Already relegated Southampton inched closer to avoiding the ignominy of recording the lowest-ever Premier League points total after salvaging a dramatic 1-1 draw against West Ham at the London Stadium.
Lesley Ugochukwu’s superb volley in the 93rd minute secured a rare point for the Saints, moving them onto 11 for the season—equaling the infamous tally set by Derby County in the 2007/08 campaign. With five games still remaining, Southampton now have a realistic chance of surpassing that unwanted milestone.
It looked like another defeat was on the cards for the South Coast side when Jarrod Bowen curled in a clinical finish just one minute and 43 seconds into the second half, putting the Hammers on track for what would have been Southampton’s 27th league loss of the campaign.
However, Southampton—who had enjoyed the better of the first half—refused to go quietly. Kyle Walker-Peters came close in the 26th minute, dragging a shot just wide, while Kamaldeen Sulemana rattled the crossbar shortly afterward. Their persistence finally paid off deep into stoppage time, when Ugochukwu lashed home off the post to snatch a valuable, if symbolic, point.
The result did little to lift the mood among the home fans, who voiced their frustration with boos at both half-time and full-time. West Ham remain stuck in 16th and are now winless in six matches under new boss Graham Potter, with questions beginning to grow louder over the team’s direction and lack of attacking spark.
Despite their impending drop to the Championship, Southampton’s late equaliser offered a rare bright spot in what has otherwise been a dismal and forgettable season.
