LONDON — In a Premier League clash, West Ham managed to secure a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, further intensifying the pressure on struggling coach Gary O’Neil on Monday night.

Both teams entered the match facing their own challenges, and it was widely regarded as a crucial encounter for both O’Neil and West Ham’s Julen Lopetegui. Wolves found themselves second from the bottom of the league, while West Ham sat in 14th place. The tension impacted the first half, which lacked quality and was marked by anxiety.

West Ham had a couple of opportunities, with Mohammed Kudus and Konstantinos Mavropanos coming close, while João Gomes for Wolves shot over the bar from a favorable position.

The game picked up tempo after halftime, with West Ham breaking the deadlock in the 53rd minute. Following a corner, Wolves left Tomas Soucek unattended at the back post, allowing him to score with a looping header into the far corner.

In the 69th minute, Matt Doherty brought Wolves back into contention by equalizing. However, just three minutes later, Jarrod Bowen, West Ham’s inspirational captain, found himself with enough room in the box to score with his left foot.

The match was a poignant occasion for West Ham, as they were without key striker Michail Antonio, who sustained a leg injury in a car accident over the weekend. In a heartfelt gesture, Bowen celebrated his goal by holding up Antonio’s No. 9 shirt to honor his teammate.

To show support for Antonio, the West Ham squad wore training tops featuring his name and number. The home crowd also paid tribute with a warm applause in the ninth minute, a nod to Antonio’s shirt number.

“The goal and victory were for Michail,” stated Soucek. “I told myself before the game I wanted to score even more for him. He has been here since I arrived, and he’s my favorite. It’s tough not having him on the pitch, but I’m relieved he is okay. We had a video call with him before the match, and he was smiling and wishing us the best.”

Following this victory, West Ham remains in 14th position, just one point behind Manchester United. Meanwhile, Wolves are in dire straits, enduring their third consecutive defeat and stuck on nine points, tied with Ipswich Town, who sit in the relegation zone.

“We performed decently and were solid, likely having the better chances,” O’Neil expressed. “The team gave their all but fell short again, which seems to be the ongoing narrative over the past few weeks.”