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WESTHAM SUFFER NARROW EUROPA LEAGUE DEFEAT AT SEVILLA

West Ham’s first European knock-out tie in over 40 years ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat by serial Europa League winners Sevilla.

A second-half goal by Moroccan forward Munir, who was only in the starting line-up after Ivan Rakitic was injured in the warm-up, settled the first leg in the Spanish side’s favour.

But Hammers boss David Moyes will have seen enough to feel his side are capable of overturning a one-goal deficit at the London Stadium in a week’s time and prolonging their European adventure.

It says a lot about how far West have have come in a short space of time that it was four years ago to the day since they were beaten 3-0 at home by Burnley in a game marred by pitch invasions and protests against the owners.

Now the Hammers are rubbing shoulders with the continent’s elite and stepping out for the club’s biggest night on the European stage since 1981.

This was probably the toughest draw they could have landed in the round of 16, given Sevilla are the most successful team in the tournament’s history as six-time winners – regularly knocking out English clubs along the way – as well as being Real Madrid’s closest challengers for the LaLiga title.

Julen Lopetegui’s side have lost just twice in the league all season and have the best defensive record in the division, conceding just 18 goals in 27 games.

But they have a host of injury absentees and suffered another blow when the dangerous former Barcelona midfielder Rakitic was ruled out on his 34th birthday.

The Hammers were without injured top-scorer Jarrod Bowen, but Declan Rice returned from illness to captain the team at a raucous Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

Munir should have opened the scoring inside the first five minutes, but he headed Marcos Acuna’s cross wide from in front of goal.

West Ham created a glorious chance with 10 minutes gone, Manuel Lanzini’s free-kick headed across goal by Rice straight to Nikola Vlasic

The Croatian had a free header six yards out but planted it too close to Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who stuck out a hand to make a stunning reaction save.

Sevilla were moving the ball around slickly and Munir got in again after being played through by Oliver Torres but rolled his shot wide, before Alphonse Areola saved a header from Youssef En-Nesyri.

But the Hammers were still giving as good as they got, with Vlasic forcing a low save from Bounou with a near-post drive before half-time.

After the break Michail Antonio laid the ball back to the edge of the area from where Tomas Soucek hit a rising drive which Bonou palmed clear.

But Sevilla remained the clearer threat and Munir volleyed over before En-Nesyri headed another decent opportunity straight at Areola.

The home fans took the noise levels up from loud to deafening and it had its effect when their side took the lead on the hour mark.

After Kurt Zouma was booked for a foul in a dangerous position, Acuna swung over a free-kick which found Munir, who steered a wonderful side-footed volley home at the far post.

West Ham needed to keep their composure, and they were relieved to see a Jesus Corona volley deflected wide.

Nevertheless, the visitors still had a puncher’s chance and substitute Said Benrahma almost set up an equaliser for Pablo Fornals, who was only denied by a last-ditch block from former Manchester City full-back Jesus Navas to preserve Sevilla’s narrow lead in a tie which West Ham will feel they are still very much in.

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CRAIG DAWSON’S LATE STRIKE SALVAGES A POINT FOR WESTHAM AT LEICESTER

West Ham’s week of controversy ended with some relief after Craig Dawson scored a late equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw against Leicester after Kurt Zouma pulled out in the warm-up at King Power Stadium.

Dawson salvaged a point in the first minute of time added on after Jarrod Bowen put the Hammers ahead, but Youri Tielemans’ 45th-minute penalty equalised before Ricardo Pereira’s header appeared to clinch Leicester’s first win in five in all competitions.

Zouma was reported to be feeling sick and suffered problems with his vision and substitute Issa Diop started instead with goalkeeper Darren Randolph making up the bench.

His withdrawal came after he was pictured on a video on social media kicking his pet cat.

The French centre back has been fined two weeks’ wages, around £250,000 (€298,605), while two cats have been removed from his property and the RSPCA have launched an investigation.

West Ham seemed unaffected however and settled quickly before taking a 10th-minute lead.

Diop lofted the ball forward and Leicester’s defence was caught napping as Bowen controlled before firing a left-footed drive across Kasper Schmeichel for his ninth Premier League goal of the season.

It was in-form Bowen’s seventh goal in as many games, making it 12 in all competitions this season.

