Daily WHUFC News - 27th December 2016

Hammers stuff toothless Swans
WHUFC.com

Ayew, Reid, Antonio and Carroll on target in thumping first win at Liberty
Stadium
Former Swansea City player Ayew nets first goal in Claret and Blue
Hammers up to eleventh after first Boxing Day victory since 2009

Record signing Andre Ayew returned to haunt former club Swansea City by
setting West Ham United on their way to a thumping 4-1 Boxing Day victory.
The Ghana forward, signed from the Swans for £20.6m in August, opened
scoring on 13 minutes at the Liberty Stadium, before Winston Reid, Michail
Antonio and Andy Carroll completed a superb Christmas with goals after
half-time. The Hammers' victory was their first in five attempts at
Swansea's new home, their first Boxing Day win since 2009, and lifted Slaven
Bilic's side to eleventh in the Premier League table. Ayew's opener arrived
in opportunist style, with the No20 tapping home after Lukasz Fabianski had
failed to deal with Andy Carroll's knock-down from a diagonal Mark Noble
pass. The strike came after Swansea had started the brighter on home turf,
with Alfie Mawson heading wide from their first corner before Borja Baston
curled off-target rather than playing in the unmarked Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Having gone ahead, West Ham edged the remainder of the first half, although
Swansea arguably created the better chances. For the visitors, Ayew flicked
a Dimitri Payet cross just beyond the flying Michail Antonio at the far
post, Payet himself seeing a shot held by Fabianski. As half-time
approached, Swansea threatened again, but Sigurdsson first sliced a
left-foot shot out for a throw-in, then saw Darren Randolph plunge to his
left to push his well-struck free-kick around the post.
With chances suddenly flowing, Antonio curled a yard wide of the top corner
after collecting the Frenchman's pass, then Swansea midfielder Jack Cork
headed Wayne Routledge's centre over Randolph's crossbar, meaning the
Hammers went in a goal to the good at the break.

Swansea manager Bob Bradley reacted with a double change at the break,
bringing on Fernando Llorente and Jefferson Montero for Borja and Jay Fulton
respectively. After again starting brightly, the Swans were again stung by a
West Ham goal. Five minutes of the second half had passed when Carroll's
shot was deflected wide and Reid beat two defenders to Payet's near-post
corner to head home. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Swansea reacted by going on the
front foot, with Routledge slicing wide, Randolph making another decent stop
to push Cork's aside and the Irishman then helping Sigurdsson's looping
header over the top.
With the home crowd getting increasingly frustrated, West Ham kept
possession with increasing confidence and ensured a second away win of
2016/17 when eight-goal leading scorer Antonio diverted Havard Nordtveit's
shot past Fabianski – who had saved from substitute Edmilison Fernandes
seconds earlier – with 13 minutes remaining. The impressive Randolph made
smart saves from Angel Rangel and Cork late on, completing a miserable
afternoon for Bradley, but was powerless to stop Llorente firing home from
Nathan Dyer's cut-back on 89. There was still time for Carroll to score his
fifth in six matches against the Swans, expertly volleying home Sofiane
Feghouli's cross in the final minute. The in-form Hammers will end 2016 with
a trip to champions Leicester City on New Year's Eve, with kick-off at King
Power Stadium set for 3pm.


Swansea City: Fabianski; Rangel, Mawson, van der Hoorn, Kingsley; Cork,
Fulton (Montero 46, Dyer 70), Britton; Routledge, Sigurdsson (c), Borja
(Llorente 46)
Subs not used: Nordfeldt (GK), Fer, Naughton, Fernandez
Bookings: None
Goal: Llorente 89

West Ham United: Randolph; Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble (c),
Kouyate; Antonio (Feghouli 83), Ayew (Fernandes 75), Payet; Carroll
(Fletcher 90).
Subs not used: Adrian (GK), Quina, Rice, Pike.
Bookings: None
Goals: Ayew 13, Reid 50, Antonio 77, Carroll 90

Referee: Andre Marriner.
Attendance: 20,757 (1,969 from West Ham United)

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Ayew happy with 'important' goal
WHUFC.com

Andre Ayew delighted to net his first goal for West Ham United on Boxing Day
Ghana forward opened scoring in 4-1 Premier League win at former club
Swansea City
No20 believes both he and the Hammers will get better as the season wears on

