West Ham secured a 2-0 victory over struggling Leicester City at the London Stadium on Thursday, capitalizing on their opponents’ defensive weaknesses.
Tomas Soucek marked his 30th birthday with an early goal, while a Jannik Vestergaard own goal just before halftime sealed the win.
The Hammers took full advantage of Leicester’s defensive lapses, with Soucek reacting quickest to a failed clearance in the 21st minute to put his side ahead.
Just before the break, captain Jarrod Bowen’s shot took a decisive deflection off Vestergaard, doubling the lead for the hosts.
It was a second consecutive triumph for West Ham under Graham Potter, following their unexpected 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
The recent upturn in form comes after a challenging run where they had lost three and drawn one of their previous four matches.
“They were two very different games,” Potter reflected. “We had to understand our role in the game tonight, which was to have more of the ball.”
With the win, West Ham moved above Everton into 15th place, while Leicester remained deep in relegation trouble, sitting 19th and five points adrift of safety.
Leicester’s struggles continued, with 11 defeats in their last 12 league outings. Under Ruud van Nistelrooy, they have managed only two wins in 14 league matches.
Their remaining fixtures include daunting clashes against Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest.
West Ham set the tone early, particularly down the right flank, where Aaron Wan-Bissaka persistently tested Leicester’s Victor Kristiansen.
The breakthrough came when Bowen’s attacking play forced a poor clearance, allowing Aaron Cresswell to deliver a cross to Mohammed Kudus. His initial effort was saved, but Soucek was on hand to convert from close range.
Leicester’s woes deepened just before halftime when Jamie Vardy failed to clear a corner at the near post. Bowen pounced on the loose ball, maneuvered past defenders, and fired a shot that ultimately went in off Vestergaard, despite Bowen’s celebration.
Although Leicester showed more urgency in the second half, West Ham’s defense remained resolute. The Foxes have now conceded 12 goals in their last four league games without scoring, increasing the pressure on Van Nistelrooy.
“Thank god in the second half they shrugged that off and started to take the initiative to try and win,” Van Nistelrooy admitted. “But the damage was already done.”
When asked if he would still be in charge for Leicester’s next match against Chelsea on March 9, he responded, “I keep working, I keep going.”
