West Ham’s season-defining month got off to a sloppy start as David Moyes’ side were knocked out of the FA Cup at Southampton.
With huge games in the Premier League and Europa League to come over the following two weeks, defeat to a much-changed Southampton marked a concerning start for the Hammers.
With all their commitments coming up over the next few weeks, many expected it would have been Moyes to make nine changes to his starting XI, but it was his counterpart, Ralph Hasenhuttl - with nothing much to play for in the league - who significantly shuffled his pack.
Moyes’ selection was a statement of intent, just the two changes from Sunday’s win over Wolves as Issa Diop came in for Aaron Cresswell and Alphonse Areola got his chance in goal.
The Hammers looked to be taking advantage of Southampton’s second string side early on, cruising through the red and white shirts at will.
Tomas Soucek should have done better when he was allowed the space to shoot from a deflected Manuel Lanzini cross but the Czech fired wide, before later sending a bobbling effort at Willy Caballero after a loose ball at the back from the Saints, who were guilty of exactly that once more moments later when Ibrahima Diallo played in Michail Antonio.
Again, West Ham could not capitalise. Both sides were lacking the quality to truly threaten, until Perraud stepped up.
Southampton had struggled to get past West Ham’s back three - with Kurt Zouma excelling at its heart - so the French full-back surpassed the backline altogether, collecting from Kyle Walker-Peters 30 yards from goal and bending a stupendous effort over Areola and into the far corner.
Having punished West Ham for their profligacy in the first-half, Southampton sent on Armando Broja and Stuart Armstrong to try and extend their advantage, but were soon back to square one as they were finally made to pay for a mistake at the back.
Caballero flapped at a Jarrod Bowen corner and couldn’t clear, allowing Issa Diop to prod the ball across for Antonio, who spun and clipped in his first goal since New Year’s Day.
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙩.@Romain_Perraud @SouthamptonFC #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/2h8bYoQtuk
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 2, 2022
West Ham were level but facing a familiar foe in Broja, who had caused so much trouble against them in the two previous Premier League encounters this season and did so again here.
The Albanian international, who has plenty of admirers at the London Stadium, barged past Craig Dawson with ease as he raced onto a long ball.
Just as he had done in defeat to this side on Boxing Day, Dawson brought down the Chelsea loanee and, after a VAR review, a penalty was given. James Ward-Prowse converted two months ago and did so again here, firing down the middle as Areola dived to his right.
Said Benrahma and Nikola Vlasic had been added to West Ham’s attacking quarter to find a way through but Southampton held firm and the Hammers were struggling to create from open play - Antonio kept on the fringes of things despite his goal from the corner.
Set pieces looked the only chance of West Ham finding a way back and Caballero made up for his earlier error with a flying save to deny Dawson from Bowen’s corner before Benrahma blazed over from the following opening.
West Ham were devoid of ideas and Moyes’ frustration was only increased by a number of niggling challenges from Southampton as they looked to stall the visitors on the break, Perraud and Diallo cynically pulling back Bowen and Declan Rice respectively.
With the visitors lacking inspiration, Broja added more of his own - not content with another embarrassment of Dawson, the 19-year-old turned his gaze to Zouma, popping up on the left and dropping a shoulder to move past the Frenchman before bending a low effort into the far corner.
The Southampton striker had given his side everything Antonio could not provide for West Ham.
The win over Wolves on Sunday looked to have marked the end of West Ham’s spell of tired, frustrating football - but those questions still hang as they head towards Liverpool and onto Sevilla.
