Tue | May 26, 2026

West Ham on top of EPL

Published:Saturday | September 2, 2023 | 12:08 AM
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen scores the opening goal of the game during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and West Ham United, in Luton, England, yesterday. West Ham won 2-1.
AP
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen scores the opening goal of the game during the English Premier League match between Luton Town and West Ham United, in Luton, England, yesterday. West Ham won 2-1.

LUTON, England (AP):

West Ham claimed their third straight win and ensured at least one night atop the English Premier League (EPL) by beating Luton 2-1 thanks to headers by Jarrod Bowen and Kurt Zouma yesterday.

Kenilworth Road was hosting a top-flight match for the first time since 1991-92 – the season before the Premier League was founded – but Luton couldn’t mark the occasion by earning its first points since promotion.

Bowen gave West Ham the lead in the 37th minute, meeting Lucas Paqueta’s perfectly judged cross with a header that went straight at goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and bounced into the net.

Having also netted at Bournemouth and Brighton this season, the England forward became the first West Ham player since 1930-31 to score in three straight top-flight away games.

Luton, who lost their opening two league games, toiled without offering much threat up front and fell further behind in the 85th when Zouma got himself free at a corner to power in a header from James Ward-Prowse’s cross.

Luton grabbed a consolation through centre back Mads Andersen in the second minute of stoppage time.

West Ham have 10 points from four matches and are a point ahead of Manchester City, who play their game in hand at home to Fulham today.

Luton have played only three games because their home meeting with Burnley scheduled for round two was postponed owing to Kenilworth Road not being ready to host the match.