With 62 minutes gone, all around the London Stadium the words ‘Come on you Irons’ were being chanted with fervour and meaning.
West Ham had been building steadily since returning for the second half. Now, one jinking, jiving run from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and a close effort from Michail Antonio had made the home fans believe something more useful than a goalless draw against Manchester United was possible.
They were right. Jarrod Bowen’s nerveless late penalty could prove so invaluable for Julen Lopetegui, and he must thank the clumsy late challenge of Matthijs de Ligt on Danny Ings, as well as VAR for the fact it was given. He must also thank the club’s new captain for scoring from the spot and securing all three points.
West Ham struck first in an overall quite even affair, and it felt totally justified that the scorer, Crysencio Summerville, was named man of the match after a dazzling substitute display which included his first goal for the club.
A difficult run of fixtures at the start of the season and the failure of some new signings to gel instantly has seen victories prove hard to come by for Lopetegui. His third league win arrived in style, though, and if his job was under immediate threat then he has now earned a grace period after a battling performance brought victory over one of the richest clubs in the world. Quite what the result means for Lopetegui’s opposite number, Erik ten Hag, remains to be seen, but if three points deserved to end up anywhere on the balance of play then they certainly went to the right place.
Casemiro’s late headed equaliser came just seven minutes after Summerville’s strike and really was a sucker punch for the hosts. But thanks to VAR Michael Oliver and the continued pressure of Bowen and Wan-Bissaka down the right, the hosts had the last laugh and moved from 16th up to 13th as a result, with United now behind them in 14th place.
West Ham dealt well with the absence of Mohammed Kudus due to suspension, and Lopetegui was rewarded for the gutsy decision to drop Alphonse Areola and Jean-Clair Todibo after their parts in a calamitous own goal against Tottenham last weekend; Lukasz Fabianski was superb in goal in Areola’s place.
The significance of this victory cannot be overstated. Lopetegui will breathe an almighty sigh of relief.
