Fulham 0-0 West Ham: Hammers miss likelihood to maneuver fourth in Premier League

Tomas Soucek was despatched off as West Ham missed an opportunity to maneuver into the highest 4 of the Premier League with a goalless draw towards struggling Fulham.

Because the pair jostled for place as a free-kick was about to be taken, Soucek raised his elbow and caught the Fulham striker in an incident that regarded unintended.

Nonetheless, following a prolonged video assistant referee examine, referee Mike Dean was suggested to examine the incident himself, with VAR official Lee Mason telling Dean to have a look at Soucek’s “clenched fist”.

Dean, taking a couple of minutes to make his resolution, repeatedly watched the incident on the pitchside monitor and ultimately despatched him off for violent conduct.

“I am embarrassed for whoever has completed VAR tonight,” stated Hammers boss David Moyes.

“It was apparent to everybody it was unintended. I am actually embarrassed they selected to ship him off. We would like them to get the selections proper. It comes right down to a poor resolution and we won’t do a lot about it.

“It is unfair to the boy. I am certain they may give you sufficient excuses to justify the explanation for sending him off.”

Fulham boss Scott Parker agreed that Soucek, who will miss an FA Cup sport towards Manchester United and Premier League matches towards Sheffield United and Tottenham, didn’t should be dismissed.

“It in all probability was a bit harsh and the sport is turning into very sterile,” stated Parker. “I do not assume it was a sending off however that is the best way the sport goes.”

In a quiet first half, each side solely managed one shot on track every – the guests’ Declan Rice having an effort saved by Alphonse Areola and Ivan Cavaleiro heading tamely at Lukasz Fabianski for the hosts.

West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal then headed towards the crossbar from Rice’s cross from the left.

Tosin Adarabioyo may have given Fulham all three factors however narrowly headed over from eight yards out as neither facet may make the breakthrough.

West Ham would have gone above Liverpool with a victory, however keep fifth, one level behind final season’s champions, who host league leaders Manchester Metropolis on Sunday.

Fulham have no longer gained in 14 matches in all competitions, since a 2-1 victory at Leicester Metropolis on 30 November, and stay 18th – within the relegation zone.

Europe-chasing West Ham could also be pleased with some extent

West Ham got here into this match in an ideal run of type with seven wins of their previous eight – and that one defeat was towards Liverpool.

Though Fulham had the better share of possession, the perfect likelihood fell to Coufal, however the woodwork denied the Czech defender his first objective for the membership.

His countryman Soucek, searching for his ninth Hammers objective of the season, ought to have completed higher when he met Jesse Lingard’s cross however couldn’t hold his header down.

Nonetheless, it has nonetheless been an ideal marketing campaign for West Ham, who completed sixteenth in 2020-21, however are hoping to qualify for European competitors for the primary time since they completed seventh in 2015-16 underneath Slaven Bilic.

In the long run, West Ham have been hanging on and should regard this a good level.

Fulham substitute Mitrovic shot broad late on, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek additionally lacking two possibilities within the final 5 minutes for the hosts.

Fulham’s lack of ruthlessness exhibits once more

Fulham started the day eight factors adrift of Burnley and Newcastle, though Burnley drew 1-1 towards Brighton and nine-man Newcastle beat Southampton 3-2 to extend the strain on Scott Parker’s facet.

However this newest draw retains the Cottagers eight factors from seventeenth and in grave hazard of creating an prompt return to the Championship after profitable the play-offs to get promoted final season.

When these sides met in November, West Ham gained 1-0, however Fulham missed an excellent likelihood to equalise in harm time as Ademola Lookman’s weak chipped ‘Panenka’ penalty was simply saved by Fabianski.

Lookman was one in every of Fulham’s positives in a quiet first half at Craven Cottage as he twice created area for possibilities however couldn’t hit the goal.

Fulham began the second half brightly as Bobby Decordova-Reid volleyed over and Loftus-Cheek, when performed in by Lookman, shot into the facet netting.

However as soon as once more Fulham’s lack of ruthlessness in entrance of objective value them as Adarabioyo headed simply over and Cavaleiro missed the goal when unmarked.

Supervisor Parker handed a late debut to striker Josh Maja, signed on mortgage from Bordeaux on switch deadline day, and likewise introduced on Mitrovic in an try to get what would have been solely their third league win of the season.

They’d possibilities too, however Mitrovic and Loftus-Cheek did not take the alternatives on one other irritating day for the Cottagers.

One other London derby with out a win for Fulham – the stats

• Fulham have did not win any of their previous 4 league video games towards West Ham (D1 L3), failing to attain in three of these matches.
• Fulham are winless of their previous 20 Premier League London derbies (D3 L17), with solely Crystal Palace having an extended such run in English top-flight historical past (31 between August 1969 and March 1973). Nonetheless, this was the primary time the Cottagers have stored a clear sheet in a Premier League London derby since March 2013 (1-0 vs Tottenham), having conceded in every of their earlier 28 such matches.
• No facet has performed out extra goalless attracts within the Premier League this season than Fulham (4 – degree with Manchester United).
• West Ham have gained as many factors this season in 23 video games as they did within the entirety of 2019-20 (39).
• Solely Burnley (12) have failed to attain in additional Premier League video games than Fulham (11) this season.
• There have been simply three photographs on track on this sport, two for Fulham and one for West Ham, the joint-lowest tally in a Premier League sport this season (degree with three different video games).
• Fulham (D8 L4) have gone 12 league video games with out a victory for the primary time since April-September 2014, whereas it’s their longest such run solely within the prime flight since November 2007-January 2008 (a run of 12).
• West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen (19) has been substituted on extra events than another participant within the Premier League this season, while team-mate Andriy Yarmolenko (13) has made probably the most appearances from the bench within the competitors this marketing campaign.

‘From begin to end we have been excellent’ – what they stated

Fulham boss Scott Parker advised Match of the Day: “It is a powerful one to take as a result of I felt from begin to end we have been excellent.

“We had 20-odd photographs and our ending was in all probability the deciding issue. We brought about them a great deal of issues. The gamers executed the plan fantastically. We have been an actual risk.

“We all know what the distinction is at this degree. This can be a group of gamers working tirelessly and I noticed that at present.

“We have to get that win. We want one thing to drop for us.”

West Ham boss David Moyes advised Match of the Day: “We did not play in addition to we have now been. Generally the video games can make amends for you rapidly.

“Fulham have been the higher group – we cant deny that. I do not assume the standard of our play was proper from the beginning. A number of issues did not work from the beginning.”

What’s subsequent?

Fulham have per week with out a match as they don’t play once more till Sunday, 14 February when they’re at Everton within the Premier League (19:00 GMT).

West Ham play at Manchester United within the fifth spherical of the FA Cup on Tuesday (19:30), earlier than returning to league motion on Monday, 15 February as Sheffield United are at London Stadium (18:00).