Michail Antonio makes the difference as West Ham beat West Brom

The problem with West Ham United’s search for a new striker is that any potential arrival will know they will always be living in the shadow of Michail Antonio. There is no questioning who the main man is in east London these days, even with Declan Rice thriving in midfield, and Antonio underlined his importance to his team with another match-winning performance here.

David Moyes has made it clear that he needs more attacking options following the sale of Sebastien Haller, and Antonio’s lengthy injury history makes that easy enough to understand. But the sales pitch to striking targets must be complicated. Will any new arrivals have a place in this team? Not right now, and not as long as Antonio remains fit.

Having scored the winner against Burnley on Saturday, Antonio repeated the trick with a fine volley towards the end of this victory over struggling West Bromwich Albion. The three points took West Ham up to the heights of seventh place, only two points off fourth-placed Liverpool, and made this the first time since 1958 that they have won the first four matches of a calendar year.

“I want to keep driving the players on,” said Moyes. “I don’t want this to be a flash in the pan and then we fall away.”

Momentum is certainly building at the London Stadium, where there is a lovely balance to this West Ham side. There is steel in defence and plenty of creativity in the attack, where Antonio provides the sort of edge that West Brom manager Sam Allardyce must crave.

“He has come up with the goods,” said Moyes. “His goals are terrific. It’s incredible for us. Is he at top tilt yet? No, I don’t think so. We are asking a lot of him but he is beginning to show a ruthless streak.”

West Brom had their moments in attack, with Matheus Pereira scoring with a superb individual effort, but their defending remains far too flimsy. They have now conceded 43 goals this season, comfortably the worst record in the league, and they were undone by two simple crosses here.

“The one thing I really don't want to do is lose my hair and go bald but I am worrying about it that much,” Allardyce said of the defending. “We have got to put that right more than anything else.”

After overseeing a thrilling victory over Wolves at the weekend, Allardyce would no doubt have hoped to keep a settled side on this trip to face one of his former sides. He was unable to call upon new signing Robert Snodgrass, though, as West Brom had agreed he would not play in this game when they signed him from West Ham earlier this month.

The Snodgrass situation made for rather strange circumstances, although there was nothing unusual about Allardyce’s approach to the match. West Brom set up in their shape early, looking to frustrate West Ham.

They were largely successful in stopping the home side from finding the flow in the first half but gradually West Ham’s superior quality began to show. Said Benrahma was increasingly busy and, just before the break, he swirled a cross towards the back post.

His delivery was met by Vladimir Coufal, who fired back across goal and into Jarrod Bowen. With one timely twist of his shoulders, Bowen powered the ball in off his chest.

The encouragement for West Brom came through Pereira, who soon pulled them back into the match with a searing strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. It was the first goal West Ham had conceded this calendar year, and it clearly stung.

Moyes responded quickly by sending on Pablo Fornals and Andriy Yarmolenko, and within a few minutes they had restored their lead. Aaron Cresswell’s delivery was headed across goal by Yarmolenko, and Antonio converted on the volley.

From there, West Ham were largely able to coast. There was just one chance for the visitors, who saw Darnell Furlong flash a volley past the post and then watched in despair as Conor Gallagher threw himself to the ground in a misguided attempt to win a penalty. He was rightly booked, and his desperation summarised West Brom’s night.

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07:53 PM

FULL TIME

West Ham get the win! What a season they're having under Moyes - they're above Chelsea in the league now!

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07:52 PM

90 mins+3 - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

West Brom doing all the attacking. Long balls from free-kicks into the box, crosses powered into the area... and the referee is just talking to Var because Fabianksi has full on punched Bartley in the head. Well, he's not caught him properly but that could easily be a penalty... but it's not.

Gallagher goes down in the area immediately after but is booked for diving. It's a brilliant spot.

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07:49 PM

90 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

OHHHHHH THAT'S SO CLOSE. Wow. Furlong has almost secured a point, running across the defence to meet a cross at the near post, slamming a side-footed volley which curls towards goal but is, maybe a yard wide? The goalkeeper had absolutely no chance.

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07:44 PM

87 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

I think West Brom have changed to a 3-5-2, with the wing-backs pushed high high high up the pitch. Two strikers in the middle should cause some problems, if they can get the ball into the box. West Ham naturally sitting a bit deeper now.

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07:43 PM

84 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

Antonio comes off for Noble, which makes perfect sense. He's run his race and probably scored the winning goal. Such an underrated player. To be clear I mean Antonio.

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07:41 PM

82 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

Antonio tries a hopeful shot from distance but looks tired and doesn't get the right power or aim on it. I think that might be the last thing he does in this game. Noble getting ready to come on.

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07:38 PM

79 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

West Brom still no closer to a goal. West Ham defending well, limiting them to long throws.

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07:34 PM

76 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

There are now reports that the Premier League are investigating whether West Ham and West Brom broke regulations with that 'Robert Snodgrass can't play' agreement for tonight's game.

There's been no comment from either club on the matter yet.

