West Ham were able to claw their way up to 15th in the table with a 1-0 win over Southampton, leaving the Saints in the relegation zone.
Manuel Pellegrini did not need to pick up a newspaper this week to realise the significance of this match. He knew a failure to win could render him unemployed come Christmas Day.
Pellegrini responded by doing what was asked of him and he has his players to thank for that. They put in a shift here, with Michail Antonio their nuisance-in-chief.
Antonio was so relentless, you would not put it past the man to decide to run home rather than take the team bus. He and Sebastien Haller formed a fine partnership.
That was a crucial element to this victory which left Southampton loitering inside the relegation zone, and one which could ensure Pellegrini remains a Premier League for a while longer.
The Chilean could still leave, should the West Ham board decide now is the time to go in a different direction with their next game not until Boxing Day.
But really, you suspect this result saves him the indignity of that.
No prizes for guessing who the Sky Sports cameras were stalking ahead of kick-off.
They followed Pellegrini as he walked through the tunnel without acknowledging any of his players and stayed with the 66-year-old as he sat in the dugout, staring directly ahead.
West Ham’s 4-4-2 formation was enforced because of illness to Felipe Anderson – cue the ‘maybe he didn’t have the stomach for this’ jokes – but also music to their fans’ ears.
They had been calling on Pellegrini to use two up top. Now they had their wish, in the form of Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller, their £45million summer signing.
They were a handful and West Ham had the ball in the net inside two minutes. A cross from Robert Snodgrass, a header from Declan Rice, but the offside flag was raised.
Replays showed it was close but correct. Yet it was a sign of things to come and West Ham should have been celebrating a legitimate goal after seven minutes.
This time, Antonio cut the ball back and Pablo Fornals sent a shot goalward, only for Cedric Soares to produce a block. Alex McCarthy was glad to see the ball bounce wide.
The opening 20 minutes were all West Ham. The visiting supporters were the only voices that could be heard. The home fans had been given nothing to shout about.
In the 25th minute, Antonio went ballistic towards referee Martin Atkinson.
He wanted a penalty after apparently being dragged down by Jan Bednarek, while Haller seemed to have been wrestled to the ground by Ryan Bertrand at the same time.
Two spot-kicks for the price of one, West Ham thought, as their supporters chanted ‘VAR’.
It went to Stockley Park, but they said play on. Southampton, it has to be said, can count themselves fortunate about that outcome. Either could easily have been awarded.
Not to worry as West Ham had their lead in their 37th minute. Once again, Antonio’s relentlessness proved key. He raced for the ball then cut it back to Snodgrass.
Snodgrass crossed to Fornals, who headed to Haller and the 6ft 3in striker found the far corner.
At first there was no celebration from Haller, despite this being his first goal since October 5, then he sprinted to the dugout to hug his fellow Frenchman Issa Diop.
‘How s*** must you be? We’re winning away,’ sang the away support, to which the home end replied in equally self-deprecating fashion: ‘How s*** must you be? It’s only 1-0.’
Boos rang round at half time. ‘Santa Claus is coming to town,’ began playing to drown them out. In their last match here before Christmas, there had been distinctly little cheer.
Pellegrini, by his standards, had been much more animated on the touchline. Normally relaxed, he looked restless as he stood then sat, then stood then sat.
Ralph Hasenhuttl, meanwhile, stood with arms folded and a look of fury. In the 52nd minute, his head dropped as he watched Antonio break through and whack the ball beyond McCarthy.
West Ham had a 2-0 lead, or did they? ‘VAR checking goal,’ we were told via the stadium announcer. They were looking for a handball by Antonio in the build-up.
Replays showed the ball did indeed brush his hand. A lifeline for Southampton, who came closest to levelling when Danny Ings smashed a shot against the crossbar in the 70th minute.
Southampton’s night was summed up when Long, from a central position, sliced a shot so badly wide it went out for a throw-in. Now the heat is on Hasenhuttl.
ishti
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Hammers Hammered the Saints