Raúl Jiménez was Fulham's hero once again, scoring a dramatic late winner to condemn West Ham United to a damaging 1-0 defeat at the London Stadium. The Mexican striker's 85th-minute header secured a third consecutive victory for the Cottagers, plunging Nuno Espírito Santo's side deeper into Premier League relegation trouble.
Hammers' Home Woes Continue
The result means West Ham have won just two matches at home all season and have now lost their last six London derbies. With only three points taken from their last seven league games, the atmosphere turned toxic as disillusioned supporters held up red cards and chanted "sack the board" in protest against the club's ownership.
This was the first of a run of fixtures seen as winnable for the Hammers, with Brighton and Nottingham Forest still to visit east London. However, they remain five points adrift of safety, a gap that could have been cut to two had they capitalised on Manchester City's earlier victory at Forest.
A Game of Missed Chances
The match was characterised by spurned opportunities at both ends. Jiménez, who had scored the winner against Nottingham Forest before Christmas, curled an early effort wide for Fulham. His teammate Harry Wilson forced a fine save from Alphonse Areola, while Joachim Andersen saw a long-range strike kept out by the West Ham keeper's feet.
For the hosts, Jarrod Bowen saw an angled shot saved by Bernd Leno, and Ollie Scarles headed a good chance narrowly wide. The biggest miss came from Bowen in the second half, who somehow scooped a cross from Soungoutou Magassa over the bar from just six yards out. Substitute Callum Wilson also wasted a promising breakaway, firing wide.
Jiménez Strikes Decisively
The decisive moment arrived with just five minutes of normal time remaining. A mistake by the otherwise impressive young defender Ollie Scarles proved costly; he completely missed his clearance, allowing Harry Wilson to lift a cross to the far post. There, Raúl Jiménez rose to power a header home for his seventh career Premier League goal against West Ham, sealing a vital three points for Marco Silva's side.
The victory lifts Fulham comfortably clear of the immediate relegation scrap, while for West Ham, the desperation is palpable. The pressure mounts on manager Nuno Espírito Santo as his team's form shows all the hallmarks of a side in a serious fight for survival.