Andre Ayew believes there is more to come from both himself and West Ham
United after scoring his first goal in Claret and Blue. The No20 netted his
maiden Hammers goal to set Slaven Bilic's side on their way to a thumping
4-1 Premier League win at his former club Swansea City on Boxing Day.
Club-record signing Ayew, who returned to action in November after three
months out with a groin injury suffered at Chelsea on the opening weekend of
the Premier League season, was delighted to be part of a third straight
top-flight victory. West Ham's win, which followed hard-earned 1-0 home
successes against Burnley and Hull City, lifted them up to eleventh, eight
points clear of the bottom three and just four off seventh place ahead of
the New Year's Eve trip to struggling champions Leicester City.
"I think it was important to get the goal for the squad and to get my first
goal here," said Ayew. "I started the season in a very difficult way, but
I'm trying to get back into my best shape. "Things are getting better now
and the boys are helping me, pushing me every day and I'm getting my
confidence back. We had a great game today and hopefully we can continue
like that."

For Ayew, converting Andy Carroll's 13th-minute knockdown was a big moment
for the Ghana star, but the 27-year-old was thinking only of the team when
he was asked about the significance of his strike. Winston Reid, Michail
Antonio and Carroll were also on target in South Wales, earning West Ham
their biggest win of 2016/17, three victories in a row for the first time
since March and a first-ever success at Liberty Stadium. "Personally, I
think it was an important goal for me, but collectively it was our third win
and we've done really well in the last few games," said Ayew. "We didn't
play our best football in the previous two games, but I think we managed to
get two clean sheets and win those games. "Today we played better football,
but I think we can do even better with the ball. We've proved that we've got
a good squad and if we keep working hard then we can get more results."

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Bilic - Belief has been key to turnaround
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic happy with thumping Premier League victory at Swansea City on
Boxing Day
Manager delighted with turnaround that has yielded ten points in last four
matches
Boss expects goalscorer Andre Ayew to get better and better as fitness and
form improve

Slaven Bilic said West Ham United 'totally deserved' their 4-1 Premier
League victory at Swansea City on Boxing Day. Bilic's Hammers produced their
most complete performance of the season to see off the struggling Swans at
Liberty Stadium, where Andre Ayew, Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy
Carroll were all on target. With Darren Randolph leading a strong defensive
display at the other end of the pitch, the manager was rightly proud as his
team notched a third straight win to rise to eleventh in the table. "It was
a really good performance," he confirmed. "From the first minute until the
end we were really compact and were able to defend as a team. "When we had
the ball we were really good on it. We kept the ball well and were dangerous
when we had opportunities to break on them and we were switching sides "It
was maybe our best performance this season and we totally deserved it. OK,
it helps when you are winning 1-0 and you score another one, because you
play with a lot more confidence than when you are losing, but it was a
really good performance and I'm really pleased with the team and I
congratulate all the players."

West Ham rode out early Swansea pressure to go ahead through Ayew's first
Claret and Blue goal – against his old club to boot – before Reid's header
five minutes after half-time halted a strong start to the second period from
Bob Bradley's side. Antonio diverted in a third before Fernando Llorente
pulled one back, only for Carroll to net his second of the season with a
searing volley in the final minute. "Of course it's important to score
goals at the times we did," Bilic confirmed. They had chances before we
scored the first, but we also had chances before we scored and we always
looked promising on the ball and like hurting them. "The second goal was at
a crucial moment when they were trying to come back from 1-0 down, had made
a couple of changes and were trying to turn things around here like they did
against Crystal Palace in a great game. "To score the second goal then, five
minutes after half-time, was crucial."

So, after sitting 18th just over a fortnight ago, West Ham are in mid-table.
What does Bilic put the turnaround and ten points from four matches down to?
"The key was that we never stopped believing and we kept training hard and
kept believing and, as we said in those hard moments, when we had those five
really difficult games, we were talking about those two home games to get
out of the cramp, as I called it," he explained. "The two wins against
Burnley and Hull were hard but they put us in a position where we could
breathe a bit more and that was basically the key. "Even when we were there,
we were always saying that we were only three or four points from mid-table
and that is still the case because it was tight and it is tight. Of course
we are going to be positive but the Premier League gives you no time to
relax. However, this is a real opportunity for us to build our confidence
even more."

Talking of confidence, Bilic is now expecting big things from goalscorer
Ayew, who produced his best performance in a West Ham shirt against his
former club.
"Not just the goal but the performance will help him," the manager said of
his Club-record signing. "He is still not at top fitness because he had the
injury and he came back, but the goals help every striker and now we are
expecting that his top form will happen. "We expect him to contribute not
only with goals but with his all-round displays."

