Mark Noble's Brace Boosts Euro Hopes For Hammers

 

West Ham’s record-breaking year owes just as much to Mark Noble. The boyhood fan, the heartbeat, the Iron in midfield. What a season their captain has enjoyed, the way in which he emphatically hammered home a late volley in front of his adoring supporters epitomising this year. He and his club have meant business since August and are not about to finish now.

Five points adrift of fourth, Champions League qualification remains a tall order from here, yet a win at West Bromwich means Slaven Bilic has now accumulated more than any other West Ham manager in the Premier League era, beating Harry Redknapp’s total in 1999.

On Saturday they forced Manchester United’s hand in cruise control. Should Leicester emerge from Old Trafford victorious - and in turn be crowned champions - West Ham will remain in the Europa League driving seat owing to a superior goal difference. It means the final ever game at Upton Park could well be a straight fight for fifth place when Louis van Gaal’s United rock up in east London a week on Tuesday. That was bound to be an historic occasion regardless, but its meaning has now been cranked up a notch. The winner could take it all.

For all the flair Bilic has so encouraged during a sensational first campaign in English football, Noble and midfield partner Cheikhou Kouyate showed West Ham’s foundations are equally important. The pair of them barely put a foot wrong all afternoon in a display of almost near dominance. 

Kouyate scored the first and made the second, both coming from the visitors wanting this result more. Winston Reid won a 50/50 with Darren Fletcher in midfield, his challenge finding Payet whose weighted cross saw The Hawthorns stand still for Kouyate to nod across goal on 34 minutes. Just on half-time and Bilic was crouched in his technical area as Kouyate engaged on halfway, leaving Craig Dawson flailing. The manager willed his man on, rocking slightly as he pushed him on. Kouyate duly delivered, finding Noble to prod in. That was that as a contest.