West Ham United 4-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Jarrod Bowen scores twice as Hammers register first win
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Since the start of the 2017-18 season, only Mohamed Salah (50) and Sergio Aguero (38) have scored more home league goals in England's top four tiers than West Ham's Jarrod Bowen (36)
Jarrod Bowen scored twice as West Ham registered their first Premier League win of the season against a disappointing Wolves side.
The result lifts the Hammers from 18th up to 10th in the table, with Wolves dropping down to 16th.
It was no more than the hosts deserved, David Moyes' side delivering a fine performance while he controlled team affairs from home after testing positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.
Dominant throughout, they rarely looked like relinquishing their lead once Bowen had opened the scoring at the London Stadium.
Bowen, who had managed just one goal for West Ham since joining them in January, superbly set them on their way, curling a left-foot effort into the bottom corner after being sent clear by Pablo Fornals' quick free-kick.
The former Hull forward doubled West Ham's lead after the break, prodding in from close range after a Fornal effort had come back off the post.
The Hammers had lost each of their last four top-flight fixtures against Wolves without scoring a single goal, but they created several excellent chances to put the game out of sight.
Tomas Soucek made it three with a header that flicked in off Raul Jimenez from Aaron Cresswell's corner, and Sebastien Haller's stoppage time header added the gloss to a fine victory.
A performance to please the absent Moyes
After showing improvement in their narrow defeat to Arsenal last Saturday this performance represented a large leap in the right direction for the Hammers.
Having started the evening in the bottom three, few would have predicted that they would end up thrashing Wolves using a similar template.
While manager Moyes was not present, it was clear from the opening moments that his side had been set up to operate on the counter-attack.
West Ham United 4-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Irvine praises 'fantastic performance'
That, coupled with taking advantage of a 3-4-3 Wolves formation without natural full-backs, helped the Hammers establish control.
Ryan Fredericks, Bowen, Arthur Masuaku and Fornals all impressed working in or coming off wide positions and Michail Antonio's physical presence and pace provided another type of outlet up front.
The 30-year-old, who has kept record signing Haller out of the side since his conversion into a central striker at the end of last season, was a menace throughout.
And he tellingly contributed to both of the hosts' opening two goals, winning a free-kick from Willy Boly for the first and powering clear on the left to tee up Fornals before Bowen's second.
Moyes, communicating with assistant Alan Irvine from home throughout, will have been buoyed by the nature of the victory and the fact that his side could have enjoyed an even more emphatic win, had Fornals and Soucek both converted good chances from close range.
It was also the perfect way in which to go into a challenging set of fixtures in October when the Hammers will face Leicester, Tottenham, Manchester City and champions Liverpool.
Woeful Wolves lack threat
While Wolves enjoyed the majority of possession they simply lacked the speed of thought and foot to trouble the hosts.
Adama Traore barely got a touch on the right of their attacking trio, while behind him debutant Nelson Semedo endured a tough start to life in the Premier League after signing from Barcelona.
'Nuno Espirito Santo says Wolves 'must improve' after 4-0 defeat
The Portugal full-back, who was deployed on the right of a midfield four, was eventually withdrawn, while Pedro Neto, who did show purpose on opposite flank, was too often ignored to make an impact.
In many ways Ruben Neves' 45th-minute shot summed up Wolves' evening, lacking in power and conviction to beat Lukasz Fabianski.
Had that gone in Nuno Espirito Santo's side would have reached the interval all square after being outplayed.
And while they briefly rallied, not even the introduction of their new record signing Fabio Silva could help them turn the contest around.
'David was in control' - what they said
West Ham assistant Alan Irvine talking to BBC Sport: "There were a lot of phone calls with David Moyes. Stuart Pearce was inundated. David picked the team and controlled the substitutions.
"All the messages that were passed down were very clear. I have worked with David for many years and I have an idea of what he is looking for.
"All the players and staff have been fantastic."
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo talking to BBC Sport: "We played a very bad game with a lot mistakes and West Ham were better than us.
"A lack of concentration, anxiety and we must improve. We must bounce back.
"We defended very bad. We must find a solution in the squad we have, the solution is not in the transfer market."
Wolves' heaviest top-flight defeat for eight years - the stats
This was West Ham United's biggest home league win since David Moyes' first game back in charge at the club on New Year's Day this year (4-0 v Bournemouth), while it was also their first league clean sheet at the London Stadium since then.
West Ham have scored three or more goals in three consecutive home matches in all competitions for the first time since March 2011.
Wolves suffered their heaviest Premier League defeat since March 2012 against Manchester United (5-0).
West Ham's Jarrod Bowen scored his first league double since December 2019 for Hull against Stoke in the Championship; he had only scored once in his first 22 Premier League appearances before tonight.
Since the start of last season, Pablo Fornals has assisted more goals in the Premier League than any other player for West Ham (six).
Nelson Semedo was the 14th Portuguese player to appear in the Premier League for Wolves - at least three more than any other side in the competition's history.
What's next?
West Ham travel to Everton in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday 30 September (19:45 BST) before travelling to Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday 4 October (12:00 BST).
Wolves are next in action when they welcome Fulham to Molineux in the Premier League on Sunday 4 October (14:00 BST).
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