Before despicable scenes of fan unrest made the headlines, West Ham navigated a gruelling 94 minutes of football in the second leg of their Conference League semi-final with AZ Alkmaar, who sought to reverse a 2-1 deficit from their trip to the English capital.
However, Moyes’s staunch defence held out admirably, and a last-gasp Pablo Fornals strike into the bottom corner sent the travelling West Ham fans into delirium. A Prague date with Italian powerhouses Fiorentina awaits in next month’s final, but the inquest has already begun into a portion of hooded AZ supporters disgracefully attacking the Hammers’ family section after the full-time whistle.
Before their stopover in the Czech Republic takes precedence, the 15th-placed Hammers have 180 minutes to confirm their Premier League safety, having failed to assure themselves of top-flight football in a 2-0 defeat to Brentford during their most recent top-flight contest.
Moyes’s side may not be mathematically safe just yet, but a point on Sunday would do the trick, and even if Leeds can travel back to Elland Road with a maximum, the Hammers will have staved off relegation if Wolverhampton Wanderers see off Everton a day before.
Boasting three victories from their last four contests in all tournaments – including a 1-0 home success over Manchester United earlier this month.
West Ham have scored in all of their Premier League matches at the London Stadium in 2023 and are unbeaten in their last five final home games of a top-flight season since being trounced 4-0 by Liverpool in 2017.
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Having also given Manchester City quite the scare, it is fair to say that Allardyce’s influence is already being well and truly felt. However, influence has not translated into wins for Leeds, who enter the weekend below the dotted line in 18th place, albeit just one point below Everton.
As admirable as Leeds’ performance last weekend was, the Whites have now gone without victory in seven successive Premier League matches and travel to the London Stadium on the back of four successive away defeats – conceding at least two goals on each occasion – but they have prevailed in their final away game of the season three years running.
West Ham and Leeds kicked off the New Year in style with a 2-2 draw at Elland Road back in January, and a Jack Harrison hat-trick memorably propelled the Whites to a 3-2 triumph at the London Stadium last season – ending a run of three successive Premier League defeats against Moyes’s European finalists.