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07:32 PM

Var says: no penalty

Soucek gets his foot to the ball first in a 50/50, is then taken out by Gallagher, who hadn't realised the challenge was coming in, and the reasoning for it is that it's not clear and obvious, which it isn't.

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07:31 PM

73 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

Superb from Antonio. O'Shea brings down a long ball on the chest so Antonio just muscles in front of him to shield it then draws the foul. West Ham go from goal kick to dangerous free-kick in the space of two passes.

Oooooooohhhhh that might be a penalty! Soucek has been taken down in the area! He definitely gets to the ball first before being hacked down... and I think technically that'll be awarded by Var.

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07:29 PM

70 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

• Michail Antonio is now the outright top Premier League goalscorer at the London Stadium with 14 goals, surpassing that of former Hammer Marko Arnautovic (13).

He's also probably going in my Fantasy Football team quite soon.

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07:26 PM

68 mins - West Ham 2 West Brom 1

Yarmolenko has a chance to shoot but is so one-footed that everyone knows it'll be left-footed and curled towards the part of the goal he aims at. Johnstone saves well and holds.

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07:24 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!

Antonio scores!

West Ham 2 West Brom 1

West Ham do am do really well to keep the pressure up, West Best do not clear their lines very well at all, and a header back across the box from Yarmolenko gives Antonio the chance to slam a volley home from the penalty spot.

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07:24 PM

66 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 1

Here's a statistic I hadn't realised was a thing:

• The goal West Ham conceded was the first in 341 minutes of Premier League action.

They're starting to really put pressure on West Brom now.

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07:22 PM

65 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 1

Benrahma and Lanzini off, Yarmolenko and Fornals on. Those are like for like substitutions, Moyes after something different.

Bowen has gone wide left actually, with Yarmolenko wide right.

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07:20 PM

62 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 1

Oooooohhhh that's close. Westes Brom take a clever free-kick with a through-pass played wide of a defensive wall and Rice runs onto it, cutting the ball across a completely empty net as the goalie blocks the near post. Any touch would have turned that into a goal.

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07:18 PM

60 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 1

Benrahma's first touch is ridiculous. He's so technically gifted, just needs to add the extra bit to his game where he actually scores and assists and causes damage. At the moment it's all a bit showy without end product.

West Ham attack up the right, West Brom panic to get it away, Lanzini has a shot blocked off the line by O'Shea's forehead - which will definitely have hurt - and then Rice shoots narrowly wide with a curling effort from 20 yards.

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07:16 PM

57 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 1

O'Shea slides in to stop Antonio beating him for pace on the outside, West Ham set up for a corner into the box. Cresswell curls it out but West Brom defend well and win a throw.

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07:11 PM

54 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 1

West Brom a lot more adventurous now, sending players forward and working it around the West Ham box, pushing up to keep the pressure on when West Ham clear their lines.

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07:11 PM

Var check

There's some sort of check going on because Gallagher is a yard offside. Although Gallagher doesn't touch the ball, the concern was that he'd blocked the goalkeeper's view.

The goal stands!

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07:09 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!

Oh wow what a hit! Pereira scores!

West Ham 1 West Brom 1

Nice passing move from West Brom but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere until Pereira starts running then launches a hit from 20 yards across the goal and into the bottom corner. It's a perfect strike.

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07:08 PM

48 mins - West Ham 1 West Brom 0

The game is about the same as it was in the first half. Long kicks from the goalkeeper, it bounces around a bit and then one team builds an attack.

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07:04 PM

KICK OFF 2

The players are back, the bubbles are blowing - it's time for another half of PULSATING FOOTBALL PLEASE.

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06:49 PM

HALF TIME

Well that was a half of almost completely nothing with West Ham needing 45 minutes to get into the West Brom box in open play. That goal might change West Brom's approach and should mean we get an entertaining second 45. Please.

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06:47 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

BOWEN SCORES!

West Ham 1 West Best 0

Benrahma tricks his way past Gallagher on the right, crosses to the back post, Coufal is there as the overlapping right-back and fires a powerful cross straight into the area. Bowen has to react to shoot and ends up using his shoulder! Great finish finish.

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06:46 PM

45 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

And then all of a sudden, Ajayi hits an awful pass back towards the goalie and Antonio is almost able to get one v one with the goalkeeper. Bartley is in position to slide in and take the ball away just in time.

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06:46 PM

44 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Brom slowing the game down now. They've managed it really well. But yes, nothing is happening.

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06:42 PM

41 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

Antonio is a brilliant player. Big, strong, fast, balanced but mostly really skilful. Benrahma is making things happen on the edge of the West Brom box though, jinking his way past tackles to get hits on goal. None troubling the goalkeeper so far.

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06:39 PM

38 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

Neither team has really had a 'good' chance to score so far. It's very even, West Ham look like the better team but West Brom defending in such a way that it doesn't even matter.