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Swansea City 1-4 West Ham United
By Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Wales Sport at the Liberty Stadium

West Ham cruised to a third straight win to plunge Swansea City deeper into
Premier League relegation trouble and increase the pressure on manager Bob
Bradley.
Former Swans forward Andre Ayew pounced on Lukasz Fabianski's fumble to put
the visitors ahead, before Winston Reid headed in from a corner to double
their lead. Michail Antonio added a third and, although Fernando Llorente
scored late on for Swansea, Andy Carroll's firm strike sealed a convincing
West Ham victory.
Slaven Bilic's side climb to 11th in the Premier League table, while Swansea
remain second from bottom but now four points adrift of safety. Where
Bradley is concerned, a seventh defeat from his 11 matches in charge leaves
the American in grave danger of losing his job less than three months after
his appointment.
Swansea's supporters called for his sacking during the second half, as well
as accusing the club's directors of greed following the Swans' American
takeover in the summer.
Having won only two of his first 10 games at the helm, Bradley admitted
before the match that his future could depend on the outcome of this fixture
and the home encounter with Bournemouth on New Year's Eve. Swansea had
unravelled with scant resistance to lose their previous two games, at
Middlesbrough 3-0 and West Brom 3-1, and they were similarly vulnerable
against West Ham. Since the American's appointment in October the Swans had
conceded 25 goals - more than any other Premier League side in the same
period - and their 26th was as feeble as any they have let in. Cheikhou
Kouyate only managed a weak flick from Andy Carroll's header, but Fabianski
could only palm the ball into the path of Ayew, who tapped in from close
range. The goal created a sense of anxiety inside the Liberty Stadium, and
that unease turned to wholehearted hostility after Reid extended West Ham's
lead. Swansea's supporters booed Bradley and chanted "You don't know what
you're doing", before turning their ire towards the Swans' board as the
prospect of relegation looms larger than ever.

Unlike their opponents, West Ham entered this match with renewed optimism
after successive 1-0 wins over Hull and Burnley had eased their own
relegation fears.
Those were relatively hard-earned triumphs, but they were able to cruise to
victory in south Wales without playing at their fluent best. It was a
straightforward afternoon for goalkeeper Darren Randolph and his defenders,
who had little to worry about apart from the occasional long-range effort
from Gylfi Sigurdsson. In attack, West Ham were clinical on the break and
from set-pieces, with midfielder Dimitri Payet increasingly influential in
the second half. Carroll also proved his worth with a typically abrasive
display, capped with a goal which helped maintain the Hammers' record of
winning every Premier League match in which the striker has started since
returning from injury.

Man of the match - Andy Carroll (West Ham)
Swansea could not contain the aerial threat of Carroll, who helped set up
the first West Ham goal and scored the last as he gave his opponents a
torrid afternoon
Swansea's shaky defence

Swansea have shipped 29 goals in the top flight since Bob Bradley took
charge on 15 October, more than any other side.
Swansea have conceded the first goal in 13 Premier League games this season,
only Hull have done so more often.
West Ham have won three consecutive Premier League games for the first time
since March.
Andre Ayew is the 41st player to score both for and against West Ham in the
Premier League, more than any other club has seen.
Dimitri Payet has provided 15 Premier League assists in 2016, more than any
other player.

What next?

Swansea host Bournemouth on New Year's Eve before taking on Crystal Palace
on 3 January. West Ham travel to Leicester on 31 December and face
Manchester United at home on 2 January.

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West Ham: Red Bull denies takeover, Hammers owners 'not looking for
investment'
By Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Red Bull has dismissed reports it is interested in buying West Ham, while
the east London club's owners have told BBC Sport they are not looking for
investors. It had been reported that the energy drinks giant was considering
a £200m offer for the Premier League club. Sullivan and Gold bought a
majority stake in West Ham in 2010 in a deal that valued the club at £105m.
Between them they now own more than 85% of the club. Since August's move to
London Stadium, West Ham have also been linked with takeovers from Qatari
and Chinese groups. Last year Sullivan said it was possible a minority
shareholding could be sold to clear debts but that he and Gold intended the
ownership to pass on to their children.

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SWANSEA 1-4 WEST HAM – MATCH REPORT
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 26 DECEMBER 2016 AT 5:34PM
The WestHamWay.co.uk

Record signing Andre Ayew returned to haunt his former club Swansea City by
setting the Hammers on their way to a thumping 4-1 Boxing Day victory this
afternoon.

