West Ham United suffered relegation from the Premier League, despite beating Leeds United 3-0 at home on the final day of the 2025/26 season.
After a lacklustre first half, the Hammers found a breakthrough in the 67th minute as Taty Castellanos headed home a Jarrod Bowen corner.
That was Bowen’s ninth Premier League assist since his last goal in the competition back in late January, but he finally ended that drought 12 minutes later with an excellent low finish from an acute angle.
As the game wound down, substitute Callum Wilson unleashed a rocket beyond Karl Darlow to put some gloss on the result.
However, despite taking care of their own business, West Ham were still sent back into the Championship for the first time since 2012, with Tottenham Hotspur beating Everton 1-0 at home over in North London. A six-minute time delay between the two games due to a communication issue between officials at Spurs only served to deepen the agony for Irons fans.
West Ham drop despite final day win
Regardless of what happened on the final day, the damage for West Ham was done a long time ago this season.
The Hammers opened the campaign in wretched style, losing seven of their opening nine matches and taking just four points during that time.
That run included thumpings at the hands of Sunderland (3-0), Chelsea (5-1) and their relegation rivals Tottenham (3-0), during a run that cost Graham Potter his job, with Nuno Espirito Santo replacing him.
Nuno certainly improved West Ham, but even once they gained some New Year momentum, they still suffered hugely damaging defeats to the likes of Liverpool (5-2), Brentford (3-0) and Newcastle (3-1), decimating their goal difference and leaving a mountain to climb.
The move to the London Stadium has been an infamous disaster. Recruitment in East London has seen far more misses than hits, and that has only gotten worse in recent years. And a steady cycle of managers has seen squad and structure ripped up time and again. This was simply the culmination of a catalogue of errors at a fundamental level at this famous old football club, whose fans must be wondering where they go from here.
- West Ham are the first side to suffer Premier League relegation on 39 points since Birmingham City and Blackpool in 2010/11.
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Jarrod Bowen shows his class again
In what has been an utterly wretched campaign, Jarrod Bowen once again stood out on Sunday as one of the few shining lights in West Ham claret and blue.
Cruelly left out of the England World Cup squad, Bowen could easily have sulked his way to the end of the campaign here, safe in the knowledge that he’s almost certain to remain in the Premier League himself next season.
However, Bowen is a much bigger character than that, and the forward did everything within his power to try and keep the Hammers in the top flight with him.
Bowen was instrumental in getting West Ham 2-0 ahead against Leeds, finding Castellanos’ head with an expertly delivered corner to the far post, while shortly after, he found the net himself with a precision finish.
They were just two moments in a performance that yielded two big chances created, four dribbles attempted, four touches in the opposition box and five crosses, as well as a tackle and four recoveries on the other side of the ball.
If you’re looking for other Hammers who can hold their heads high, Mateus Fernandes has provided genuine class in midfield, Castellanos has found goals with decent regularity since arriving in January, and Axel Disasi has improved the backline since arriving on loan from Chelsea.
However, it’s Bowen and his nine goals and 11 assists who will be top of everyone’s shopping list this summer.