Jesse Lingard lifts West Ham's Champions League hopes in win over Leeds

Leeds United's Liam Cooper (left) and West Ham United's Michail Antonio battle for the ball at the London Stadium. Picture: Julian Finney/PA

WEST HAM 2 LEEDS 0

Jesse Lingard inspired West Ham to a victory that keeps them on course for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification for the first time in the club's history. 

Only runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City have a better record in 2021 so manager David Moyes was justified in his pre-match prediction that his side are like a great Cheltenham each-way outsider to get over the line.

On-loan Manchester United winger Lingard's dazzling run earned a penalty which he scored from a rebound for his fourth goal in six games since his January signing. A glance at the table shows West Ham will replace Chelsea in the top four if they win their game in hand. A win at Old Trafford on Sunday and the gap to second place will be negligible too.

Thankfully, for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Lingard cannot play against his parent club, but the England international's impact cannot be underestimated.

Leeds started the better side and had the ball in the net twice – both disallowed by VAR – before Lingard's skills changed the course of the game. Craig Dawson got West ham's second and they hit the woodwork twice in what was ultimately a thoroughly deserved win. 

Tyler Roberts was the first to ‘score’, but Helder Costa was harshly ruled offside by the width of a cigarette paper in the build-up. VAR offical Andre Marriner was the referee when Arsenal were controversially denied a penalty as they failed to win at Burnley on Saturday. He will now have a mark by his name from those of a Leeds persuasion too.

Moments later and Patrick Bamford thought he had scored from a Raphina cut back. The ball had, however, gone out of play by an inch or two before Raphinha made a connection.

No wonder Moyes looked anxious as he paced his technical area.

Thankfully, for him and West Ham, they had eagle-eyed referee Mike Dean on the pitch and he was well placed to spot Luke Ayling plant a boot to end Lingard's speedy twisting run into the box after 21 minutes. And no ref likes to point to the spot with a flourish more than Dean.

Declan Rice, taker of the club's one and only penalty to date this season, let Lingard grab the ball. He might not get his way next time as his poor initial strike was comfortably saved by Illan Meslier and Lingard looked almost embarrassed as he followed in the rebound.

Leeds did not respond well. They had gone behind against the run of play but West Ham were worthy of doubling their lead when an unmarked Dawson headed in from an Aaron Cresswell corner seven minutes later.

Leeds were fortunate not to be three down by the break as they once again failed to defend a corner in the last minute of first-half action. Cresswell curled the ball in again and this time Dawson headed against the post.

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa made a double substitution to start the second half. The impact was almost instant as Bamford had a great chance to pull one back just three minutes after the restart.

Lukasz Fabianski then tipped a wonderful Raphinha overhead kick just over the crossbar as West Ham wobbled. But risk does not always bring reward and Leeds could just as easily have been three goals down as Pablo Fornals cracked a looping 30-yard drive against the bar.

More changes and chances came and went at either end in perfect weather and conditions, but Leeds had left themselves far too much to do against a team eyeing an historic season.

West Ham: Fabianski 7, Coufal 6, Diop 6, Dawson 7, Cresswell 7, Soucek 7, Rice 7, Fornals 6, Lingard 8 (Johnson 87), Benrahma 6 (Bowen 73), Antonio 6. Subs: Martin, Trott, Balbuena, Lanzini, Noble, Odubeko.

Leeds United: Meslier 6, Ayling 5, Llorente 6, Cooper 6, Dallas 6, Phillips 7, Costa 6 (Harrison 45), Roberts 5 (Rodrigo 60), Klich 5 (Alioski 45), Raphinha 6, Bamford 6. Subs: Caprile, Poveda-Ocampo, Davis, Berardi, Jenkins, Huggins.

Ref: Mike Dean 6