Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen paid tribute to West Ham United’s outstanding supporters for helping them over the line in a 2-0 win over Leeds United on Sunday afternoon – and into the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup.
A scrappy game saw the home team dominate possession and create the majority of clear chances at London Stadium, buoyed throughout by a typically vociferous Claret and Blue Army.
But until the final knockings of the match, the Irons only had Manuel Lanzini’s scrappy first-half goal – awarded following a VAR review as to Bowen’s onside status after good work from Nikola Vlašić forced an opening – to show for their display.
Leeds did manage to create a couple of presentable opportunities themselves but, while applying pressure in search of an injury-time equaliser, left themselves exposed to a well-worked counter from the Hammers, with Michail Antonio squaring for Bowen to slide past the goalkeeper, seal progression and ignite the crowd once more.
“As Mich was running through, I was thinking ‘please let it be a goal, because the place is going to erupt’!” Rice recalled at the final whistle. “The roar was incredible.
“These fans, every time we go out there, give a hundred per cent to us, and we want to give it back to them. The FA Cup’s such a special competition, a historic one as well, so we really want to put a run together and see how far we can go.
“It was a great game. Every time we play Leeds we know it’s going to be tough. That’s why the manager picked the strong team today. We knew we had to win.
“We put together a strong run in the Carabao Cup, and every competition we’re in we want to take seriously. The FA Cup’s one we really want to win.”
With regards to his role in the opening goal, Bowen admitted to being unsure as to the matter at hand being debated by VAR, with the contention appearing to surround whether the forward before the ball after Vlašić’s poke at goal was saved by Illan Meslier.
When it became clear that Bowen did not touch the ball, and was therefore not interfering with play, Lanzini’s subsequent finish was awarded as a goal – but the decision, a confusing one given the number of players involved, left the No20 and his teammates awaiting the verdict.
“I didn’t really know what he [VAR] was looking at to be honest,” the winger admitted. “They said ‘offside’ but they didn’t really show it on the big screen.
“It’s just a waiting game. You always fear the worst – that they’re going to disallow it – but we got the goal.
“If it’s gone to VAR, and they’ve said it’s a goal, then we just trust it’s a goal.
“We dominated a lot of the game and we knew they were going to be difficult to play against – they always are – but we stuck in, took some of their storm, and at the end got the goal to put the game to bed.”
West Ham's late second was Bowen’s sixth goal of the 2021/22 season, adding to an impressive haul of ten assists and five goal contributions in his last four appearances.
Bowen reflected: “I think I’m just being probably more consistent this season. I want to push myself to the very top.
“They say the sky’s the limit and I’ve just got to keep trying to do what I’m doing, keep working hard and keep trying to put the performances in week in, week out.”
Rice, meanwhile, is looking forward to the fourth-round draw, set to be made shortly after the conclusion of Sunday’s game at London Stadium.
“Give us anyone!” the midfielder declared.
“You’ve got to play everyone and if you want to get to the final you’re probably going to have to beat the best, so we want to take who we get.
“Obviously, on the day, whoever wins get through to the next round, so we’ll be ready for wherever the draw takes us.”