David Moyes will hope this was a sign of things to come for Jarrod Bowen. So, too, will Gareth Southgate.
The forward had gone five games without a goal ahead of this encounter, a barren spell that has coincided with a sequence of eight without victory for West Ham and one that has left the future of head coach David Moyes shrouded in uncertainty.
But Bowen is back – his hat-trick here at the London Stadium easing the pressure on his underfire boss.
How grateful Moyes must be that Bowen answered his call when he needed him on what could east have turned into an unpleasant night.
You can bet your bottom dollar that England boss Southgate took notice, too.
Jarrod Bowen scored the first hat-trick of his career to help West Ham beat Brentford
The result eases pressure on David Moyes after West Ham ended an eight match winless run
Bowen’s hat-trick takes him to 17 goals this season and provides a boost to his England hopes
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It’s now 17 for the season for Bowen. That’s an impressive return – and one that should propel him to his first senior international tournament.
Southgate names his squad for the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium on March 14 – his last selection before naming final a 23-man Euro 2024 contingent.
Having missed out on England’s World Cup squad in 2022, surely Bowen’s a serious contender to make the plane to Germany.
His exertions here helped placate sections of a disillusioned fanbase you feared may turn on Moyes if the game hadn’t swung in their favour.
The prospect of toxicity here at the London Stadium was tangible. The supporter protests against Moyes have provided an uncomfortable watch.
This night, however, belonged to Moyes. And Bowen, of course.
If there was ever an advert for not turning up late to a football match, then this was it. Three goals inside the opening 13 minutes and on-field inquest to boot.
West Ham raced into a two goal lead inside seven minutes. Both goals scored by the electric Bowen, although both resultant from Brentford losing possession in midfield.
Bowen gave West Ham the perfect start by firing his side ahead in the fifth minute
The forward finished off a move from close range to put West Ham 2-0 up after seven minutes
Brentford faced an tough task away after Bowen’s early brace at the London Stadium
MATCH STATS AND RATINGS
West Ham (4-3-3): Areola 6; Coufal 7, Mavropanos 6.5, Zouma 6.5, Emerson 7.5; Soucek 6.5, Ward-Prowse 7, Alvarez 7; Kudus 7.5 (Johnson 90), Bowen 9, Paqueta 7 (Antonio 76).
Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Antonio, Ings, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Earthy, Mubama, Scarles.
Scorers: Bowen 5, 7, 63, Emerson 69
Booked: Alvarez
Manager: David Moyes 7.5
Brentford (3-5-2): Flekken 5.5; Zanka 5.5, Ajer 6, Mee 6 (Collins 61, 5.5); Lewis-Potter 7, Onyeka 6.5 (Janelt 73), Norgaard 6.5, Jensen 6.5 (Damsgaard 77), Reguilon 6 (Roerslev 73); Toney 6, Maupay 7 (Wissa 73)
Subs: Strakosha, Ghoddos, Baptiste, Yarmoliuk.
Scorers: Maupay 13, Wissa 82
Booked: Regulion, Zanka
Manager: Thomas Frank 6.5
Referee: Simon Hooper 6.5
The England international’s first, in the sixth minute, a powerful effort rifled past Mark Flekken’s near post from Emerson’s cut back from the left.
His second, a minute later, a near carbon-copy – but this time Vladimir Coufal squaring from the opposite flank after Zanka lost possession.
As the crowd erupted, Brentford skipper Christian Norgaard swiftly ushered his colleagues in for an impromptu debrief.
Amidst the chaos, Ivan Toney gestured for his team-mates to calm down. Needless to say, there was nothing calm about this situation for Brentford, whose fears of being dragged into a relegation fight won’t have been helped by their atrocious start nor news of Everton’s points deduction being reduced to six earlier in the day.
Moyes, stoney-faced, provided a brief thumbs-up before re-folding his arms. There’s not been much for the Scot to smile about in recent weeks – but at last some respite.
Surely he could crack a smile after his team’s blistering start? Perhaps he knew what was coming as Brentford responded.
Neal Maupay’s finish beyond Alphonse Areola was clinical, but his goal owed much to Keane Lewis-Potter’s defence splitting pass.
It was exactly what the doctor ordered for Thomas Frank’s side following a their feeble start.
For West Ham, another reminder of the defensive frailties that have dogged their season; only Newcastle had conceded more goals of all the team in the top 10 heading into this clash.
Neal Maupay reduced the deficit after Keane Lewis-Potter’s defence splitting pass
The Brentford forward produced a clinical finish to restore Brentford’s hope after a poor start
Bowen restored West Ham’s two goal cushion in the second half after steering in a header
The forward wheeled away in celebration after completing the first hat-trick of his career
Eventually the encounter found its equilibrium, though Lucas Paqueta fired narrowly wide from Mohamed Kudus’ deep cross in the 21st minute.
Paqueta’s return to fitness arrives as a timely boost for the Hammers, whose season has unraveled without their brilliant Brazilian.
It will take a while for the 26-year-old to get fully up to speed after two months out with a knee injury. There were clear signs of ring rust on his first appearance since the start of January.
Even so, West Ham were clearly benefitting from his presence here on Monday night.
The second half got underway in controversial circumstances as Hammers assistant coach Kevin Nolan and Brentford defender Zanka emerging from the tunnel involved in a heated confrontation that resulted in both parties being pulled apart.
And for a while, during the opening exchanges of the second half, Brentford, who lost centre-back Ben Mee to injury in the 61st minute, looked most likely to score in their pursuit of an equaliser.
Emerson Palmieri scored the goal of the night with the left back producing a drive from distance
Emerson’s shot from outside the area flew past the helpless Mark Flekken in the Brentford goal
Yoane Wissa scored a consolation for Brentford late on but the Bees suffered a 4-2 defeat
But the Bees had no answer to Bowen’s brilliance; the forward’s third arriving in the 63rd minute – a close range header from Kudus’ cross following some dreadful Brentford marking.
The bad-blood between both teams in the technical areas continued, once again Nolan appeared to be at the centre of it all – visibly irate as Frank ordered his Bees colleagues to calm down.
But West Ham – and Nolan – had the next laugh as West Ham scored a fourth from Emerson’s pummelling drive from outside the area that flew past Flekken into the top corner.
Yoane Wissa scored a late second for Brentford, but their game was up by that point.
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