The Ghanaian forward, signed for just over £20m in August showed his first
flashes of quality today by opening the scoring on 13 minutes at the Liberty
Stadium, before Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll completed a
superb rout of the Welsh side.

The Hammers' victory was their first in five attempts at Swansea's new home,
their first Boxing Day win since 2009, and lifted Slaven Bilic's side to
eleventh in the Premier League table.

Ayew's opener arrived in opportunist style, with him tapping home after
Lukasz Fabianski had failed to deal with Andy Carroll's knock-down from a
diagonal Mark Noble pass. The strike came after the home side had started
the brighter, with Alfie Mawson heading wide from their first corner before
Borja Baston curled off-target rather than playing in the unmarked Gylfi
Sigurdsson.

Having gone ahead, West Ham edged the remainder of the first half, although
Swansea arguably created the better chances. For the visitors, Ayew flicked
a Dimitri Payet cross just beyond the flying Michail Antonio at the far
post, Payet himself seeing a shot held by Fabianski.

As half-time approached, Swansea threatened again, but Sigurdsson first
sliced a left-foot shot out for a throw-in, then saw Darren Randolph plunge
to his left to push his well-struck free-kick around the post. With chances
suddenly flowing, Antonio curled a yard wide of the top corner after
collecting the Frenchman's pass, then Swansea midfielder Jack Cork headed
Wayne Routledge's centre over Randolph's crossbar, meaning the Hammers went
in a goal to the good at the break.

Swansea manager Bob Bradley reacted with a double change at the break,
bringing on Fernando Llorente and Jefferson Montero for Borja and Jay Fulton
respectively. After again starting brightly, the Swans were again stung by a
West Ham goal. Five minutes of the second half had passed when Carroll's
shot was deflected wide and Reid beat two defenders to Payet's near-post
corner to head home.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Swansea reacted by going on the front foot, with
Routledge slicing wide, Randolph making another decent stop to push Cork's
aside and the Irishman then helping Sigurdsson's looping header over the
top. With the home crowd getting increasingly frustrated, West Ham kept
possession with increasing confidence and ensured a second away win of
2016/17 when eight-goal leading scorer Antonio diverted Havard Nordtveit's
shot past Fabianski – who had saved from substitute Edmilison Fernandes
seconds earlier – with 13 minutes remaining.

The impressive Randolph made smart saves from Angel Rangel and Cork late on,
completing a miserable afternoon for Bradley, but was powerless to stop
Llorente firing home from Nathan Dyer's cut-back in the 89th minute.

There was still time though for Carroll to score his fifth in six matches
against the Swans, expertly volleying home Sofiane Feghouli's cross in the
final minute in a move that once again Edimilson Fernandes set up.

The Manager will be well impressed with the result today but more
importantly how some of his summer signings actually played. Both Ayew and
Nordtveit were outstanding with the latter having probably the best
performance of anyone that has played in that dreaded right back position
all year. Not only did he keep one player quiet. He was so good Bradley
had to change things around at HT and bring Montero on to attack the
Norwegian down that wing. He lasted 24 minutes with Havard shutting him out
as well. The position has been a nightmare for the Hammers all year and
maybe now Slaven has found a player that can excel there and utilise a
standard back four which should give our wide players more of an opportunity
to stay up the other end of the pitch.

Swansea City: Fabianski; Rangel, Mawson, van der Hoorn, Kingsley; Cork,
Fulton (Montero 46, Dyer 70), Britton; Routledge, Sigurdsson (c), Borja
(Llorente 46)
Subs not used: Nordfeldt (GK), Fer, Naughton, Fernandez
Bookings: None
Goal: Llorente 89

West Ham United: Randolph; Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble (c),
Kouyate; Antonio (Feghouli 83), Ayew (Fernandes 75), Payet; Carroll
(Fletcher 90).
Subs not used: Adrian (GK), Quina, Rice, Pike.
Bookings: None
Goals: Ayew 13, Reid 50, Antonio 77, Carroll 90
Referee: Andre Marriner.