Leicester, short of confidence after three defeats in their last four including a hammering at Sky Bet Championship side Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, struggled early on and supporters were quick to show their frustration with pockets of boos around King Power Stadium.

The home side gradually improved to lift their fans, however.

Tielemans and Harvey Barnes were both off target with angled shots from distance as Leicester sought an equaliser.

That came in the 45th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Aaron Cresswell handled as he tried to head away James Maddison’s corner on the edge of the six-yard box.

Tielemans confidently drove the spot kick low to the right of Lukasz Fabianski, who guessed correctly but was beaten by the power and accuracy of the shot.

Leicester began the second half with much more purpose than they started the first and soon put West Ham under pressure.

Barnes was the dangerman, with one of his several crosses leading to Leicester’s second goal.

Patson Daka was fractionally too late sliding in to convert the winger’s cross.

But Barnes’ next delivery was bang on the money, as Ricardo beat Cresswell to plant a bullet header into the top corner of the net.

Tielemans flashed a rising shot just wide as Leicester sought a third goal.

But after Hammers substitute Said Benrahma produced two efforts, the visitors salvaged a point when Bowen’s corner went in off Dawson’s upper arm, looping high into the net.

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KURT ZOUMA BOOED OVER CAT-KICKING VIDEO AS WESTHAM BEAT WATFORD 1-0

Kurt Zouma got a first taste of the public outcry towards his cat-kicking shame as West Ham beat Watford 1-0.

Jarrod Bowen’s second-half goal secured a much-needed victory for the top-four hopefuls, but the main talking point was the controversial inclusion of Zouma.

The French defender was named in the starting line-up despite a police enquiry into a video showing him dropping, kicking and slapping his pet cat, and despite the club insisting that it “unreservedly condemns the actions of our player”.

Watford’s visiting fans were quick to make their feelings clear by relentlessly booing Zouma’s every touch and chanting, among other things, ‘RSPCA, RSPCA’.

Former West Ham players Joe Cole and James Collins, at the match working as pundits, felt the club had made a mistake in refusing to drop the 27-year-old.

Cole told BT Sport “I think it’s a miscalculation by the club. He could have sat this one out,” while Collins said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “I think there is a lot of anger and rightly so. I personally don’t think it is the right call.”

Yet despite the widespread revulsion towards the disturbing footage, Hammers manager David Moyes stuck with Zouma “because he is one of our better players”.

Moyes added on BT Sport before the match: “It is certainly ongoing and the club are dealing with it, so that is a separate matter.”

The priority for Moyes was clearly getting West Ham’s Champions League challenge back on track after successive defeats but it felt like he really had not read the room, especially as an online petition calling on Zouma to be “prosecuted for animal cruelty” had attracted 25,000 signatures by the time the match kicked off.

Relegation-threatened Watford arrived at the London Stadium fresh from a first clean sheet of the season in a goalless draw at Burnley in Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge.

They almost took an early lead when Juraj Kucka headed Hassane Kamara’s cross narrowly wide.

West Ham should have gone ahead shortly before half-time when Bowen’s clever reverse pass found Said Benrahma eight yards out. After Benrahma’s initial shot was blocked by Hornets keeper Ben Foster, the Algeria international crashed the rebound against the outside of the post.

The goal came after 68 minutes with Watford standing off Bowen as he drove through the centre.

The England hopeful’s low shot clipped the heel of Hornets defender Samir, sending Foster the wrong way as the ball trickled into the net.

Watford’s best chance to equalise fell to Kucka, who was teed up by Joshua King 15 yards out but blazed his effort over the crossbar.

Bowen almost doubled the advantage with six minutes remaining but Foster tipped his curler onto the post.

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MARCUS RASHFORD STRIKES IN STOPPAGE TIME AS MAN UTD SNATCH VICTORY OVER WESTHAM

Super-sub Marcus Rashford struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Manchester United broke West Ham hearts and lifted the roof off Old Trafford.

In the Carabao Cup earlier in the season David Moyes led the Hammers to their first win at the Red Devils since 2007 and he looked set to leave with a potentially vital point in the race for Champions League qualification.

But United dug deep and secured victory with virtually the last kick of the game as Edinson Cavani crossed for fellow substitute Rashford to score in front of a rocking Stretford End to seal a 1-0 win.

