West Ham United 2-3 Leeds United
Premier League, London Stadium Sunday 16 January 2022
West Ham United’s winning run was ended as Leeds United scored a surprise 3-2 Premier League victory at London Stadium.
The Hammers kicked-off on a four-match streak of victories in all competitions, including a 2-0 Emirates FA Cup third-round win over Leeds last weekend, but a hat-trick from Jack Harrison put paid to any hopes of extending it to five.
West Ham twice fell behind before coming back to level, with Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals finding the net, but Harrison unerring finishing ultimately put a dent in the Irons’ charge for a place in the Premier League’s top four.
A slow start and uncharacteristic mistakes cost the hosts dear in the opening half, with Harrison twice taking advantage to put the visitors ahead at the break.
The Leeds No22 had already seen a low shot blocked by Craig Dawson when he put the Whites in front on ten minutes. Lukasz Fabianski did well to parry Mateusz Klich’s initial shot, but the goalkeeper could do nothing as Adam Forshaw collected the loose ball and teed-up Harrison to steer inside the right-hand post.
The lively Daniel James then fired over as Leeds threatened to take control, before Marcelo Bielsa was forced into two changes due to injuries to Adam Forshaw and Junior Firpo, which rather slowed his side’s momentum.
Sensing an opportunity, West Ham sprang into life. Michail Antonio saw a shot blocked by Stuart Dallas and Craig Dawson headed Aaron Cresswell’s corner narrowly wide before the Irons were rewarded for their improvement with an equaliser on 34 minutes.
It was that man Bowen who levelled, losing the attentions of marker Dallas with a clever spin before planting a powerful header past Illan Meslier.
Just when you thought the home side would build on that momentum, though, Harrison and Leeds struck for a second time, this time from a corner of their own. Raphinha’s delivery was headed down by Luke Ayling and Harrison ghosted in behind Cresswell to bundle over the line with his thigh.
It could have got worse before half-time, too, as James ran in behind onto Raphinha’s through ball before curling into Fabianski’s gloves.
At the other end, Declan Rice hit the side netting, Bowen headed another Cresswell corner over and saw a volley blocked by Pascal Struijk, but Bielsa’s depleted side held firm to go in with the lead.
West Ham were level within seven minutes of the restart, though, as Fornals collected Antonio’s flick, cut inside and shot between Meslier and his near post with unerring accuracy.
Yet again, though, the hosts failed to build on their equaliser and fell behind for a third time on the hour-mark.
Stuart Dallas prodded Harrison’s cross wide before the latter completed his first Premier League hat-trick by confidently clipping Raphinha’s through ball over the advancing Fabianski.
That turned out to be the winning goal, but there was plenty of further incident in the closing 30 minutes, with both teams having a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside and Meslier making at least two superb saves to frustrate David Moyes’ men.
Raphinha hit the post with a free-kick before Klich became the first to be denied by the officials as his goalbound shot hit unwitting substitute Rodrigo on the line on its way in, and the Spaniard was correctly judged to be offside by VAR Craig Pawson.
Then, eight minutes from time, Yarmolenko headed in following two fine saves from Meslier, the second from Bowen, who was flagged offside.
And, in the fourth minute of added time, Bowen was again left frustrated when he diverted Antonio’s deflected cross over the bar with his chest from just a few yards out.
With that, referee Dean blew the final whsitle and West Ham’s winning streak was ended.
West Ham United: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Diop (Perkins 87), Cresswell, Rice ©, Lanzini, Fornals (Yarmolenko 69), Vlasic (Masuaku 61), Bowen, Antonio
Subs not used: Areola (GK), Johnson, Alese, Fredericks, Kral, Okoflex
Goals: Bowen 34, Fornals 52
Booked: Antonio, Lanzini
Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling ©️, Koch, Struijk, Junior Firpo (Hjelde 23), Dallas, Klich, Forshaw (Bate 22, Rodrigo 65), James, Harrison, Raphinha
Subs not used: Klaesson (GK), McKinstry, Jenkins, Moore, Kenneh, Gray
Goals: Harrison 10, 37, 60
Booked: Koch, James
Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 59,951