West Ham are hot on the heels of Championship leaders Southampton after Papa Bouba Diop secured a 1-0 win over Barnsley at Upton Park yesterday.
With Southampton not in action until today’s south-coast derby at Portsmouth, Sam Allardyce’s Hammers had a golden opportunity to move level on points with the Saints.
They took the chance thanks to Senegal midfielder Diop, who scored in the sixth minute to claim his first goal in English football since netting for Fulham against Blackburn six years ago.