Michail Antonio became West Ham’s outright top scorer in the Premier League in a dominant victory for the Hammers over 10-man Leicester City at London Stadium.
Antonio celebrated by lifting a cardboard cut-out of himself after scoring his 48th top-flight goal to break Paolo di Canio’s club record.
The 31-year-old added a second four minutes later to wrap up an impressive win for David Moyes’ side.
It is only the second time the Hammers have won their opening two fixtures of a Premier League campaign.
Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma scored West Ham’s first two goals either side of Ayoze Perez’s dismissal for a stamp on goalscorer Fornals.
Youri Tielemans had briefly given the visitors hope at 2-1 before Antonio’s late double.
Antonio shines as Foxes are hammered
Only Manchester City and Manchester United won more points away from home than Leicester in the Premier League last season, but the Foxes were outplayed in their first game on the road in the new campaign.
Brendan Rodgers put it mildly when he said his side were “very light” at the back in his pre-match interview, with new signing Jannik Vestergaard joining Wesley Fofana, James Justin, Ryan Bertrand, Jonny Evans and Nampalys Mendy on the sidelines.
The makeshift Foxes defence was finally undone by West Ham on 26 minutes when Fornals scored his third goal in as many league games for the Hammers.
The Spaniard played a quick one-two with Benrahma on the left before continuing his run into the box, sweeping past Kasper Schmeichel with a first-time finish from 10 yards.
Leicester’s evening went from bad to worse 15 minutes later when Perez was sent off for stamping on Fornals’ ankle as he stumbled forward trying to win the ball back from a challenge with Aaron Cresswell.
After initially allowing play to continue, referee Michael Oliver produced the red card following consultation with the VAR officials and viewing a replay himself. It is the Spaniard’s first red card on his 274th appearance in English football.
There was calamitous defending from Caglar Soyuncu for West Ham’s second as the Turkey international’s sloppy backpass was intercepted by the unselfish Antonio, who crossed for Benrahma to fire past Schmeichel from 12 yards.
Antonio had drawn level with Di Canio courtesy of his strike at Newcastle in West Ham’s season opener, but it seemed as if he would have to wait for his moment of glory as he saw five chances go begging.
But after holding off Soyuncu in the box from Declan Rice’s cross, Antonio turned past the centre-back and found the bottom corner.
His night was not over yet. As a packed London Stadium chanted ‘ole’ with each Hammers pass, Antonio capped off a near-perfect evening as he flicked the ball above two Leicester defenders, before beating them both on the turn and stabbing past Schmeichel.
After missing out on a place in the top four by two points last season, West Ham start the new campaign full of optimism and – even if after only two games – end the day top of the Premier League for just the second time ever.
Player of the match
AntonioMichail Antonio
West Ham United
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Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Average rating8.87
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Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Average rating8.38
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Squad number41Player nameRice
Average rating8.23
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Squad number8Player nameFornals
Average rating8.13
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Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Average rating7.87
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Squad number5Player nameCoufal
Average rating7.84
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Squad number3Player nameCresswell
Average rating7.71
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Squad number20Player nameBowen
Average rating7.66
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Squad number21Player nameOgbonna
Average rating7.44
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
Average rating7.37
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Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Average rating7.04
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Squad number16Player nameNoble
Average rating6.71
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Squad number7Player nameYarmolenko
Average rating6.64
Leicester City
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Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
Average rating5.36
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Squad number17Player nameAyoze Pérez
Average rating4.78
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
Average rating4.69
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Squad number21Player nameRicardo Pereira
Average rating4.63
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Squad number18Player nameAmartey
Average rating4.48
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Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Average rating4.35
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Squad number29Player nameDaka
Average rating4.25
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Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Average rating4.25
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Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
Average rating4.24
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Squad number33Player nameThomas
Average rating4.23
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Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Average rating4.07
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Average rating3.88
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
Average rating3.75
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Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
Average rating3.69
Line-ups
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 5Coufal
- 15Dawson
- 21Ogbonna
- 3Cresswell
- 28Soucek
- 41Rice
- 20Bowen
- 8Fornals
- 22BenrahmaSubstituted forNobleat 88′minutes
- 9AntonioSubstituted forYarmolenkoat 89′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Yarmolenko
- 10Lanzini
- 13Areola
- 16Noble
- 23Diop
- 24Fredericks
- 31Johnson
- 54Coventry
- 75Baptiste
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 21Ricardo PereiraBooked at 71mins
- 18Amartey
- 4Söyüncü
- 33Thomas
- 8Tielemans
- 25Ndidi
- 17PérezBooked at 40mins
- 10MaddisonSubstituted forSoumaréat 81′minutes
- 7BarnesSubstituted forDakaat 64′minutes
- 9VardySubstituted forIheanachoat 81′minutes
Substitutes
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 14Iheanacho
- 20Choudhury
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 26Praet
- 27Castagne
- 29Daka
- 42Soumaré
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, West Ham United 4, Leicester City 1.
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Second Half ends, West Ham United 4, Leicester City 1.
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Offside, West Ham United. Vladimir Coufal tries a through ball, but Jarrod Bowen is caught offside.
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Craig Dawson (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Patson Daka (Leicester City).
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Declan Rice (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Daniel Amartey (Leicester City).
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Substitution, West Ham United. Andriy Yarmolenko replaces Michail Antonio.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Mark Noble replaces Saïd Benrahma.
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Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Tomas Soucek (West Ham United).
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Goal! West Ham United 4, Leicester City 1. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Vladimir Coufal with a cross.
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Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City).
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Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Boubakary Soumaré replaces James Maddison.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Jamie Vardy.
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Goal! West Ham United 3, Leicester City 1. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Declan Rice with a cross.
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Luke Thomas (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Craig Dawson (West Ham United).
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Çaglar Söyüncü.
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