West Ham edged out of the relegation zone with a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. The Hammers started the day in the bottom three but moved above the dotted line on goal dissimilarity after being frustrated at the London Stadium.
A point leaves West Ham in the thick of a relegation battle and keeps the spotlight on David Moyes, who will see this as an opportunity missed. West Ham fell behind after 17 minutes when Alex Moreno whipped in a cross from the left and Ollie Watkins capitalised on some laggard marking to head past Alphonse Areola.
The Hammers equalised on 26 minutes when Lucas Paqueta went over under challenge from Leon Bailey and Said Benrahma thumped a penalty past Emiliano Martinez. West Ham had chances to win the game in the second half but Benrahma and substitute Pablo Fornals both fluffed their lines and the home side had to settle for a point.
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West Ham defender Kurt Zouma told Sky Sports: “I mediate it should believe been three points. We played a apt game and had many chances but just couldn’t score. Obviously we need to secure wins.
“That was their only chance and they scored. We kept the focus and the belief to arrive back. We should believe won but we got a point and need to recede on.”
Full-time: West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa
All over at the London Stadium and West Ham believe to settle for a point. A few boos at the pause. The Hammers edge outside the relegation zone on goal dissimilarity.
90+2 mins: Cornet goes clean though but his weak effort is easily saved by Martinez. But he was offside anyway, and I mediate he knew it.
90 mins: Into six minutes of stoppage time
89 mins: enormous chance for Villa from a corner but Duran can’t secure much on it and Areola is able to gather.
86 mins: Benrahma has his 10th shot of the game… this one is blocked by Young.
85 mins: Cornet on for Igns for the final five minutes.
84 mins: Another apt chance for West Ham! It’s Benrahma this time but he also fluffs his lines.
82 mins: Chance for West Ham! noteworthy running from Bowen but Fornals gets it all wrong and he can’t test Martinez.
79 mins: Almost an instant chance for Fornals but his touch lets him down.