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Swansea 1-4 West Ham: Hosts relegation fears heightened after another defeat
By Pete Hall
Last Updated: 26/12/16 5:57pm
SSN

West Ham piled the pressure on Bob Bradley after they cruised to a 4-1 win
over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium on Boxing Day. Andre Ayew returned to
haunt his former club after 13 minutes, tapping home his first goal for West
Ham to set the Hammers on course for a third league victory in a row.
Winston Reid made it two five minutes after the break before Michail Antonio
made sure of the win 12 minutes from time, capitalising on more poor
defending from the home side. Fernando Llorente's late strike proved to be a
mere consolation, as Andy Carroll netted a fourth in stoppage time to a
chorus of boos around the Liberty. The result sees Swansea sit four points
from safety, with questions over Bradley's suitability to the role
remaining. West Ham are up to 11th after their success in south Wales.
Swansea started well, but were caught on the break as the Hammers took the
lead through a familiar face to Swans followers. A long ball towards the
back post was met firmly by Carroll, who headed across goal, Lukasz
Fabianski could only parry the ball into the path of Ayew, who could not
miss from a few yards out.
Antonio went close to finding a second minutes later, but was inches away
from connecting at the back post. Record Swansea signing Borja Baston then
did superbly to work space for the shot, but sliced the ball wide as his
search for a first goal in English football goes on.

Darren Randolph was called into action three minutes before the break,
superbly denying Gylfi Sigurdsson from a free-kick as frustration grew
around the Liberty.
After the interval, Swansea continued to be the architects of their own
downfall, and it was not long before Reid headed the Hammers' second,
beating three defenders to a corner to steer the ball home. Randolph was
then at his best to deny Swansea twice in four minutes, with his stop from
Jack Cork's strike the pick of the lot. It was game, set and match 12
minutes from time as Antonio diverted a drilled Havard Nordtveit strike
home, despite appearing to think he was offside. In fact, Nathan Dyer was
too slow to get out behind him, playing the versatile Hammer onside for his
eight goal of the season. Randolph again was forced to deny Angel Rangel
with a smart stop, before he was finally beaten in stoppage time by Swansea
substitute Llorente, after great work from Dyer to pick him out.
The three-goal winning margin was restored less than a minute later in
stoppage time, though, as Carroll was allowed far too much time to bring the
ball down and scuff his strike past the despairing dive of Fabianski. The
Swansea faithful let their feelings be known at the death, and it remains to
be seen if Bradley will be afforded time to turn things around in the coming
transfer window.

Player ratings
Swansea: Fabianski (4), Rangel (5), Mawson (4), van der Hoorn (4), Kingsley
(3), Cork (4), Britton (6), Routledge (5), Sigurdsson (6), Fulton (3), Borja
(3).
Subs: Llorente (6), Dyer (5), Montero (4).

West Ham: Randolph (9), Kouyate (7), Reid (7), Ogbonna (7), Antonio (8),
Noble (7), Nordtveit (7), Cresswell (7), Payet (9), Carroll (8), Ayew (8).
Subs: Feghouli (N/A), Fletcher (N/A), Fernandes (6).
Man of the match: Dimitri Payet

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Swansea 1-4 West Ham: Slaven Bilic lauds season's best performance
By Pete Hall
Last Updated: 26/12/16 7:45pm
SSN

Slaven Bilic insisted West Ham never stopped believing they could turn their
season around as the Hammers thrashed Swansea 4-1 at the Liberty Stadium on
Boxing Day. The success in south Wales was West Ham's third win in a row in
the Premier League - form which has seen them climb to 11th in the table
after a difficult start to the campaign. Andre Ayew set the ball rolling
against his former club, netting his first for West Ham since a club-record
switch in the summer, before goals from Winston Reid and Michail Antonio put
the visitors in control. Fernando Llorente gave the Swans a glimmer of hope
late on, but Andy Carroll quickly added a fourth for West Ham in stoppage
time to put the gloss on a performance that delighted Bilic, who insisted
that he never doubted his side would turn around their fortunes. "It was a
really good performance," Bilic told Sky Sports. "We were compact when we
needed to defend as a team, we were dangerous when we had opportunities.
Maybe it was the best performance of the season. I am really pleased with
everyone in the team. "The first goal was really important. We always looked
promising on the ball, and we knew we could hurt them. Of course the second
goal is very important, and in a crucial moment. "The key thing was that we
never stopped believing. We kept training hard, and when we had those hard
moments, when we had five extremely difficult games, against the top teams,
we knew we had those two home games against Hull and Burnley. "Those wins
meant we could breathe a little bit." Ayew earned a special mention from
Bilic, who feels that his new striker has had plenty to overcome to get to
this point. "It is not just his goal, but his performance," Bilic added. "He
had a really bad injury and now with a goal he can continue to improve."

