Hammers salvage last-gasp level by controversial Craig Dawson strike

LEICESTER’S nook curse struck once more as Craig Dawson’s final minute leveller robbed the Foxes of a much-needed dwelling win on his fiftieth look for the Irons.

It was a sickening Hammer blow as Dawson compelled Jarrod Bowen’s cross past Kasper Schmeichel.

And although the Foxes furiously claimed handball, VAR confirmed the ball had struck Dawson’s higher arm – which is authorized beneath the revised T-shirt pointers.

“I used to be barely frightened when VAR checked out it, nevertheless it counted,” mentioned Dawson.

“We work on set items lots, it was a terrific ball and fortunately I put it in.”

David Moyes left with one level within the bag to remain fourth as Brendan Rodgers cursed his aspect’s eleventh Premier objective of the season conceded from a nook – and tenth headed objective conceded in all competitions.

Moyes has now gone 4 unbeaten towards Rodgers – a document bettered solely by Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti.

But his afternoon began badly.

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West Ham’s boss has suffered sufficient disruption and undesirable scrutiny over Kurt Zouma’s deplorable behaviour.

But there was one other sudden twist right here to wreak havoc along with his pre-match plans.

Having named Zouma in his beginning line-up, the French defender went out for his pre-match warm-up to organize for his first away match since his cat-kicking disgrace.

He knocked the ball about and predictably acquired canine abuse – for need of a greater phrase – from Foxes followers.

Then got here one thing none of us anticipated as this sorry story took one other weird flip.

Zouma referred to as for a physio and disappeared down the tunnel earlier than West Ham confirmed his place would now be taken by Issa Diop.

The official rationalization was that the Frenchman had been feeling sick all day and as kick-off time loomed, he felt too poorly to take part.

The irony of Zouma feeling sick wasn’t misplaced on many who had been left feeling decidedly queasy by his repulsive actions.

As the sport obtained underway Zouma was being chauffeured again to London, because the unfavorable narrative surrounding West Ham’s dealing with of cat-gate refused to abate.

Reasonably than being disrupted by such a late change, the Hammers gamers seemed as if they’d an enormous weight lifted from their shoulders.

Fittingly, it was the person drafted in on the eleventh hour who arrange their tenth minute opener.

It was a objective which shone a highlight on precisely why Rodgers is is feeling the warmth as his brittle defence snapped on the merest trace of bother.

Diop despatched a booming ball ahead, extra in hope than expectation.

Caglar Soyuncu stepped as much as try to spring an offside lure however James Justin and Daniel Amartey clearly didn’t get the memo.

As a result of Jarrod Bowen timed his run to perfection, sprinting away from the thinnest of blue strains earlier than expertly sending a left-foot half-volley into the nook of Kasper Schmeichel’s internet.

It was one other reminder to Gareth Southgate as West Ham’s in type frontman plundered his fifth objective in his final 5 Premier video games.

Solely Mo Salah (25) has been straight concerned in additional Premier League targets this season than Bowen’s 15  (8 targets, 7 assists).

The 25-year-old is the Prem’s highest scorer for the reason that flip of the 12 months with 5 targets to his title – and it’s seven from seven in all competitions.

Take nothing away from the person of the second biut Bowen was helped by some extra felony Leicester defending.

Rodgers had warned his gamers they have been combating for his or her careers – but they’d been floored right here in spherical one.

Worse adopted when Ricardo Pereira was booked for a foul on Aaron Cresswell earlier than comeback man James Justin worryingly went off clutching his hamstring and was changed by Luke Thomas.

Nonetheless the Foxes flinally flickered into life when Youri Tielemans flashed a shot simply vast after 38 minutes.

It was off course, as was a Harvey Barnes effort moments later, however finally this niggly stop-start sport was sparking to life.

Nevertheless it was West Ham’s unlucky left-back Cresswell who handed Leicester their lifeline simply earlier than half-time.

Really make that an elbow as that’s the a part of his arm the defender made contact with to divert James Maddison’s inswinging nook.

Referee Michael Oliver noticed the infringement and Youri Tielemans dealt with a high-pressure second to expertly beat Lukasz Fabianski to his proper.

It was the fifth penalty the Belgian had scored for the Fixes and all of them had gone to the identical aspect.

Having snubbed the supply of a brand new contract Tielemans then cupped his arms in a love coronary heart gesture to Foxes followers – to confuse them even additional!

Cresswell then fluffed his strains once more, when he shanked a Declan Rice cutback with the objective at his mercy.

Maddison slashed a shot over earlier than Soyuncu brilliantly blocked Bowen after the restart.

Nonetheless Leicester had taken the sport by the scruff of the neck and got here inside a fraction of taking the lead when Patson Daka slid in however simply failed to complete off Barnes’ flashing low cross.

West Ham’s reduction was short-lived as Leicester hit the entrance simply earlier than the hour.

Tielemans toyed with the Hammers with a looking crossfield ball to Barnes who cushioned it off his chest earlier than crossing to the again put up.

And Ricardo Pereira powered above Cresswell to move previous Fabianski for his first objective since January 2020 – which additionally got here towards the Hammers.

Cresswell and Rice have been booked because the Hammers day darkened and Maddison got here near including a 3rd with a flashing drive earlier than Tielemans simply did not get on the tip of a cute Barnes toe flip move.

Moyes despatched on fredericks for Coufal, then Vlasic and Benrahma for Fornals and Lanzini.

And it paid off after they snatched a late leveller, moments after Rodgers had swapped Tielamans for large defender Jannick Vestergaard to try to shore up his defence.

Naturally, the Foxes then conceded from one other nook as Dawson rose to bundle dwelling a Jarrod Bowen inswinger.

Leicester have been adamant the defender had used an arm however VAR dominated it bounced in off his bicep according to the brand new T-shirt pointers.

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