If we take the view that Southampton are doomed - as a reminder, no club has ever stayed in the Premier League with such a lowly points tally at this stage of the season - then small positives must be sought wherever possible for the beleaguered regulars at St Mary's. So while this defeat by West Ham extended the hosts' winless league streak to eight games, there was at least some evidence that the Ivan Juric era might offer fresh hope; if not for this campaign then beyond.
In the first half alone Southampton attempted 11 shots, more than they had managed in the entirety of their previous nine matches. That they failed to score remains the concern, prompting Juric to urge his players to "be much more clinical and much more, like Italians say, bastards".
Defeat was harsh in a match settled only by Jarrod Bowen's close-range prod, which further eases pressure on Julen Lopetegui, who was close to losing his job a few weeks ago. He praised his players for being "resilient and able to suffer as a team to win" a game of fine margins.
West Ham are now four games unbeaten, while safety remains a distant dream for Southampton.
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