1. A welcome clean sheet
For the first time since 7 May, when West Ham United boosted their survival hopes with a vital 1-0 home win over Manchester United, David Moyes’ side kept a Premier League clean sheet.
In between, the Irons went nine top-flight games without keeping their opponents out, albeit four of those nine ended in victory, with four others ending in defeat.
On Saturday, there was no chance of that becoming five defeats as Alphonse Areola and his defenders kept Sheffield United at bay.
The Blades were blunted by a hard-working, organised and professional performance from the Irons, with Areola only called upon to make a couple of routine saves, and the likes of Nayef Aguerd and James Ward-Prowse producing important blocks in front of their goalkeeper.
2. Bowen’s home comfort
After scoring in each of West Ham’s first four away top-flight matches of a new season to match a Club record set by Vic Watson in 1930/31, Jarrod Bowen found home comfort again on Saturday.
The England forward staked another claim to return to Gareth Southgate’s squad with a well-taken opener, playing his part in an intricate build-up before confidently slotting Vladimír Coufal’s cross past Wes Foderingham.
All six of Bowen’s Premier League goals were scored in Stratford last season and his first of 2023/24 mean he is just one short of that tally already, just seven games into the new campaign.
3. A best start since 2015
West Ham United have made a better start to the Premier League season than they did in both 2020/21 and 2021/22, then the Irons went on to finish sixth and seventh respectively.
Victory over Sheffield United on Saturday took David Moyes’ side onto 13 points from seven games played – six more than they collected in 2020/21 and two more than they amassed from the same number of matches two seasons ago.
Last season, 2022/23, it took a full 13 top-flight matches for West Ham to reach (and pass) the 13-point mark, which they did with a 2-0 home win over AFC Bournemouth in late October.
Indeed, 13 points from seven matches marks our best Premier League start since 2015/16, when the Hammers went on to finish seventh in the final season at the Boleyn Ground.
4. Big Tom strikes again
Tomáš Souček will never been the type of player who dances past three opponents or smashes an unstoppable 25-yarder into the top corner, but his importance to the West Ham United team should never been underestimated.
The Czech Republic midfielder followed up his Carabao Cup third-round matchwinner at Lincoln City in midweek and clincher in the UEFA Europa League Group A opener against FK TSC the previous week with another vital goal in Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Sheffield United at London Stadium.
Showing trademark timing, the No28 arrived into the Blades penalty area before controlling Michail Antonio’s pass with his right foot and prodding it past Wes Foderingham and into the net with his left.
Souček was a central figure throughout, in fact, having a team-high six goal attempts, winning a team-high six aerial challenges and making three clearances as the Irons successfully defended their lead to complete a professional afternoon’s work.
