Southampton 0-0 West Ham: Premier League Player of the Month Michail Antonio SENT-OFF as late Declan Rice goal-line clearance saves Hammers' unbeaten start... but Ralph Hasenhuttl's side remain winless

• West Ham travelled to face Southampton on Saturday in the Premier League 
• A poor quality first-half went without a goal as both teams struggled to get going
• Declan Rice cleared off the line late as the Saints contained West Ham's attack
• Michail Antonio then saw a second yellow for a wild challenged in stoppage time 

The first was like something out of the wrestling arena as he threw Jack Stephens to the ground. The second was a lazy sliding tackle on Moussa Djenepo.

With that, Michail Antonio had two yellow cards and now West Ham will be without their main supplier of goals for the visit of Manchester United next weekend.

‘He was stupid to lunge in,’ David Moyes explained afterwards, honest as ever. ‘But these things in football happen. He’s got himself sent off. These things can happen.’  

Antonio endured one of those annoying afternoons. Southampton centre backs Stephens and Mohammed Salisu hardly gave the Premier League’s top scorer an inch, as West Ham’s forward players struggled to create any kind of connection.

After this stalemate, Southampton remain winless this season, and West Ham remain unbeaten. Yet the hosts left St Mary’s Stadium clearly feeling they ought to have won.

Armando Broja, the 19-year-old forward on loan from Chelsea, was introduced in 74th minute. In the 81st, he hit the post. In the 90th, he saw a header cleared off the line by Declan Rice.

‘We had the chances,’ said Ralph Hasenhuttl. They did, but still the wait for a win goes on.

So West Ham were fortunate, but they can look on the bright side. Four games in, they’ve managed two wins and two draws, and next up is a trip to Croatia for their first proper taste of European football since 2006, for which Antonio will be available, despite his dismissal.

West Ham face Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday but if they are to get their Europa League campaign off to a smart start, they’ll need to play better than they did here.

Maybe the energy-sapping international break played a part in the performance, as Moyes said: 'Our forwards didn't connect. It looked like they'd all been away. It looked like we lacked a real connection.’

There was only one attempt on goal in the opening 20 minutes and that was a low drive from Adam Armstrong which warmed the hands of West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Other than that, there was nothing worthy of discussion. Apart from Hasenhuttl’s attire, that is, with the Austrian’s cream chinos and dark waistcoat making him one of the Premier League’s more dapper managers yesterday.

Moyes, in his tracksuit, was looking frustrated. There was a disconnect between West Ham’s attack and the rest of the team.

As half time approached, there had not been a single goal in any of the six 3pm kick-offs. If Southampton or West Ham would be the ones to end that drought, an influx of energy was needed.

Moyes must have given his men a grilling at the break, as West Ham emerged with much more intent and Antonio tested Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy for the first time.

Nikola Vlasic was introduced for his West Ham debut and looked lively. He was among those involved in a scramble which resulted in Jarrod Bowen forcing McCarthy into tipping over.

After 70 minutes, there was some handbags between Antonio and Stephens, with the West Ham forward throwing his counterpart to the ground. He’d pay for that later. 

After 80 minutes came Southampton’s greatest chance of the game so far, as Broja sprinted forward and struck a shot, only to see it bounce back off the post.

As five minutes of stoppage time was announced, Southampton swung in a corner. Broja rose highest and the ball was flying into the far corner. Thankfully for West Ham, Rice was stationed at the back post to clear.

Then Antonio, already booked, flew into Djenepo. Referee David Coote rightly produced a second yellow card and West Ham finished the game with 10 men.