

"I lived this, many years ago, this exact moment," Ferdinand, who has this season embarked on his first senior coaching role with National League newcomers Hornchurch, told BBC Radio London.

"I know how hard it is. You're coming into the Championship, you're the biggest team in the league. [When] everyone's coming to your home pitch, it's an FA Cup final for them, and the pressure's on.

"But [boss] Nuno [Espirito Santo] has steadied the ship quite quickly, which is very pleasing.

"As much as everyone's saying we should walk the league, it's never going to be like that. That's just the way the Championship is.

"We've started well. When we get to Christmas, that's when it really starts to get nail-biting."

Listen to Anton talk to BBC Radio London's breakfast show on the club's season so far, and their work in the community, by using the play button above or clicking here.

Image source, Shutterstock

West Ham United head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has again warned his players they can ill afford to start matches slowly.

The Hammers have conceded the first goal in their last three games in all competitions, hitting back to draw Championship matches against QPR and Millwall but losing their EFL Cup tie with Premier League side Fulham.

Nuno is keen to avoid a repeat when his side travel to face Lincoln City, who sit in 16th place, on Wednesday.

"We have to fix it, urgently," he said. "We have to start the games better. I don't want to keep repeating myself – 'slow start, better second half'.

"I want to come to you guys one day and say 'good first half, good second half'."

Venezuela winger Keiber Lamadrid remains sidelined through injury, while other players will have their match fitness assessed as the Hammers get used to extra league fixtures outside the top flight.

Midfielder Mohamadou Kante is available again after he missed the QPR game through suspension.

West Ham United will be hoping they can regain their position in the automatic promotion places during the midweek games after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Queens Park Rangers on Friday saw them drop to third.

They visit Lincoln City for Wednesday's headline event (20:00 BST) with the Imps looking to cut off a two-match losing run.

• This will be the first league match between Lincoln City and West Ham United since December 1957, a 6-1 win for the Hammers.

• West Ham are unbeaten in seven meetings with Lincoln City in all competitions (W5 D2), most recently a 1-0 League Cup third round victory in September 2023.

• Lincoln have failed to win their opening four home games of a Football League season for the first time since 2004-05 (first 5).

• West Ham are looking to avoid defeat in their first five away league games of a season for the fourth time in the 21st century, after 2011-12 (Championship), 2015-16 (Premier League) and 2021-22 (Premier League).

• West Ham have won each of their last five league games against newly promoted opponents, including a 3-2 win at Bolton already this season.

West Ham United boss Nuno Espirito Santo spoke to BBC Radio London after the 1-1 draw at home to QPR on Friday night.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.