West Ham Defeats Leicester City, Increasing Relegation Worries

West Ham defeated Leicester City 2-0, increasing Leicester’s worries about relegation. The match took place in London. The defeat leaves Leicester second-bottom in the Premier League, five points from safety.

Match Summary

West Ham secured a 2-0 victory over Leicester City with goals in the first half. Tomas Soucek opened the scoring, and an own goal from Jannik Vestergaard sealed the win for the Hammers.

Soucek scored after Mohammed Kudus’ shot was saved. Jarrod Bowen’s shot deflected off Vestergaard for the second goal after Jamie Vardy’s header hit the woodwork for Leicester.

Leicester’s Struggles

Leicester’s form has been poor. They have lost 11 of their last 12 Premier League games. Ruud van Nistelrooy replaced Steve Cooper as manager in November, but Leicester’s struggles have continued.

Van Nistelrooy acknowledged the team’s low confidence. He stated that the team is in a mindset of trying not to lose. Their performance at the London Stadium was described as submissive.

West Ham’s Performance

West Ham’s manager, Graham Potter, seems to be restoring order. Jarrod Bowen played a key role in both first-half goals. West Ham were unchanged from their win at Arsenal.

Potter highlighted the importance of building on the win against Arsenal. He spoke about improving players and building good foundations.

Key Moments

The first half saw West Ham dominate possession. Soucek’s goal came after Leicester failed to clear their lines. Bowen’s shot then deflected off Vestergaard, increasing West Ham’s lead. Leicester fans sang of past glories. The first half ended with boos directed at Van Nistelrooy.

In the second half, West Ham maintained their comfort. Leicester made substitutions. Potter made changes to bolster the defence and midfield. West Ham secured the win.

Post-Match Comments

Van Nistelrooy said that the damage was done in the first half. Potter described the performance as professional. He was delighted with two wins, two clean sheets, and six points.

Bowen said no defender wants an own goal, claiming the goal as his own.

Match Details

The match took place on Thursday. Tomas Soucek and Jannik Vestergaard’s own goal secured the win for West Ham. With the win West Ham climbed to 15th, 16 points clear of the relegation zone.

Relegation Battle

Leicester is in 19th place, five points from safety. They show no signs of stopping their slide back into the second tier. West Ham were buoyant after their victory at Arsenal.

Potter’s men were worthy of the win and could have won by more.