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A superb brace by Felipe Anderson gave West Ham United a 2-1 comeback win at Southampton in a pulsating Premier League match on Thursday.
The result lifted West Ham to ninth in the table on 27 points from 19 games while Southampton stayed 16th on 15 points, three above the relegation zone after suffering their first home defeat in five matches.
The game sprung to life when Southampton forward Nathan Redmond bundled the ball home with his shoulder in the 50th minute after visiting keeper Lukazs Fabianski parried his initial shot and Oriol Romeu's rebound.
In the absence of first-choice strikers Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez, West Ham lacked cutting edge until Brazilian midfielder Anderson turned the match on its head.
Anderson equalised in the 53rd minute with a stinging first-time shot from 20 metres and completed West Ham's comeback in the 57th when he buried the ball into the top right corner from 13 metres to cap a lightning break by the visitors.
Fabianski had kept out a long-range effort by forward Stuart Armstrong at the other end and marshalled his defence superbly in the closing stages as the Saints threw men forward in search of an equaliser.
Reuters
PREVIEW
What time does it start?
Southampton vs West Ham kicks off at 7:45pm (GMT)
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7:30pm.
Player to watch…
Marko Arnautovic: Pellegrini hinted prior to Thursday's game that star striker Arnautovic could be in line for a return having missed the Hammers last three matches with injury. The Austrian has scored five goals in 13 matches this season, as well as contributing two assists.
Form guide…
Southampton: LDLLWW
West Ham: LWWWWL
Odds…
Southampton to win: 6/5
West Ham to win: 12/5
Draw: 5/2
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
59 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
That's how to launch a counter attack. Felipe Anderson gets his and West Ham's second goal of the night.
Southampton's corner is cleared and Antonio races upfield, before squaring to Anderson, who lashes into the top corner. The Hammers have turned this game on its head.
62 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
Danny Ings makes way for Shane Long.
62 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
Penalty appeal for West Ham. Snodgrass weaves his way into the penalty area. Vestegaard steps across him and the Scotsman goes down in a heap. The referee waves play on.
64 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
Southampton come close to finding an equaliser. Targett drills in a low cross and Long is inches away from getting on the end of it to tap home. Fabianksi collects the resulting corner.
66 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
Matt Targett is shown the first yellow card of the evening after fouling Michail Antonio.
66 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
It's certainly been a lively first 20 minutes of the second half.
West Ham were not happy when Southampton's goal was not given offside, although replays show the linesman made the correct call.
But the Hammers responded in the best possible way with two excellent strikes from star man Felipe Anderson.
68 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
More fantastic work from Anderson and a big chance for West Ham. The former Lazio man surges down the left side before laying the ball back towards Perez, who's goal-bound shot is blocked.
71 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
You get the feeling that the next goal in this game is crucial.
Southampton will be mindful of the fact that their next two league matches are against Manchester City and Chelsea.
They could do with a result of some kind here.
72 mins: Southampton 1-2 West Ham
Some interesting footage has emerged from the build-up to West Ham's second goal.
The Hammers broke from a Southampton corner and replays show that the home side could easily have had a penalty before Anderson's second strike.
Declan Rice had both arms around Jan Bednarek as the corner was swung into the box but nothing was given. He's lucky to get away with that.
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