1. Very Happy Zouma!
Kurt Happy Zouma by name, Kurt Happy Zouma by nature.
West Ham United’s France international defender was at his dominant best in Friday’s 2-1 Premier League win at Luton Town – and capped his Man of the Match performance with what turned out to be the winning goal.
Zouma was all smiles at full-time after captaining the Hammers to their third win in four top-flight matches and leading his team into a top-four position going into the September international break.
The 28-year-old was imperious at Kenilworth Road, making eleven important clearances, three interceptions and blocking an early shot from Luton midfielder Tahith Chong when the game was still goalless.
At the other end, Zouma lost his marker to power a header into the Hatters net from James Ward-Prowse’s pinpoint corner and silence a capacity crowd at the Premier League’s newest stadium.
The complete package from Zou 🧱 pic.twitter.com/Bg4Ec4hg8y
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 5, 2023
2. Bowen is (still) on fire!
Jarrod Bowen equaled a 93-year-old Club record by scoring at Kenilworth Road on Friday night.
West Ham United’s in-form winger netted in his third consecutive top-flight away game to kick-off the new season – a feat only Vic Watson had previously achieved way back at the start of the 1930/31 campaign.
Bowen added to sensational strikes at AFC Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion – both of which were shortlisted for the BBC Match of the Day Goal of the Month award for August – with a powerful header at Kenilworth Road.
The No20 slipped between Amari'i Bell and Ryan Giles to head Lucas Paquetá’s superb cross past Thomas Kaminski to open the scoring eight minutes before half-time.
After failing to score in all 19 away Premier League matches last season, Bowen has now scored in all three this term, in addition to the winner he netted in Prague in the UEFA Europa Conference League final in June.
3. Peerless Paquetá
West Ham United’s Brazil international midfielder Lucas Paquetá has started the season superbly – and he shone under the Kenilworth Stadium floodlights again on Friday evening.
The 26-year-old added to the last-minute penalty he scored in the 3-1 home win over Chelsea with his first assist of the season.
Arguably, Paquetá was the only player on the pitch capable of picking out Jarrod Bowen with an inch-perfect cross from deep to the far post, which the England international met with a powerful header to open the scoring.
The No11 was a central figure throughout, attempting a joint team-high 77 passes and leading all West Ham players with six tackles.
4. A part of history
Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road became the 61st different stadium to host Premier League football on Friday evening.
The Hatters’ historic home of 118 years has undergone significant improvements since Rob Edwards’ team won promotion via the EFL Championship Play-Offs in May.
And ‘The Kenny’ was rocking under the floodlights as a capacity crowd noisily welcomed top-flight football back to Bedfordshire after a 31-year absence – Luton were relegated alongside West Ham United at the end of the 1991/92 season, just before the new Premier League was introduced.
The home supporters roared their team forward in the early stages, and again as they sought an equaliser following Jarrod Bowen’s goal, and again after Mads Andersen’s header gave them hope of pulling off a dramatic late comeback.
While their team ultimately lost, the occasion was an historic and celebratory one overall, and one everyone connected with West Ham was proud to be part of.
