West Ham United 1-1 Middlesbrough

Payet scores his first league goal of the season

A wonderful Dimitri Payet equaliser ensured West Ham ended a run of four successive league defeats by drawing with Middlesbrough.

Payet took possession on the left, turned past Antonio Barragan and weaved his way across goal, past four defenders, before angling in a shot.

His effort cancelled out Cristhian Stuani's opener for Boro, the Uruguayan heading home from a Viktor Fischer corner.

Hammers captain Mark Noble had earlier gone closest to breaking the deadlock when his curling shot hit the crossbar.

Neither side threatened a winner in the latter stages as Boro secured a point after three defeats in a row.

• Arrests made after stadium clashes

• Relive West Ham v Middlesbrough

Payet (27) finally broke his duck in the Premier League this season, scoring with his 18th attempt of the campaign

Did West Ham's night out work?

After Sunday's defeat by Southampton, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic told Noble to take the players out for dinner on Monday as a team-bonding exercise.

There were claims a couple were still out drinking the following day, but the Londoners looked more of a team here, though they were still well short of their impressive form of last season.

Having seen his side concede 16 goals in six league games, Bilic went for a 4-5-1 formation. Despite right-back Sam Byram going off injured early on, they looked more secure, apart from a lapse of concentration for the goal.

They let Boro have 60% of possession, which affected their attacking play, but in Payet they have a constant threat, and the Frenchman's first league goal of the season rescued them.

"It's been terrible the last four, five weeks," said centre-back James Collins. "We knew we needed to stop conceding goals. It's a step in the right direction.

"We can't depend on Dimi. We need to be better defensively and going forward as it is a lot to ask Dimi to keep coming up with goals like this."

Bilic added: "I don't see many players scoring these type of goals. You see free-kicks, you see volleys, scissor kicks, all different types of goals, but this was like Lionel Messi's goals."

Capital gains for Boro

The draw gave Boro their first point from their past six Premier League games in London and, while they had a high work ethic and more of the ball, they lacked a creative spark.

Jordan Rhodes, making his first top-flight start, was a willing runner and caused some moments of concern for the West Ham defence, but Boro rarely looked like scoring from open play.

They did have three shots on target to West Ham's two, but their ambition seemed affected by recent results.

Their goal came from a set-piece - referee Neil Swarbrick alerted by the goal decision system after Stuani's effort was cleared by Noble.

Man of the match - Dimitri Payet

Payet scored for the first time in 11 top-flight games, having netted nine in his previous 24

What they said

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "I feel pressure because I am not happy with our position in the table and because we lost four matches on the trot. It is below my standards.

"But I believe in my team and I'm a hard worker. Although we didn't win, we showed that the team is alive. We are together. We have to show it more often."

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka: "It is a good point, especially after three defeats. It is important that our attitude has been good.

"West Ham have not been in the best moment but they have amazing players. So I'm pleased to add one more point and play with that intensity."

The stats you need to know

• This is West Ham's worst start to a top-flight campaign after seven games (four points) since 1988-89, when the Hammers were relegated.

• Middlesbrough have lost a league-high seven points from leading positions in the Premier League this season.

• Cristhian Stuani has scored three goals in three Premier League away games this season.

• Middlesbrough have won just one of their past 17 Premier League away games (D3 L13).

What next?

Both teams return to Premier League action following the international break, with West Ham facing a trip to London rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday, 15 October at 17:30 BST, and Middlesbrough hosting Watford at 13:30 BST the following day.