By Sam Tonks
A dazzling 12-minutes, bringing three goals made it back-to-back league wins for West Ham United, defeating Cardiff City 3-1 at London Stadium.
Substitute Lucas Perez bagged a second-half brace whilst Michail Antonio added a third, a scrappy late consolation header from Josh Murphy put a blot on an otherwise fantastic evening for the Hammers.
West Ham started with a spring in their step as they looked for back-to-back league wins for the first time this season. Around 30 coaches of Cardiff City fans travelled to London Stadium for the first time and were contributing to a lively atmosphere to start the game.
Felipe Anderson is nominated for November Player of the Month in the Premier League and was involved in all of his team’s attacking play early on. In neat interchanges with Chicharito and Robert Snodgrass, first the Brazilian and then Snodgrass had shots blocked in the first 15 minutes.
Cardiff had picked up just one point away from home in the league before tonight and were holding onto one in the opening 30 minutes. Snodgrass set up Chicharito with a beautiful cross at the weekend and but for Neil Etheridge, would’ve had at least another assist on 20 minutes.
In successive corners, Angelo Ogbonna and Declan Rice had headers saved by the City goalkeeper. Marko Arnautovic then took it upon himself, gliding past two defenders, into the penalty area but his shot was heroically blocked on the line by Sean Morrison.
The visitors had to wait until 31 minutes for a meaningful effort on goal. Callum Paterson held the ball up well and teed up Victor Camarasa who stung the hands of Lukasz Fabianski.
This ignited belief in the Bluebirds who were becoming more adventurous, and they got a golden chance on 36 minutes when Arnautovic upended Junior Hoilett for a penalty. Joe Ralls stepped up but Fabianski correctly dived to his left and held superbly. This buoyed the visitors who were denied by the Pole again, Camarasa unlucky with a good free-kick.
Arnautovic hobbled off before the break and Lucas Perez came on, a man with a point to prove.
The second half started cagey, with the game in the balance. But on 50 minutes, a moment of quality for the Hammers. Snodgrass got his assist with a lovely lofted pass over Morrison to play in Perez, and he powered his shot through Etheridge for his first league goal for West Ham.
He held the back of his shirt up to home fans to make his presence felt, just five minutes later he was celebrating again. Artur Masuaku broke away down the left wing and played the ball into Perez’s path in the box, a brief look up and he drilled the ball between the legs of Etheridge.
The Hammers were in complete control after Cardiff’s pressure at the end of the first half. They made it three goals in 12 minutes when Michail Antonio put away another Snodgrass delivery on 61 minutes, heading home at the near-post.
Following the departure of talisman Arnautovic in the first half, this was a brilliant second half display from Manuel Pellegrini’s men, who had the fans chanting ‘ole’ by the hour mark.
Already tallying six goals in two games, any sort of Christmas fatigue was nowhere to be seen at London Stadium and there could’ve been more. Grady Diangana replaced Snodgrass and nearly got an assist with his first touch, Etheridge denied Declan Rice and then parried away a snap-shot from Ogbonna.
Diangana was determined to claim his first league goal for the Hammers but Etheridge denied the 20-year-old twice, the second an impressive reflex tip around the post.
Andy Carroll made his first appearance of the season to add a cherry to the cake, he had a header saved late on but home fans will be delighted to have him back in action.
Josh Murphy bundled a late consolation in for the visitors but it was a great night for West Ham. Six points and six goals in two games for Pellegrini’s side, next up a London Derby with Crystal Palace here on Saturday.
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