Bournemouth have won four successive Premier League matches for the first time in their history after a thrilling 2-1 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium.
Thrashed 4-0 at Liverpool last weekend, Manuel Pellegrini’s side meekly crumbled to a second successive defeat by giving up two soft goals in the space of six second-half minutes.
Callum Wilson cancelled out Marko Arnautovic’s first-half penalty with a fine solo effort on the hour and the Cherries’ stirring fightback was complete when Steve Cook headed home from a set piece.
Eddie Howe’s men, 2-0 winners over Cardiff City seven days ago, have now won four straight Premier League matches for the first time in their history, having signed off from last season with back-to-back victories.
After a subdued start, Javier Hernandez finally tested Asmir Begovic at his near post in the 25th minute, before Lukasz Fabianski came to West Ham’s rescue with a superb reactionary save from Wilson’s shot on the turn. David Brooks brilliantly freed Wilson on that occasion and Felipe Anderson soon proved he had an eye for a pass, finding the feet of Hernandez who was brought down in the box by Nathan Ake’s trailing leg.
Arnautovic stepped up to the spot and the Austrian forward made no mistake, firing into the bottom-left corner to put his side ahead in the 33rd minute. The visitors should have had a spot-kick for themselves soon after the restart, but those frustrations disappeared when Callum Wilson netted the equaliser by breezing beyond five static defenders and coolly converting at the end of a splendid individual effort.
The Hammers’ sleepy defence was exposed again six minutes later as Cook wrestled past Angelo Ogbonna to nod home Ryan Fraser’s free-kick and complete the comeback, ensuring Pellegrini has significant problems to solve at the start of his tenure.
In an attempt to rectify their poor start to the season, West Ham make the short trip to Emirates Stadium for a date with Arsenal next Saturday, while Bournemouth return to the Vitality to meet high flying Everton.
Opta facts of the match
5 – Callum Wilson has scored five goals in his five league games against West Ham against no other side has he scored more in English league football.
– Bournemouth have gained 19 points from losing positions in the Premier League in 2018; seven more than any other side.
– The Cherries have won four consecutive top-flight games for the first time in their history. – Bournemouth have won successive Premier League games in London for the first time since their first two visits to the capital in August-December 2015.
– Steve Cook both scored and assisted in a six-minute period – the first time he has been directly involved in two goals in a single league match.
