West Ham ‘back fighting’ for Europe

David Moyes believes West Ham are “back fighting” for a return to the Europa League after Norwich gifted them an easy victory.

West Ham crashed out of Europe on Thursday when Aaron Cresswell and Moyes were sent off in defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt. A grim mood was further darkened by video footage showing Declan Rice accusing the referee of corruption but this win, added to Manchester United’s 4-0 loss at Brighton on Saturday, provided an instant morale boost.

They are now three points behind sixth-placed United with a game in hand, albeit against Manchester

City on Sunday. “We are back in it, we are back in fighting, back in and around trying to get sixth or seventh,” Moyes said. “Hopefully we can get back in Europe again. Considering all the things that happened in midweek and how our emotions were it was a good result.”

Said Benrahma opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a shot that took a hefty deflection off Max Aarons. It wrong-footed goalkeeper Tim Krul but he still let it go tamely under a glove. Calamity came Krul and Norwich’s way once more on the half-hour, as the keeper slid out with an arm outstretched to get to Jarrod Bowen’s pass ahead of Michail Antonio. The Dutchman managed only to push it on to the striker’s boot, however, and hand him a tap-in. Benrahma blasted home just before the break.

Norwich had a goal ruled out by Var early in the second period after Sam Byram handled when collecting a failed catch attempt by West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Var then punished Norwich at the other end by spotting Jacob Sorensen had handled while challenging Craig Dawson at a near-post corner. Referee Robert Jones consulted his monitor before awarding a penalty that was converted by Manuel Lanzini and which annoyed Dean Smith. “It looked really clear and obvious didn’t it?” the Norwich manager said sarcastically.

Byram denied Benrahma a hattrick by nicking the ball away but home fans booed Norwich off. “Tim’s the most experienced Premier League player here,” Smith said. “He knows he has made mistakes and will hold his hand up.”