Joe Roberts

Thu 7 September 2023 20:10, UK

The Premier League have nominated the wrong Jarrod Bowen West Ham goal for the August Goal of the Month.

West Ham fans have a plethora of wonderful goals to choose from in excelling opening to the Premier League season. Michail Antonio’s brutish finish against Chelsea, or his swivel-and-finish effort against Brighton springs to mind.

However, the Premier League opted to select Bowen’s outside-the-box effort against Bournemouth as one of the month’s best goals. While no doubt Bowen’s strike against the Cherries was a delight, they have done the Englishman an injustice by nominating the wrong goal.

His strike against Brighton in the Irons’ 3-1 victory at the Amex is no doubt the best goal scored by the Hammers in August, and perhaps the best goal scored by any team last month.

Dean Saunders said it best on talkSPORT (29 August): “That’s going to be hard to beat for me – goal of the season! I can’t begin to tell you how difficult that is.”

But Bowen made it look so easy, which is perhaps why it was so easily overlooked.

While in the lead, the Hammers were clinging on against an onslaught of Brighton attacks, but Bowen’s wonder finish in the 58th minute all but put the game to bed at the Amex.

Bowen controlled Said Benramaha’s 50-odd-yard pass from the left wing in the box with the deftest of touches with the outside of his boot, before slotting the ball with elegance past a helpless and stunned Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton net.

His gut-busting run to meet the ball into the box showed his determination to extend his side’s lead, and his hard work was rewarded with his second of a total of three goals this season.

The 26-year-old’s lack of an England call-up during the international break shocked many considering his electric form for the Hammers so far this season, but David Moyes will be wrapping him in bubble wrap to keep him fit.

In other West Ham news, a free agent is set to feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly for the Hammers.