It was a memorable end to what looked set to end in a drab goalless draw between two sides that failed to muster a shot on target between them in the first half.

Cristiano Ronaldo went close to connecting a with a fine cross and saw penalty appeals ignored in that opening period, with Ralf Rangnick throwing caution to the wind with his late attacking substitutions.

West Ham nearly capitalised as they pushed top-heavy United, only for the stars to align as Rashford turned home.

After a video assistant referee review for offside, the goal was awarded as Rangnick celebrated consecutive wins for the first time in charge.

United usurped West Ham in fourth after the breathless end to what was largely forgettable encounter.

Rangnick’s only change to the 3-1 win at Brentford saw captain Harry Maguire return in place of Victor Lindelof, who was with his family after a traumatic break-in at his house during that midweek fixture.

The skipper started sharply with strong challenges on in-form Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio, with Mason Greenwood wasting an opportunity on the break at the other end.

Ronaldo attempted to atone for a poor free-kick with a drilled shot that was charged down.

United were producing some crisp passing as they patiently probed and the veteran nearly reached a superb Bruno Fernandes cross at the end of one such move.

The hosts were controlling proceedings against a side that were happy to sit back and play on the break, albeit their play was too rushed and ineffective when they attempted to.

Ronaldo screamed for a penalty after going down under pressure from Kurt Zouma when attempting to reach a ball. He was not impressed when referee Jon Moss told him the VAR had cleared the on-field decision.

The 36-year-old still looked unhappy as the players trudged off at half-time, ending a half in which play had become scrappier as it wound down.

The first shot on target of the day arrived in the 49th minute as the ball bounced kindly for Fred, who forced a fine save out of Alphonse Areola on his first Premier League start for the Hammers.

West Ham’s first corner of the game followed soon after and United looked predictably unsteady. Able to clear the initial cross, they left Jarrod Bowen to get the loose ball and his shot rippled the side netting.

The Red Devils had not scored from a corner all season but they came close when Raphael Varane rose to meet an Alex Telles set piece with a powerful header just over.

Anthony Elanga hooked wide shortly before Marcus Rashford replaced him, providing new energy to a frontline struggling to create opportunities.

Fernandes and Telles had wayward efforts as United pushed, with Rangnick turning to Cavani and wantaway Anthony Martial as the match entered the final stages. There were a smattering of boos for the latter.

West Ham nearly snatched victory at the death as Tomas Soucek all too easily got free to glance a Bowen corner across the face of goal.

David De Gea had to be alert to prevent a Rice cross deflecting in at the near post, with Martial unable to get a clean shot away on the turn in stoppage time.

But for all their faults, United have regularly shown their ability to fight in recent years.

In one last roll of the dice, they charged forwards and Cavani crossed for Rashford to turn home at the far post. The VAR checked a potential offside but there was to be no last-gasp reprieve for Moyes’ men.

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JARROD BOWEN HITS BRACE AS WESTHAM BEAT NORWICH TO RETURN TO TOP FOUR

Jarrod Bowen fired West Ham into the top four and enhanced his England credentials in a 2-0 win over Norwich.

Bowen’s seventh and eighth goals of the season secured a third straight Premier League win for the Hammers and left City rooted to the foot of the table.

The calls for Bowen to win a Three Lions call-up are getting louder, with his eight assists meaning the former Hull winger has now been directly involved in 16 goals this season – the most of any English player in the top flight.

The statistics for Norwich make grim reading, however. It is now six successive defeats without scoring, equalling a depressing club record in the Premier League.

This London Stadium encounter was rearranged from December when Norwich were decimated by Covid-19 and injuries, and they may have felt they stood a better chance now with West Ham suffering similarly.

Boss David Moyes admitted there was Covid in the camp and although nothing was confirmed prior to kick-off, Tomas Soucek, Mark Noble and Ryan Fredericks were notable by their absence from the squad.

Nevertheless, the hosts were almost ahead inside the first two minutes when Manuel Lanzini’s diagonal ball into the box found Bowen, but his shot was too close to City keeper Tim Krul.

Moments later Nikola Vlasic reached the byline and cut the ball back for Lanzini, who lifted his effort over the crossbar.

