Jarrod Bowen fires Hammers to victory as Leicester's struggles deepen

The victory, sealed by a Tomas Soucek strike and a Jannik Vestergaard own goal, marked West Ham's first league triumph over the Foxes since August 2021 and handed Leicester their 11th defeat in 12 Premier League outings.

Bowen, who played a pivotal role in the attack, praised the team's resilience and hunger to build on recent form. "We've had some big results this season, but we haven't always backed them up," he said after the match.

"After beating Arsenal, we came here with the same mindset and energy. Leicester's position didn't matter- we knew it'd be tough, and we had to match that expectation. Me and Mo (Kudus) linking up close together gives us that spark when we win the ball back, and we're firing from there."

The Hammers have now strung together consecutive league wins for the first time since March, a feat Bowen believes sets them up nicely for a 12-day break before their next challenge. "It's like an international break - you don't want to lose going into it," he added. "Now we can enjoy training and look ahead to another tough one."

Leicester, meanwhile, arrived with the second-leakiest defence in the division, and their frailties were exposed early. Soucek broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, pouncing on a rebound after Mads Hermansen had denied Kudus, with no Foxes defender reacting in time.

The hosts doubled their lead before the break when Bowen's near-post effort deflected off Vestergaard, leaving Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy fuming at his side's first-half display.

Van Nistelrooy didn't hold back in his assessment. "The goals we conceded were easy," he said. "That first half was a reflection of how passive we were. We waited too much, didn't press with urgency, and let them take the initiative.

"In the second half, we moved forward better, but it wasn't enough - we weren't even close to scoring early on."

Despite a slight uptick after substitutes Harry Winks and Stephy Mavididi entered in the 61st minute, Leicester couldn't muster a comeback. Vestergaard's header from a corner was their best chance, but West Ham's Alphonse Areola dealt with it comfortably, securing back-to-back clean sheets for Graham Potter's men.

Van Nistelrooy, under mounting pressure with the Foxes five points from safety, insisted his squad must keep fighting. "We're in the bottom three, and the way out is to move forward - literally on the pitch," he said. "It's about belief and hard work. We can't sit back."

West Ham, climbing to 15th, have found their stride, while Leicester's woes deepen. A recent X update from Bowen echoed his post-match comments: "Big win tonight, buzzing with the lads and the clean sheet. Onward and upward!" For the Foxes, though, the road ahead looks increasingly perilous.

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