By Steve Stammers For The Daily Mail
Published: 16:51 BST, 4 May 2019 | Updated: 17:02 BST, 4 May 2019
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The season’s finale at the London Stadium - and a match that could have been labelled the flip-flop derby.
Both teams are safe and unless someone at either West Ham or Southampton writes one hell of a song, neither will be in Europe next season. The beach beckons.
Bad news for West Ham before a ball was kicked. Three of the heroes of the win at Tottenham a week ago were missing. Declan Rice and Felipe Anderson were ill while Robert Snodgrass was suspended.
Marko Arnautovic scored his first Premier League goals since January as West Ham won well
Ryan Fredericks (right) was also on target as Southampton were beaten 3-0 in Stratford
West Ham: Fabianski 6, Fredericks 6, Balbuena 7, Diop 7, Masuaku 6, Noble 8 (Sanchez 78 mins), Obiang 6, Diangana 6 (Wilshere 67 mins, 6), Lanzini 6 (Perez 83 mins, 5), Antonio 6, Arnautovic 6
Subs not used: Adrian, Zabaleta, Fernandez, Ogbonna
Southampton: Forster 7, Valery 5, Stephens 6, Bednarek 6, Bertrand 6, Hojbjerg 6, Lemina 6 (Romeu 75 mins, 6), Armstrong 6 (Ward-Prowse 67 mins, 6), Elyounoussi 6, Long 7, Ings 6 (Redmond 46 mins, 6)
Subs not used: Gunn, Austin, Targett, Ramsay
Referee: Stuart Atwell 7
Man of the Match: Mark Noble.
Attendance: 59961
Booked: Lanzini 63, Romeu 80
There was something of a surprise in the Southampton line-up. If Fraser Forster thought h would spend the afternoon putting any finishing touches to his holiday plans, he was to be disappointed.
For the first time since Boxing Day 2017 when he was in a team beaten 5-2 by Spurs, Forster was in the first team. A decent enough shop window.
However, it has still been a decent season for West Ham who has what can only be described as a nightmare start.
Four Premier League matches – four defeats. The owners Davids Gold and Sullivan and Karren Brady could have been forgiven for heading for the hills.
West Ham fans – as has been seen in the past – can be an unforgiving bunch.
But the revival came under manager