Krul somehow escaped giving away a penalty when he manhandled Vlasic on the goal-line, throwing the forward to the floor by his face.

West Ham had the ball in the net after 35 minutes when Bowen’s cross flew straight in, but Vlasic was offside and interfering as the ball whizzed over his head.

They finally made one count three minutes before half-time. Aaron Cresswell’s cross was overhit but found Vladimir Coufal on the right, and when the Czech full-back curled the ball back into the area Bowen got in front of Ben Gibson and nodded it home.

Michail Antonio scored four times the last time these sides met and he should have grabbed another at the start of the second half when he turned Grant Hanley on the six-yard line but blazed over.

Bowen, meanwhile, was a man on a mission. He was fed by Pablo Fornals and chipped the ball over the onrushing Krul only to see it come back off the crossbar and then rattled the foot of a post with a deflected drive.

West Ham’s 1-0 lead did not feel particularly precarious but they were given a warning when Adam Idah forced Lukasz Fabianski, making his 300th Premier League appearance, to push his drive against his near post.

But any doubts about the result were extinguished seven minutes from time when Bowen prodded home Arthur Masuaku’s cross and the VAR overturned an offside decision to seal the points for West Ham.

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NICK POPE STARS AS BURNLEY KEEPS WESTHAM AT BAY IN GOALLESS DRAW

West Ham’s Champions League ambitions suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw by struggling Burnley.

David Moyes’ side have recently beaten Chelsea and Liverpool while giving Manchester City a run for their money to sit in the top four on merit, but they found struggling Burnley a more difficult proposition than expected in a tight encounter at Turf Moor.

Nick Pope, who has missed out on the last two England squads, will hope to have impressed the watching Gareth Southgate as he made good saves to deny Issa Diop, and Said Benrahma in either half, but the Burnley goalkeeper was only rarely tested on a frustrating day for the Hammers.

The draw means that, though Moyes’ men stay fourth, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham are all within three points – with Tottenham having two games in hand.

It was a better afternoon for Dyche, whose side still only have one victory all season and remain in the bottom three but once again showed how difficult they can be to actually beat – a platform they must now build on to once again dig themselves out of trouble.

Though Burnley applied some early pressure – with Chris Wood heading over from Dwight McNeil’s corner – they were soon forced back into a familiar defensive posture.

Having made 11 changes for the midweek defeat to Dynamo Zagreb, Moyes restored his regulars but included Arthur Masuaka, whose surprise late goal brought victory over Chelsea last week, and the left-back sent a volleyed effort just wide after Benrahma had seen a curling effort blocked.

Pope then made a fine save to keep out Diop’s header from close range, and then again to deny Vladimir Coufal, although this time the flag was up.

The goalkeeper’s reward for his efforts was then to get a boot in the face from Michail Antonio, leaving him in a heap on the floor with a bloodied mouth.

Burnley fans were fearing the worst when Craig Dawson tumbled in front of McNeil with eight minutes left, but though VAR took a close look if anything it looked like a foul the other way, and play continued.

Burnley threatened at the start of the second half as an early ball found Jay Rodriguez, whose close-range effort was charged down by Dawson.

But the balance of play soon shifted the other way as Declan Rice, quiet in the first half, began to impose himself, creating chances with a series of charging runs and incisive passes.

First he beat three challenges to break into the box, and though he was halted by Mee, the ball came out to Benrahma whose effort was turned behind.

One low cross was then cut out before another span up for Benrahma to bring a strong save from Pope.

When the England midfielder raced forward again just before the hour, Pope did well to hook his cross over the bar as it headed towards Antonio at the far post.

Rice went closest himself with seven minutes remaining when his shot from just outside the area bounced off the top of the crossbar.

As frustrations built, Burnley almost snatched it with a swift counterattack. Josh Brownhill played in McNeil who slipped the ball forward for Matej Vydra, but the substitute went to ground as he tried to roll Rice, referee Graham Scott immediately signalling there was no foul.

Seconds later, Rodriguez was the merest touch away from turning Charlie Taylor’s low ball into the net.

Defeat would have been under served on West Ham, but they will need better than this to hold off the chasing pack.

