West Ham United 3-2 Leicester City: Jesse Lingard continues his stunning form
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Jesse Lingard has scored eight goals in nine Premier League games since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester United
Jesse Lingard continued his stunning form with West Ham by scoring twice in the first half to set the Hammers on course for a crucial victory over fellow Champions League hopefuls Leicester City.
The two sides came into the weekend occupying the last two Champions League spots, before wins for Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday nudged West Ham down to sixth place.
But David Moyes’ men showed they are up for the challenge of qualifying for Europe’s top club competition for the first time, climbing back into fourth after going 3-0 up against Leicester, who had the hosts hanging on after a late rally.
The Hammers took the lead as Arthur Masuaku’s cross went through to right-back Vladimir Coufal, who cut back for Lingard to sweep the ball inside Kasper Schmeichel’s near post from the edge of the box.
Jarrod Bowen then beat the offside trap to race on to Issa Diop’s long ball and square for Lingard to tap into an empty net for his eighth goal in nine Premier League games since arriving on loan from Manchester United.
The 28-year-old forward, whose recent form earned him an England recall, then played a part in West Ham’s third goal right after half-time as Bowen poked in from Tomas Soucek’s pass to round off a clinical team move.
Kelechi Iheanacho pulled a goal back to give Leicester hope, before grabbing his 11th goal in 11 games in stoppage time, but the Hammers held on to ensure they did not surrender a 3-0 lead for the second straight home game and move within a point of third-placed Leicester.
Noble reaches another milestone 
Mark Noble made his 400th Premier League appearance for West Ham
With Declan Rice set to be out until May, club captain Mark Noble has returned to the Hammers’ midfield at a pivotal stage of the season.
The 33-year-old led by example during Monday’s 3-2 win at Wolves and did so again during his 400th Premier League game for West Ham – and his 524th in all competitions – before going off after injuring his wrist making a desperate block late on.
The Hammers were a Championship side when Noble made his league debut in January 2005. Now they could finish in the top four of English football’s top flight for the first time since 1985-86.
The man known as ‘Mr West Ham’ signed a one-year extension in March, saying he will leave at the end of 2021-22, and said before Sunday’s game that he is relishing the prospect of playing Champions League football in his 18th and final season with the club.
The graft of a long-serving club servant has long been admired at West Ham, but it is the guile of short-term signing Lingard that has thrust them into top-four contention.
A poor lay-off by Coufal denied him the chance of scoring another goal in the first half, while Lingard crossed for Diop to head home after the break, only to see it disallowed for offside.
It seems it is no longer a question of whether Lingard will make England’s European Championship squad this summer, but whether he will start. Helping West Ham defy the odds would surely make manager Gareth Southgate’s mind up.
More to follow.
Line-ups West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Fabianski
5Coufal23Diop15Dawson3Cresswell
16Noble28Soucek
18Fornals11Lingard26Masuaku
20Bowen
Substitutes
Leicester
Formation 3-4-1-2
1Schmeichel
18Amartey6Evans3Fofana
21Ricardo Pereira8Tielemans25Ndidi27Castagne
26Praet
14Iheanacho9Vardy
Substitutes
Live Text
Match ends, West Ham United 3, Leicester City 2.
90’+7′
Second Half ends, West Ham United 3, Leicester City 2.
90’+7′
Attempt missed. Wesley Fofana (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jamie Vardy with a cross following a corner.
90’+6′
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Ben Johnson.
90’+6′
Attempt blocked. Timothy Castagne (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc Albrighton.
90’+4′
Attempt missed. Wesley Fofana (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Youri Tielemans with a cross following a corner.
90’+3′
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Vladimir Coufal.
90’+3′
Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Marc Albrighton with a cross.
90’+2′
Arthur Masuaku (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card.
90’+1′
Goal! West Ham United 3, Leicester City 2. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
90′
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Issa Diop.
87′
Attempt blocked. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
84′
Substitution, West Ham United. Saïd Benrahma replaces Jarrod Bowen.
83′
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Arthur Masuaku.
82′
Substitution, West Ham United. Ben Johnson replaces Mark Noble because of an injury.
75′
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Mark Noble.
75′
Attempt blocked. Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ricardo Pereira.
75′
Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc Albrighton.
73′
Foul by Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City).
73′
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.