West Ham kept their tremendous start to the season going with an emphatic 2-0 win over Sheffield United, with the Blades staying at the bottom of the Premier League table - something that will be causing some degree of panic at Bramall Lane.
The Hammers were dominant from start to finish and the result never looked in doubt, especially after a fairly early strike from Jarrod Bowen to put David Moyes' side 1-0 up.
While the visitors had a couple of chances, the difference in quality was abundantly apparent and the Hammers were out of sight by half-time thanks to a nicely-worked team goal that was finished off by Tomáš Souček.
So with the result firing West Ham towards the European places, and keeping the Blades bottom, what have we learnt from this game?
-
Souček remains a top-class midfielder
The Czech midfielder has often been criticised by both West Ham and rival fans for some time now, with plenty of people doubting his ability at the top level. Saturday's game was a reminder, though, that the 28-year-old remains an exceptional player, and is arguably one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
Yes, his goal was great, but it was his all-round play which was the most impressive. Both his creativity and defensive solidity were unrivalled, which gave his side complete control in the middle of the park.
Playing alongside Edson Álvarez, the quality that the Hammers have really is something to behold - giving them possibly the most underrated midfield in the league, if not in Europe.
While playing in Europe will undoubtedly affect them this season, compared to playing one game per week, having the quality of Souček will see them achieve great things both domestically and in Europe!
-
Sheffield United are not good enough
It is usually unfair and wrong to totally write a team off after just seven games of a season, but the only conclusion that can draw from Sheffield United is that they will be relegated, and go down with more of a whimper than a fight.
Any team who have conceded 14 goals in their last four games are bound to struggle in both the short and long term. The Blades have scored just five goals for themselves all season too, which shows a clear problem for Paul Heckingbottom's side: they concede too many goals and fail to score enough.
What will likely be the most annoying factor for their fans is that this reality was entirely predictable, and possibly even preventable. The club sold arguably their two best players, Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge, just weeks before the start of the season and never truly replaced them.
The signings of Gustavo Hamer and Cameron Archer looked good on paper, especially for the future, but the duo had just nine Premier League appearances between them. With such little experience at the top level, it almost felt as if they were preparing for life in the Championship again before even starting their Premier League campaign.
-
West Ham are back
It might seem weird to say that last season was a poor season for the Hammers, given that they won a European trophy, but domestically they staggered to a lowly 14th-place finish.
So far this season, however, Moyes' side have been in exceptional form, only losing to Liverpool and Man City, while putting in respectable performances against both of them.
Being in the Europa League will, undoubtedly, have an impact on their aspirations for the season, but they are much better equipped to handle the extra workload after the summer, and will be good value in all competitions.
There have been marked improvements from numerous players in the West Ham squad this season, and key additions in the summer have added a whole new level of quality to their side. Whatever happens over the course of the campaign ahead, they have already shown that they are capable of competing against the best teams in the country, and will be a great side to watch this year!
-
Hamer is a true diamond in the rough
Gustavo Hamer joined the Blades this summer for a very respectable £15m from Championship outfit Coventry City. Since then, the Dutch midfielder has already scored twice, and been a staple in Heckingbottom's midfield.
The 26-year-old's work rate has stood out, in particular, as well as his astute passing and creativity going forward. In a team with very few sparks, he has been a shining light.
While it is unlikely that his individual brilliance will be enough to drag Sheffield United to safety this season, his performances already should easily earn him a move straight back to the top flight, or any league in Europe for that matter.
