Leicester plunged further into relegation trouble with a laboured 2-0 defeat at West Ham.
Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scored in the first half for the Hammers and barely had to get out of first gear against an uninspired Foxes side, who failed to capitalise on all their relegation rivals losing this week.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side’s fourth successive Premier League defeat leaves them five points from safety as they look set to join fellow promoted sides Southampton and Ipswich in suffering a drop back down to the Championship.
West Ham climbed a place above Everton into 15th as Graham Potter’s side recorded back-t0-back wins for the first time this after beating Arsenal at the weekend.
West Ham vs Leicester as it happened
Leicester knew how important this game was for Premier League survival and that led to a nervy opening by the visitors as they struggled to cause the hosts too many problems.
The Hammers were not exactly firing either but were ahead on 21 minutes when Mohammed Kudus’ shot from Aaron Cresswell’s cross was saved, only for Soucek to tap into an empty net.
West Ham are ahead, and it’s Tomáš Souček who bundles the ball over the line after Kudus’ effort was kept out ⚽️
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/K0Qnxoadm7
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 27, 2025
It was equally simple for the Irons to find their second, as Jamie Vardy failed to clear a James Ward-Prowse free-kick properly, allowing Bowen to find the net via a deflection off two Foxes players.
Captain Fantastic 🫡
West Ham double their lead, and it’s Jarrod Bowen who sneaks it home for his 8th PL goal of the season ⚽️
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/zOq7yoBxhc
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 27, 2025
Only one side has conceded more goals than Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side this season and both first-half goals were a stark reminder why that was, as well as a stark reality check of how big the threat of relegation is becoming.
The reaction visiting supporters would have been craving given their perilous position did not exactly materialise after the break with the Hammers remaining totally in control for most of the half.
Few chances followed for either side but Evan Ferguson was denied the opportunity for his first goal since his loan move from Brighton as his shot was blocked on the break.