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ARTHUR MASUAKU’S LATE STUNNER HELPS WESTHAM TOPPLE CHELSEA

Arthur Masuaku’s bizarre late strike sent Chelsea spinning to a 3-2 defeat at West Ham in a rip-roaring London derby.

Thomas Tuchel’s pace setters led twice through a Thiago Silva header and a sublime goal from Mason Mount, but they were pegged back both times by a penalty from Manuel Lanzini and Jarrod Bowen’s strike.

And with four minutes remaining substitute Masuaku, lurking out on the left wing, swung a speculative effort towards the Chelsea goal which Blues keeper Edouard Mendy pushed inside his own near post.

It was a second costly error by Mendy, who had also given away the penalty after he failed to deal with a backpass.

Not that West Ham were complaining, having got back to winning ways after three games without a victory to ensure they will stay in the top four this weekend.

There was little sign of the drama to come when Chelsea made the breakthrough in the 28th minute, with the type of goal West Ham have become synonymous with this season.

Mount swung over a corner and Silva’s thumping downward header beat Lukasz Fabianski, who got a hand to the ball but could only touch it onto the inside of his far post.

Moments later veteran centre-half Silva got back to his day job, instinctively being in the right place at the right time to block Vladimir Coufal’s shot on the line.

But West Ham were gifted a route into the match when Mendy made an almighty mess of collecting a weak Jorginho backpass and, having been challenged by Bowen, brought the Hammers forward down.

West Ham have had their issues from the penalty spot this season but David Moyes resisted sending on Mark Noble – who missed after climbing off the bench against Manchester United – for this one, and Lanzini confidently dispatched it into the top left corner, sending Mendy the wrong way.

However, a minute before the break Chelsea went back in front after West Ham gave the ball away cheaply in midfield.

Mount had acres of space to gather Hakim Ziyech’s cross-field pass, but still opted to hit it first time for a spectacular fifth goal of the season.

Left-back Ben Johnson seemed to be carrying an injury as he was unable to track Mount’s run, and he was immediately substituted for Masuaku.

Kai Havertz did not come out for the second half, having come off worse in a collision with ex-Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma, with Romelu Lukaku – who has nine career goals against the Hammers to his name – sent on.

But it was West Ham who struck next in the 55th minute with a fine finish from Bowen, across an unsighted Mendy and into the far corner to equalise again.

An injury to Zouma forced a reshuffle for Moyes, who had started with a back five to match up with Chelsea’s, only to run out of defenders.

They reverted to four at the back with midfielder Pablo Fornals joining the action, and Bowen was agonisingly close to putting West Ham ahead when he could not quite get enough on Michail Antonio’s ball across goal.

Instead it was the unlikely figure of Masuaku who collected Antonio’s header, floated it goalwards and duly inflicted Chelsea’s second defeat of the season.

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MAUPAY’S OVERHEAD KICK SNATCHES LAST-GSAP POINT AT WESTHAM

Neal Maupay’s spectacular late equaliser ensured West Ham’s Brighton hoodoo struck again in a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.

Maupay’s overhead kick a minute from time means West Ham are still waiting for a first Premier League win over the Seagulls after nine attempts.

The Hammers looked to have finally beaten their bogey team as they led through Tomas Soucek’s first-half header.

But Brighton had other ideas and finally put one of their chances away to deny the hosts victory yet again.

This had the feel of a big match in the context of West Ham’s lofty aspirations this season, having clung on to fourth place despite successive defeats on the road against Wolves and Manchester City – and with leaders Chelsea the visitors on Saturday.

Alarm bells may have started to ring had Brighton taken the lead inside two minutes, but Maupay fired across goal and wide from close range after a defensive mix-up allowed Yves Bissouma to stroll into the penalty area.

Instead, West Ham went ahead in the fifth minute through a familiar routine.

Seagulls boss Graham Potter admitted beforehand that he was wary of West Ham’s threat from set-pieces, yet from the first corner of the match Pablo Fornals crossed to the near post where Soucek was allowed to leap unchallenged and glance the ball into the net.

It was almost two when Michail Antonio headed Vladimir Coufal’s cross back across goal to Fornals, whose volley crashed against the underside of the crossbar.

Brighton’s cause was not helped by losing two players, Jeremy Sarmiento and Adam Webster, to injury in the first half.

