When David Moyes said in February that “it can be a really good season” for West Ham, few believed him.
But with the club now six points clear of the relegation zone and eagerly awaiting a semi-final tie with AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League, it appears that it was a moment of great foresight from the Scotsman.
Thoughts ahead of this game suggested his team would be jaded following their heroics against Gent on Thursday evening and perhaps unable to match the intensity of a resurgent Bournemouth.
Not a bit of it. The energy came entirely from the visitors, who won the game by half-time.
It started with the simplest of goals for West Ham. An Aaron Cresswell corner was delivered to the near post and Michail Antonio rose unchallenged to head it home.
Although Moyes’ side had played just three days earlier, it was Bournemouth who looked jaded and they were soon two behind.
Lloyd Kelly and Marcus Tavernier carelessly lost possession and Vladimir Coufal swung a cross to the far post where Lucas Paquetá beat Jack Stephens to head in the second.
Bournemouth were seeing plenty of the ball but West Ham settled happily into a low block. Jefferson Lerma’s 25-yard shot was the first time that the recalled Lukasz Fabianski needed to beat the ball to safety.
He was called into action again soon afterwards as Dominic Solanke wriggled round Nayef Aguerd before seeing his low shot repelled by Fabianski’s legs.
With Bournemouth starting to make it more of a contest, West Ham put the result beyond doubt with a third just before half-time.
Again, Bournemouth failed to clear a Cresswell corner and Declan Rice clinically converted the loose ball with a sweetly struck half volley. “One more year, one more year, Declan Rice” sang the traveling faithful as he saluted them.
A flurry of changes from Gary O’Neil could not change the course of the game, which slowed considerably in the second half.
That was until an extraordinary goal from substitute Pablo Fornals who executed a scorpion kick from Jarrod Bowen’s cross after Stephens had given away possession in dangerous territory.
The stands began to empty out with Bournemouth supporters having expected so much more after a fine week, with Max Cornet having a last-minute fifth goal ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside.