MANAGING West Ham these days is such a doddle David Moyes could do it wearing carpet slippers.
Come to think of it, he probably does!
Michail Antonio opened the scoring after steering his header beyond Kasper SchmeichelCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Pablo Fornals doubled the Hammers’ lead with a low strike into the bottom left cornerCredit: Reuters
Who knew working from home could be this much fun?
Mug of tea – check. Pack of hobnobs – check. Remote control – check.
“Right, I’ve Stuart Pearce on speed dial, so I’ll just put my feet up by the fire and direct operations from here.”
Managers always claim they see more from the Director’s Box than they do from ground-level in their technical area, so perhaps West Ham’s self-isolating boss has hit on a masterstroke here.
BT’s coverage and handy App allows the Hammers boss to view the action from every angle imaginable and so maybe working indoors on days like this is a positive advantage!
Certainly Brendan Rodgers must have envied his opposite number as he strode up the tunnel at half-time, face like thunder after witnessing his side implode to go in at the break two goals down.
Drenched, livid and losing. Rodgers was having a bad day at the office.
Meanwhile, back at Castle Moyes, the owner was probably switching on the kettle for another brew!
Jarrod Bowen wrapped up the three points for the visitors in the 83rd minuteCredit: Reuters
Antonio is mobbed after scoring his tenth goal in his last 11 gamesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Meanwhile, back at Castle Moyes, the owner was probably switching on the kettle for another brew!
He had already witnessed his team blow Leicester away with an ease which must have even taken the Scot by surprise.
Confident, steely and utterly dominant, they swatted a Foxes side which had spanked Manchester City 5-2 seven days previously – destroying any notion Leicester had of returning to the top of the table.
The Hammers took the lead after 16 minutes with their first attack of any note, with a goal which showed Leicester’s defence in a very poor light.
It also demonstrated the raw power and deadly finishing ability of Michail Antonio.
The Hammers’ striker set about Leicester like a wrecking-ball to a condemned building as he bullied them mercilessly.
Antonio rattled Caglar Soyuncu’s bones with a shuddering challenge which prompted the Turkish defender to whack the legs from him.
Instead of playing the dying swan, Antonio got to his feet and swept a crossfield ball to Aaron Cresswell and then got on his bike to the back post.
Fornals wheels away in delight after grabbing his first goal of the seasonCredit: Getty – Pool
By the time he arrived there Cresswell had timed his deep angled cross to perfection.
He picked out his target with laser-like precision and Antonio made Soyuncu suffer some more when he peeled off his marker’s left shoulder to power his header beyond Kasper Schmeichel from eight yards.
That goal saw Antonio set a new club record as the first Hammers player to score in five consecutive away games.
No player has scored more than the 10 Antonio has bagged since the Premier League returned in June to underline his worth to Moyes.
Once in front, West Ham never looked like easing their stranglehold on this match against a strangely subdued Foxes side who were deprived of midfield magician James Maddison when he suffered a calf strain in training.
Without him, Jamie Vardy was left with too much to do on his own up front, although new England call-up Harvey Barnes did his best to back him up.
However it was further back Leicester’s real problems lay as too many simple through balls caught their three-man defence on the hop.
Soyuncu needed a desperate lunge to deny Pablo Fornals, whose shot deflected over Schmeichel only to ripple the roof of the net.
Bowen has now scored three goals in his last two Premier League gamesCredit: Reuters
However the visitors doubled their lead in their next attack after 34 minutes as the Foxes were filleted again.
Aaron Cresswell took a throw on the left, Arthur Masuaku knocked it back and Cresswell hoofed an up-and-under over Leicester’s defence.
Pablo Fornals hared off in splendid isolation and once he had produced a sublime first touch he simply strode forward to slam the ball past a horribly exposed Kasper Schmeichel.
It didn’t get any prettier for Leicester after the break.
Barnes volleyed over after Fabianski shanked a horrible passback from Angelo Ogbonna but it was a rare sighting at goal for the home side.
Antonio should have killed the game when he headed straight at Schmeichel from 10 yards, then the Dane defied him when he stuck out a strong right arm to keep out his well hit shot.
However West Ham ended the contest seven minutes from the end when Declan Rice passed out of defence to Fornals who split the Blues apart to send Jarrod Bowen sprinting clear.
The winger held his nerve to send a left foot shot past Schmeichel who was again left unprotected.
Rice then lit up even an empty King Power when he surged 60 yards with Papys Mendy hanging off his shoulder before blasting the ball off the underside of the bar from eight yards.
Leicester thought they had grabbed a late consolation when Barnes played 1-2’s with Iheanacho and Vardy before firing past Fabianski.
But a VAR check spotted Vardy was a fraction offside – to cap a miserable afternoon for Rodgers.
Moyes?
He probably wandered off to enjoy his Sunday lunch!
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