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West Ham deny reports of a takeover bid from Red Bull
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 26/12/16 12:28pm
SSN

West Ham have rejected claims they are set to be bought by energy drinks
giants Red Bull. A report in The Sun on Monday claimed the Austrian company
were lining up a £200m takeover bid for the Hammers. However, Sky Sports
News HQ understand West Ham have received no contact from any outside
parties over a potential takeover and co-owners David Gold and David
Sullivan are currently not looking to sell the club. Gold and Sullivan
purchased a majority stake in West Ham in January 2010, in a deal that
valued the club at £105m, and have since overseen the club's move from the
Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium.
Red Bull have previously been linked in the national press with takeover
bids for English sides Leeds United, Brentford, Charlton Athletic and
Swindon Town.
They currently own Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig, New York Red Bulls, Red
Bull Brasil and two F1 teams, multi-champions Red Bull Racing and Scuderia
Toro Rosso.

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Valencia confident of securing loan deal for West Ham flop Simone Zaza until
end of season
Zaza has failed to score in English football and has become frustrated at
West Ham - but he could have a get out clause
BYJOHN CROSS
12:24, 26 DEC 2016UPDATED12:24, 26 DEC 2016
The Mirror

Spanish giants Valencia are confident of securing a loan deal for unhappy
West Ham striker Simone Zaza. Valencia director of football Jesus Garcia
Pitch has met with Zaza's representatives and they want to loan him until
the summer. Zaza, 25, who is on a season-long loan from Juventus, has
struggled to adapt to English football, has yet to score and has become
frustrated at West Ham. It is a complicated deal as Valencia need to get
agreement from both Juventus and West Ham as well as persuading Zaza to take
a cut in salary. West Ham are also facing their own striker crisis so it
may depend on them bringing someone in before the Zaza switch is sanction.
But Zaza has told his representatives he believes they will let him go and
that he wants to get away after struggling to fit in at West Ham.

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Swansea 1-4 West Ham: Irons pile more misery on Bob Bradley with thumping
win - 5 things we learned
Former Swan Andre Ayew scored his first West Ham goal to increase the
pressure on the Liberty Stadium boss
BYJAKE BACON
17:17, 26 DEC 2016UPDATED17:19, 26 DEC 2016
The Mirror

Bob Bradley was left clinging onto his Swansea job after old boy Andre Ayew
made a devastating return. Former Swan Ayew scored his first West Ham goal
to increase the pressure on the Liberty Stadium boss. The Ghana ace swapped
Wales for the bright lights of London in a £20.5m deal last summer to become
the Hammers' most expensive ever signing. Ayew was Swansea's top scorer last
season with 12 goals and he opened his West Ham account after taking
advantage of a Lukasz Fabianski blunder in the 13th minute. More shocking
defending from the Welsh club followed shortly after the break when an
unchallenged Winston Reid headed in Dimitri Payet's corner. And Michail
Antonio's goal 12 minutes from time led to a mass exodus from the home
supporters. Fernando Llorente pulled a goal back late on to give Swansea a
meaningless consolation. However, Andy Carroll's strike less than a minute
later restored West Ham's three-goal advantage.

1. Bradley is facing even more pressure

The ex-USA boss wasn't a popular appointment when he arrived in Wales two
months ago, the main reason being his lack of European experience in the top
leagues. And with Swansea now four points from safety, the Liberty Stadium
faithful were calling for the American's head throughout the game.

2. West Ham can breathe easily… for now

West Ham have won three successive games for the first time since March, and
it's lifted them eight points clear of the drop zone. The Hammers were on a
seven-game winless run and in the relegation zone just over a fortnight ago
- but manager Slaven Bilic has managed to turn it around.

3. Swansea's frailty at the back continues

Two of West Ham's four goals came from set-pieces, and Swansea's leaky
defence has now shipped 41 goals this season, more than any other Premier
League club. The Swans need to bring in experienced defenders next month if
they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation.

4. Darren Randolph is justifying Bilic's faith

After a string of impressive displays for the Republic of Ireland at Euro
2016, it would have been fair for Randolph to feel hard done by for starting
the season as Adrian's understudy. But since coming into the starting XI
last month, the ex-Birmingham stopper has been a revelation, and he was
brilliant today, pulling off save after save in the second-half.

5. The Liberty Stadium atmosphere is toxic

Coming into this crucial game, Bradley talked up the Swansea fans and the
role they had played in previous home wins. Well, after West Ham's second
goal, the Jack Army turned on Bradley and demanded their "greedy" American
owners leave the club. It's hard to see a way back for supporters and the
Swansea hierarchy after today.

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