But one of their substitutes, Solly March, almost created an equaliser when he played in Maupay, who in turn fed Jakub Moder in front of goal, but his shot was well saved by fellow Pole Lukasz Fabianski.

The problem in the first half was as stark as it had been in the 0-0 draw against Leeds on Saturday, when they were booed by some of their own fans – Brighton simply could not find the net.

After the break March had a cross deflected over and Lewis Dunk headed the corner straight at Fabianski, before West Ham were denied a second by a lengthy VAR check.

It looked like a job for cricket’s snickometer to prove for certain whether the ball had brushed the ankle of the offside Antonio as it was bundled in from a corner, but the goal was eventually chalked off.

Jarrod Bowen squandered a chance to kill Brighton off when his shot rolled past the far post and late Robert Sanchez saves kept Declan Rice and Antonio at bay.

They were to prove costly as the clock ticked down and Brighton sub Tariq Lamptey stood up a cross which Maupay expertly hooked home to frustrate the Hammers yet again.

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WESTHAM BOOK PLACE IN EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 16 WITH WIN AT RAPID VIENNA

West Ham waltzed into the last 16 of the Europa League with a game to spare after a 2-0 victory at Rapid Vienna.

First-half goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Mark Noble wrapped up top spot in Group H for David Moyes’ side.

It was an important victory for the Hammers as they are now straight through to the knockout stage having avoided a play-off in February against a team dropping from the Champions League.

Moyes was even able to make eight changes to his side, resting the likes of Declan Rice and Michail Antonio, and still comfortably get the job done.

With Vienna in a new coronavirus lockdown the match was played in an empty stadium, with Rapid unable to call on their boisterous fans to lift them, and West Ham simply had too much class.

They almost got off to the perfect start when Arthur Masuaku drove a low cross into the box for the sliding Jarrod Bowen to poke just wide after five minutes.

Nikola Vlasic and Yarmolenko both fired narrowly over in a bright opening from the visitors.

The only moment of mild alarm came when Kelvin Arase weaved into a shooting position, and his effort was saved by back-up keeper Alphonse Areola on his way to a fifth clean sheet in six appearances for the Hammers.

Their dominance finally told six minutes before half-time when Vlasic crossed from the left and Yarmolenko was left with a simple header back across goal.

It was a first Hammers goal since January for the Ukraine international, who has played only 52 minutes in the Premier League this season.

Yarmolenko had a big hand in the second goal in first-half stoppage time after he turned Rapid skipper Maximilian Hofmann in the area and was brought down.

Captain Noble, a man clearly relishing this European adventure in his 18th and final season at the club, made no mistake from the spot.

After the break Bowen’s quick feet in the area accounted for three defenders, but his shot was straight at Rapid goalkeeper Paul Gartler.

Gartler also denied Tomas Soucek before Bowen’s follow-up was blocked on the line.

Teenage striker Sonny Perkins came on as a substitute for his Hammers debut and almost marked it with a goal when he met Vladimir Coufal’s cross with a fine header, but Gartler made a stunning reflex save and West Ham had to settle for two.

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WESTHAM ACCEPT SUPPORTER BAN FOR EUROPA LEAGUE

West Ham have accepted a Uefa sanction banning their fans from traveling to the Europa League game at Rapid Vienna.

The Hammers were charged with crowd disturbances and for their fans throwing items in their draw with Genk.

In a statement West Ham said they “reluctantly” accepted sanctions but “also wish to place on record our disappointment at the extremely short notice of the measures.”

The game against Rapid Vienna takes place on Thursday 25 November.

The Premier League club, who were also fined a total of 34,500 euros (£30,000), said that they were working to identify the fans responsible for the disturbance.

“West Ham United condemn the behaviour of this group of individuals,” the statement added.

“We are working to identify them following their actions, which have now ultimately led to our supporters – the vast majority of whom behaved impeccably in Belgium – being punished and resulting in David Moyes’ team being forced to play in Austria without the backing of the club’s fans.”

The Hammers also “strongly” urged their fans not to travel to Vienna for the tie.

“Fans will not be granted access to the Allianz Stadion and any attempt to enter the stadium could lead to further sanctions for the individuals and the club in the future,” they added.

West Ham are top of Group H with 10 points after four games.