With both teams enjoying uninterrupted top-flight football since 2012, the stakes were exceptionally high, especially in the context of West Ham’s ample expenditure – and the club’s desire to keep key men such as England duo Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen.
The Hammers themselves sat two places and one point better off than their visitors, but it was Southampton’s veteran winger Theo Walcott who crafted the first clear chance, after he did well to turn in the box and send a shot just wide of the post.
In response, Nayef Aguerd settled an anxious Hammers fan base with his first goal for the club in the 25th minute, when he climbed highest at a Thilo Kehrer free-kick to send a looping header over the hapless Gavin Bazunu to make it 1-0.
A tense four-minute VAR review for offside ensued, as swathes of the London Stadium jeered and whistled, but the green line from Stockley Park sent the Hammers’ faithful into raptures all over again.
Moments later, Łukasz Fabiański celebrated his return from injury with a fantastic save to deny Romain Perraud with a strong palm around the post.
Bowen came inches away from sending his team in at the break with a 2-0 lead, when his curling effort came crashing back off the bar in stoppage time.
That set the scene for West Ham to start strongly after half-time, and after a tame opening 45 minutes, good chances for Bowen and Kamaldeen Sulemana early in the second period got the nerves jangling once again.
Southampton were chasing back-to-back away victories against the Hammers for the first time since 1992, and they grew into the game as the half went on, with Roméo Lavia and Carlos Alcaraz both stinging the palms of Fabiański just after the hour mark.
Southampton then almost drew level through substitute Paul Onuachu who saw his header hit the crossbar in the closing moments, giving West Ham the perfect cue to sit back and hold tight.
That they did with near-faultless calm, and the crucial win for West Ham moves them from 19th up to 14th, highlighting the small gap between teams currently in the bottom-eight of the Premier League table.
The game was also significant for another reason, ending West Ham’s run of ten home head-to-heads against Southampton producing three or more total goals.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)
