Brighton 1-3 West Ham: Hammers go TOP of the Premier League with smash-and-grab win as James Ward-Prowse nets his first for the membership, with Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio additionally scoring

David Moyes scowled and jabbered within the ear of his trusted assistant Billy McKinlay then winced as West Ham’s midfield surrendered possession cheaply.

The early season top-of-the-table skirmish with Brighton had simply reached the seventieth minute and, to have a look at West Ham’s supervisor, you’d have thought his workforce have been being pulled from pillar to submit, notably as reverse quantity, Roberto De Zerbi, appeared so sanguine.

Right here, although, was a reminder that you need to by no means choose a state of affairs on a small snapshot. This had been a momentary lapse on what had really been a close to good day for Moyes and his workforce, with their go to to the seaside seeing them make waves.

For all that Brighton had began the marketing campaign with a flurry of targets and a raft of gushing headlines, they have been flattened by a masterclass in counterattacking soccer. Moyes can usually be gruff and demanding in his technical space however, inside, he would have been dancing a jig.

Many puzzled how life after Declan Rice can be for West Ham, whom their boisterous supporters won’t tire of telling everybody about final season’s European exploits, however the adjustment goes easily and this was a outcome that may have made many sit-up and take discover.

From one to 11 and the substitutes added in, West Ham have been ruthless {and professional} and scored some fairly stunning targets. Don’t consider for one minute that this was some type of smash-and-grab raid: it was the execution of a rigorously crafted plan.

True, Brighton performed a job of their downfall, the flimsy method by which they performed the opening 60 minutes paying homage to the night time right here in Could when Everton beat them 5-1: Adam Webster, particularly, may have bother sleeping after his pricey errors.

However to pin every little thing on him can be unfair. West Ham had the gamers to use this, not least the bubbling James Ward-Prowse – an identikit Moyes participant if ever there was one – and Jarrod Bowen, the hero of Prague, whose contact and management left you considering he was carrying ballet footwear.

Extra on Bowen later however first to Webster, who will need to have wished the bottom might have swallowed him up within the nineteenth minute, when the competition was turned on its head.

His first ball out of defence was minimize out by Ward-Prowse, who instantly chipped a ball for Antonio to scurry after; Webster tried to atone however made a hash of his again go and, immediately, alarm bells have been ringing.

Michail Antonio charged into Brighton’s space however, somewhat than taking pictures, he regarded up and noticed Ward-Prowse had surged 40 yards to hitch in; the striker’s sq. ball put the England worldwide in on purpose and although Billy Gilomour initially averted the hazard, there can be no reprieve.

Switching his ft deftly, Ward-Prowse side-footed in from six yards and bounded away in delight, his supervisor an equally animated determine on the touchline. This was nothing greater than the guests had deserved, as they hadn’t given Brighton any alternative to set the tone.

That isn’t to say Brighton didn’t have loads of the ball. They completely did. By half-time, the possession statistics have been closely weighted within the hosts’ favour, a colossal 84 per cent to 16 however the outdated saying was true: the one statistic that actually issues is the scoreline.

With their noses in entrance, West Ham had no intention of being pegged again. Every member of the workforce knew what was anticipated, every member of the workforce was ready to run and deal with and do the ugly issues to maintain the benefit.

When Angelo Ogbanna dithered over taking a free-kick, as an illustration, prompting referee Anthony Taylor to sprint over and administer a warning, Moyes – a supervisor who has by no means entertained darkish arts – went ballistic at his defender for needlessly including time onto the clock. He wished focus.

He was getting it, too. Edson Alvarez, not too long ago recruited from Ajax to assist fill the Declan Rice void, was a tackling menace, a continuing gremlin in Brighton’s makes an attempt to play fluently. One problem earned the Mexican a yellow card nevertheless it was the one blot on his efficiency.

De Zerbi – who raised eyebrows pre-match by taking part in Bart Verbruggen in purpose, somewhat than Jason Steele – belatedly obtained a response from his workforce and had Evan Ferguson proven extra composure within the forty sixth minute when picked out by Karou Mitoma, the pendulum could have swung the opposite approach.

His header, nonetheless, was nicely saved by the faultless Alphonse Areola and, from there, West Ham took the chance to inflict most injury, as two targets in 5 minutes across the hour put them over the road.

The primary, from Bowen, was fairly sensible. Antonio clipped a ball as much as substitute Mentioned Benrahma on the midway line, permitting the Algerian to maneuver ahead ominously down the left. His cross was good however Bowen, who had run 60 yards, produced a contact and end that was even higher.

Bowen would then flip supplier, a brilliant go into Antonio’s ft within the 63rd minute enabling the powerhouse to twist and switch Webster a method then the opposite earlier than crashing his shot previous Verbruggen: sport over.

A strike from Pascal Gross within the 84th minute threatened to make issues tense however for all Brighton’s late stress, there was no well beyond Areola. He was as cussed as his workforce as an entire: and on the closing whistle, as his followers sang about being high of the league, you knew Moyes was delighted.