David Moyes was targeted by the West Ham boys despite beating Fulham. Photo: Getty Images/Ryan Pierse
With unprecedented levels of managerial turnover in the Premier League this season, it's a case of West Ham fans to 'be careful what you wish for'.
David Moyes, perhaps , not the hottest name on the circuit, but as he prepares to travel to Belgium for the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-finals against Gent, he could give the Hammers an unforgettable season.
Of course, Harrison Reed's own win over Fulham on Saturday was no match for the Bobby Moore-era team that won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1965. club in the Premier League for another season.
It was a tedious, pragmatic 90 minutes in which West Ham only had 23% of possession, but it didn't deserve the censure Moyes received from those who traveled from East London to Craven Cottage.
His substitutions were booed and a 'Moyes Gone' banner was raised over Putney End during regulation time as the Scot walked across the field to the cottage, where he cheered with David Sullivan and Karen Brady.
< p>Moyes can also point to multiple contexts. Thursday night football has of course affected performance in the Premier League, but with West Ham in 13th place at the time of writing and also bookmakers' favorites to win the European Conference League, there is certainly a strong case for the benefit of Moyes balancing correctly.
West Ham fans express their feelings at Fulham. Away, the decision was made to replace Danny Ings and Pablo Fornals in the 61st minute with Saeed Benrahma and Flynn Downes.
But with Marco Silva bringing Tom Cairney out at half-time, the additional team in midfield was just what the team needed for the last 30 minutes, and until that moment neither Fornals nor Ings had offered anything special.
Another smart move by Moyes was to turn to those tried and true stalwarts who had served him well in recent seasons for such a pivotal matchup, making five substitutions compared to a side Newcastle thrashed midweek. Aaron Cresswell and Angelo Ogbonna performed particularly well as Fulham dominated possession.
Head and shoulders above any other player, however, was Declan Rice, the undisputed jewel in the Irons' crown and by far one of the hottest players in this summer's transfer window. If sold, he will receive a fee that would allow Moyes — provided he is still in office — to restore a new midfield.
But judging by the way Rice spoke after the match, it was possible not to expose questioning his or his teammates' commitment to their coach.
«It shows everything we think of David Moyes,» Rice said defiantly.
“Every time we found ourselves in a position where there was a lot of noise around his work, we stepped up and won the game.
“After that, I said in the locker room to bounce back. what we did after Wednesday night is the best reaction — that's what good teams do. They do not live in the past, but move forward.
“It is very important to protect this well under great pressure. And thanks to the guys who came, Ogbonna, Cresswell, they haven't been playing much lately, and it shows the unity of the band"
“Nobody wants to play in the championship, nobody wants to lose, especially with the squad we have. This year we have fallen below our standards. There were so many games where we were leading but lost, so many games where we should have scored but somehow lost.
“It's not like that. not over yet. There are some important games to play."
Fans turn on Moyes as West Ham outrageously beat Fulham 
Fulham's Harrison Reid scored an own goal to give West Ham a decisive victory over Craven Cottage. Photo: Getty Images/Rob Newell. Results of the match Fulham — West Ham United. p>
Sometimes when you're fighting a crash, the end justifies the means. It was ugly but effective on West Ham's side as David Moyes led his side to a vital win thanks to an own goal by Harrison Reid.
He did so with less than a quarter of the ball and was mocked by his own supporters, but with the Europa League quarter-finals next week, this season could still be a successful one for the Scot.
Moyes said before this game that the club's board gave him «incredible support». The same cannot be said for the growing number of supporters calling for his dismissal.
An ill-advised club tweet of West Ham players paddling across the Thames to Craven Cottage prompted the inevitable pun on the response: «Up the creek without a paddle» and «Swim against the current».
Now seems like the perfect time to play Fulham, with the Cottagers losing their last five games and club talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic serving an eight-match ban after being sent off by the FA. Cup quarter-finals at Old Trafford last month.
And there was some good news for Moyes before kick-off: Everton lost to Manchester United, leaving the Irons with two games in hand at Sean Dyche's side before kick-off.
Moyes made five substitutions from the team that lost at home to Newcastle on Wednesday night, with three of the four defenders that game found themselves on the bench.
On a heavily flooded surface, players on both sides slipped in the early stages.
If you can't be good, you're lucky, the saying goes, and West Ham were five minutes late when they pulled ahead thanks to a heavy chunk of fortune.
This came after Tim Rome's clearance reached Jarrod Bowen and he raced to the endline and pulled the ball back and against Reid who deflected it past Bernd Leno.
Fulham had the vast majority of balls in the first half but struggled to create chances against West Ham's deep-lying back four. Anthony Robinson's 20-yard shot into the net was closest to them.
The second half went the same way: West Ham struggled to get out of their own half of the field, and Fulham could not break through.
Willian's error in midfield did give the visitors a rare opportunity to score, and Bowen picked up the lost ball and played on Danny Ings, whose effort was crushed by Leno.
Moyes made a double substitution in the 61st minute, while Ings and Pablo Fornals withdrew from the game. The decision was met with derision from the far end, accompanied by «you don't know what you're doing» chants.
West Ham were close again when Kurt Zouma saw his header from a corner, which was well saved by Leno. Then Lukasz Fabianski, guilty of a terrible mistake against Newcastle, came to West Ham's rescue by making a full save and snatching the ball from Andreas Pereira as he tried to get past him.
The late replacement Maxwel Kornet had a great chance to put the result beyond doubt as he jumped on Ream's mistake, but his efforts were weak and Leno saved.
Moyes and West Ham will live to see tomorrow. After the final whistle, the 59-year-old walked across the field towards the tunnel with his hands in his pockets.
Lineups Fulham — West Ham United away.
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