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06:35 PM

35 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Ham win a free-kick on the edge of the area and four players are lining it up. It suits a right footer but Cresswell might fancy a dig... and Lanzini hits it, landing the ball on the roof of the net. A decent effort, not quite good enough.

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06:32 PM

32 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

Grosicki kills a long pass dead with a superb first touch, he passes to Robinson, who looks for a one-two round the corner and has a chance to shoot. He gets way too much lift on it though and the ball flies into the stand.

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06:31 PM

29 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

After a little spell of West Brom pressure, West Ham get forward and work the ball around the area. Nothing comes of it though other than a shot from inside the box in an offside position.

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06:27 PM

26 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Brom take their turn to keep the ball for a bit but can't really create anything in the final third and end up going backwards, which then lets the goalkeeper launch it forwards, which is basically what (I think) Allardyce wants them to do.

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06:23 PM

23 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

Decent chance. Benrahma dribbles on the edge of the box, keeps two players guessing then fires a clever pass into Cresswell. He crosses, Coufal controls and hits a low volley wide by way of a deflection.

A cross by Benrahma soon after goes straight out for a goal kick.

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06:20 PM

20 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

I think Bartley has headed that... if not Ogbonna has almost beaten his own goalkeeper with a powerful header inside the area. Fabianski saves relatively easily.

Benrahma has been caught late with a high tackle and is feeling the effects of it on his thigh.

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06:18 PM

17 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Brom growing into the game but, just like West Ham, there's no real tempo or rhythm to their play. It's a little bit end to end but done so at a slooooooow pace.

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06:14 PM

14 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Brom manage to get a shot away from outside the box but the strike is poor and miles from goal.

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06:12 PM

11 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

Nothing much going on. West Ham with with the majority of possession.

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06:09 PM

8 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

This game is pretty much exactly how you might imagine it to be. Both teams cautious, both blocking the centre of the pitch, set pieces already look like the best way of scoring. West Ham almost grab a goal with a header from a corner.

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06:05 PM

5 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Brom making the pitch small out of possession, getting heaps of bodies together so that West Ham have to play wide.

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06:03 PM

3 mins - West Ham 0 West Brom 0

West Ham starting with the bal in possession, West Brom trying to stop them at halfway with a fairly aggressive press. Slow start to the game.

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06:00 PM

KICK OFF

Kevin Nolan is pictured sitting on the bench with Moyes. Should be able to give the West Ham manager a lot of insight into how Allardyce likes his teams to play.

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05:57 PM

Here come the players

West Brom are in their Norwich style yellow and green strips, West Ham are wearing their West Ham home kits.

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05:39 PM

Sam Allardyce confirms Snodgrass not allowed to play

On Sam Johnstone:

"It's quite a difficult one. Sam's record speaks for itself, that's the first game he's missed in about four years. At the the moment Sam is the best and the first choice here."

"Snodgrass was an agreement between the clubs was that he couldn't play. Both parties agreed to that so it's fine by me."

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05:30 PM

What could change this evening

The table doesn't look great for West Brom at the moment, with Sam Allardyce calling out the board for needing to make new additions to the squad before his last match. That seemed to spur on the players to put in a battling performance and he will need exactly the same this evening.

If West Ham win by four goals this evening they climb into fifth place! Moyes is quietly doing a superb job.

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05:11 PM

Starting lineups

This is what the teams will look this evening:

Seems like both are in 4-2-3-1 systems. One change for West Ham in Lanzini starting over Fornals.

Sam Johnstone and Conor Gallagher are in for West Brom while Robert Snodgrass isn't even in the squad. I'm assuming that's to do with him only just signing for them from West Ham.

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04:58 PM

West Ham vs West Brom

Hello there and welcome to our liveblog for West Ham vs West Brom live from a remote room somewhere vaguely near the London Stadium, as Sam Allardyce is welcomed back to his old stomping ground, a place he used to stomp around. Stomp stomp stomp. He returns as the latest West Brom manager and has already start to work his magic ways with the players, recording an impressive and deserved victory in the Black Country derby against Wolves.

Allardyce will lock tactical minds with David Moyes this evening, another manager who favours pragmatic, get-the-job done football. This game could either be end to end and very fun... or absolutely horrible. I'm excited to find out which.

This is what Mr Moyes has to say about this game:

"It has been tough to get consistency this season, but thankfully we’ve shown bits of it at different times.

"We're in a decent run at this moment in time, but I don't take any of it for granted. We know we're going have to play really well and work very hard in every game we win.

"It’s something I’ve been trying to bring. I want to have a level of consistency, whether that be just general fixtures or in our league position over many seasons – we’re trying to achieve a level of consistency. I have to say the players are performing really well.

"We didn’t start the season particularly well in the first two games, but if you take those two out of it, you know we’ve been in really good form at this present moment in time.

"We hope that continues. We don’t take it for granted. I understand the players are doing a great job and we’re encouraging them to continually improve.

"We don’t want to be finishing where we are just now – we want to pick up a lot more points."

Kick off is 6pm, we'll be covering the whole thing live right here.