THE last time West Ham did the league double over the Wolves the season ended with a white horse trotting across the Wembley turf.
This time it could mean the Hammers galloping across Europe.
Majestic Jesse Lingard scored one goal and set up two more in a breathless first half as the Irons registered a club-record equalling seventh Premier League away win of the season to go fourth in the table.
Incredibly, this is the first campaign they have beaten Wolves home and away since since 1922-23.
That of course was also the season West Ham lost 2-0 to Bolton in the first FA Cup Final ever to be played at Wembley – dubbed the White Horse Final after the beast which had to clear the pitch of the huge crowd so the tie could be played.
But forget Billie the filly, it is current West Ham boss David Moyes who deserves a sugar lump for turning what many thought were a squad of donkeys into top flight thoroughbreds.
And if they avoid a fall in the final straight of the season they will find themselves in the Champion League next term.
Another brilliant display by Lingard before the break ensured Moyesy’s men were able to overcome the hurdle of losing Declan Rice to a knee injury. Just.
England man Rice, who will be out for at least a month, had featured in all of the Hammers’ Prem matches this season.
But his recalled Three Lions team-mate Lingard ensured they did not miss him too much here as the rejuvenated Red Devil notched his sixth goal in eight matches since joining on loan from Manchester United.
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Wolves also have their own injury woes with Jonny set for another extended spell on the sidelines after he damaged the ACL in his right knee in training on Sunday for the second time in under nine months.
The hosts were also without defender Willy Bolly, who is self-isolating testing positive for Covid, and midfielder Joao Moutinho, who returned from international duty with Portugal with a groin problem.
Wanderers welcomed back Daniel Podence from injury and his cross almost resulted in them taking a quickfire lead as Willian Jose turned Craig Dawson on edge of the box and fired his shot just wide.
The Hammers hit back immediately with Michail Antonio going straight down the other end and unleashing a 25-yard drive which Wolves keeper Rui Patricio did well to touch onto the post.
But there was nothing the Portuguese stopper could do when Lingard’s burst into the box, as the home defence parted like the Red Sea, before slotting the Irons 1-0 up in the sixth minute.
Rayan Ait-Nouri went close to levelling for Wolves and Lingard had another shot saved by Patricio before Fornals extended West Ham’s lead with a fine finish from Arthur Masuaku’s cross following more great work by Lingard.
And still chances kept coming as Podence’s looping header bounced onto the top of the net and Pedro Neto skewed wide, much to the hosts’ frustration.
While Antonio blasted into the side-netting from close range, injuring himself in the process and resulting in him being replaced by Jarrod Bowen.
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But even that blow could not stop the Hammers as Lingard, with a pack of Wolves snapping at his heels, embarked on another stunning before playing in Bowen to fire home their third in the 38th minute.
Neto missed a great chance to pull one back before the break but Leander Dendoncker did not as he clinically headed in Adama Traore’s 44th minute cross to give the hosts hope.
And sub Fabio Silva, sent on for Podence during the interval, set up a nervy finish for West Ham by steering his shot past Lukasz Fabianski in the 68th minute.
But, despite a couple of scares, the Hammers held on to keep their Euro hopes alive.
Though West Ham were mainly on the back foot in the second half you could not keep Lingard out of the action as he squared up to Neto at the final whistle, prompting a pushing and shoving match between players of both teams.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
