By Daily Sports on September 11, 2021

Michail Antonio was sent off as West Ham stretched their unbeaten Premier League start to four matches with a goalless draw at Southampton, who remain without a league win this season.

Chelsea loanee Armando Broja had gone closest to snatching all three points for Saints late on, striking the foot of the post with a low effort before having a late header cleared off the line by West Ham captain Declan Rice.

West Ham enjoyed the majority of possession but failed to force a save out of Alex McCarthy until the early stages of the second half, when Antonio's low drive was held by the Southampton keeper.

David Moyes' side built up a head of steam as the second half progressed and almost broke the deadlock through Jarrod Bowen, whose sweetly-struck volley was tipped over the crossbar by McCarthy after Southampton had failed to clear Vladimir Coufal's low cross.

West Ham have avoided defeat in their opening four Premier League matches for only the second time, having last done so under Harry Redknapp in 1999.

Antonio sees red in lively end to game

Twenty-five goals had been scored in league matches involving West Ham and Southampton this season prior to this game, but clear-cut chances were at a premium in the first half as both teams cancelled each other out.

The best opening of the first 45 minutes fell to Djenepo, whose goal-bound strike was headed clear by the retreating Craig Dawson.

The Hammers - unchanged for the fourth league match in a row - were neat and tidy in possession but failed to register a shot on target in the first half, their best effort coming from an Aaron Cresswell free-kick which struck the Southampton wall.

Antonio, who was named Premier League Player of the Month for August, had little impact on proceedings until his effort early in the second half and capped a frustrating afternoon with a red card that is unlikely to please manager Moyes.

Having been booked following a coming together with Saints defender Jack Stephens earlier in the second half, the 31-year-old appeared to let his frustrations get the better of him with a high lunge on Djenepo with only seconds remaining.

Southampton's search for a first league win of the campaign goes on but there were positives for Ralph Hasenhuttl's team - not least the second-half cameo from Broja, who was desperately unlucky not to earn the hosts all three points in the dying stages of the match.

'With a little more luck we could have won'

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl speaking to BBC Sport: "A few inches were missed today, I think we had the better chances to win the game.

"With a little bit more luck we could have won it. We tried something a little bit different today, we tried to invite them to play a little bit more.

"Armando [Broja] showed he is a very good sub. He was immediately on to the opposition and had some threats that are new to this team. This was good to see and gives me a lot of confidence for the future."

West Ham boss David Moyes speaking to BBC Sport: "Southampton made it difficult for us, but overall we had a lot of control of the game but we just couldn't find the openings or the moments required to get a goal.

"I felt we played well with the ball, but we didn't do that in the final third. I think we were poor, we didn't have the connections. It may have had a lot to do with the players being away for the international break."

On the red card: "[Antonio] had been booked for the first one. You just don't make any more challenges and give the referee a decision to make. My feeling was from where I was it was probably a booking and he got sent off for it." (BBC)

•PHOTO: West Ham's Michail Antonio walks off after being red-carded 

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 11, 2021

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