West Ham move SIX points clear at the top of their Europa League group after making it three wins out of three as goals from Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Jarrod Bowen seal comfortable win over Belgian outfit Genk
- West Ham go six points clear at the top of Group H with a 3-0 win over Genk
- Craig Dawson delivered the Hammers' first-half breakthrough with a header
- Issa Diop and Jarrod Bowen extended the lead with two goals in two minues
- Genk almost took an early lead but Theo Bongonda's header was ruled offside
- Latest Europa League news, including live action and results
- Europa League group stage tables - as it stands
David Moyes isn't circling May 18 on his calendar. Not yet. Ask him and he'll say that the final is too fanciful to consider. His aim is to make sure West Ham are still be in Europe after Christmas, simple as that.
At this rate Moyes will need to rethink that target pretty soon. It's now three wins from three, and the last team to achieve such a feat in the Europa League group stage was Sevilla in 2019-20, when they won the competition.
This year's final is in Seville but even as West Ham sit six points clear at the top of Group H, with seven goals scored and zero conceded, Moyes isn't getting ahead of himself.
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Jarrod Bowen, however, having gone from non-League to the Europa League, doesn't mind dreaming. 'The main thing is topping the group,' said Bowen, the scorer of West Ham's third goal on Thursday night.
'If we can stay strong, keep the confidence, then I think teams will be fearing us. We could be the team to look out for. We're only a few games away from a big cup run.'
For the final half hour, West Ham were in cruise control, and why not? They'd earned it. Craig Dawson had scored with his shoulder and Issa Diop with his head, both of their defensive titans showing why Moyes' side are so dangerous from set pieces. Bowen then made it 3-0.
With their next opponents Genk away in two weeks' time, you see no reason why they cannot make it four wins from four. 'It means everything,' Bowen added.
'Looking back and playing non-League, I remember scoring my first goal against Alfreton at (age) 16 or 17. Now to score in the Europa League is a dream. I'm loving every minute.'
As are the supporters. Thursday started with a slap on the wrist for the club - a £50,000 fine from UEFA for the crowd trouble which marred their win over Rapid Vienna three weeks ago. That saw missiles thrown from the away supporters and at them, while Declan Rice's opening goal prompted a few visitors from Vienna to hop over the advertising hoardings.
There was little chance of controversy this time, with the 200 Genk fans in attendance surrounded by almost as many stewards in fluorescent yellow. They were a lively group, nonetheless, rocking up with a repertoire of chants which they had translated into English, including 'Shall we sing a song for you?'
Genk had the ball in the back of the net first with Theo Bongonda scoring a diving header, but the assistant flagged it offside, much to West Ham's relief.
Bowen, starting as striker, came close after 25 minutes when Ben Johnson cut the ball back into his path. The West Ham striker had the goal at his mercy but, from 10 yards, he produced an air-kick. A proper connection and it would have been 1-0.
Shortly before half-time, Aaron Cresswell crossed for Bowen. He improvised with a nice flick, but an even better save from Maarten Vandevoordt saw the score remain 0-0. Only momentarily, that is, because a corner moments later saw Dawson shoulder the ball into the goal. They all count.
No Premier League defender has scored more goals in all club competitions in 2021 than Dawson, who is now on five, level with John Stones. What a £2million signing he's turned out to be.
West Ham's best attacker in this game had comfortably been Cresswell. He was tireless in his charging down the left wing and had provided the cross for Dawson's opener.
In the 57th minute, it was 2-0, with Cresswell swinging in a free-kick and Diop heading home. In the 58th, it was 3-0, with Bowen unleashing a shot which Vandevoordt couldn't stop.
On came Mark Noble, the club captain who, born in 1987, is older than Genk, founded 1988. How he would like to help his club make it to the Europa League final in the season he's retiring.
For now it's three wins from three. Pretty easy, this European lark. At least West Ham are making it seem that way.
Relive all the action from West Ham's 3-0 victory over Genk with Sportsmail's ISABEL BALDWIN below...
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Isabel Baldwin Host commentator
Job done again for West Ham.
David Moyes's side are sitting pretty comfortably at the top for Group H as they go six points clear, while Genk are rock bottom.
The Hammers have commandeered a dominant position with the knockout stages in sight with a convincing 3-0 win over Genk to maintain their 100 per cent Europa League record this season.
But they'll want to follow it up with a win over Tottenham at the weekend who were beaten tonight by Vitesse.
Two minutes injury time will be played at the London Stadium.
West Ham's win is in the bag.
The crowd are enjoying this and jeers go up after every pass.
Daniel Chesters is now on for his debut in European football for West Ham as Lanzini makes way.
Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals are on as goalscorer Jarrod Bowen and Nikola Vlasic go off.
Genk are seeing most of the ball now but West Ham are happy to sit back and defend.
But the visitors do look to threaten as Ito is completely free on the right as Genk make a dangerous break.
But when it eventually finds Ito two West Ham players have made it back to block him.
Ito once again creates a good chance for Genk.
He has time and space out on the right to wait and pick out Ike Ugbo's run with a curling cross.
But Dawson is there and does just enough to put Ugbo off and his diving header is wide at the near post.
Agonisingly close for Genk.
The visitors look to claw one back as Ito chips it into the box. Onuachu then nods it down for an unmarked Thorstvedt.
But he scuffs it and the chance is wasted.
Declan Rice makes way for Mark Noble and the captain's armband makes the switch too.
Aaron Cresswell also makes way for Ryan Fredericks.
Two in two minutes for the Hammers!
They're running away with it now.
Straight from kick-off, West Ham press and Bowen breaks into the box with the ball at his feet.
The forward has plenty of space in the box unchallenged. His low shot takes a deflections but squirms under the keeper and finds it way over the line.
How quickly it's gone for the visitors who looked close to coming out and threatening to equalise.
They're on their way to a very commanding position in this group - baring something dramatic and unexpected from Genk.
Genk pay the price for giving away a needless free kick.
Cresswell turns in a delicious cross for Issa Diop to head home.
First ever European goal for Diop.
Junya Ito keeps the ball in play from a cross from he left. He then wins a corner off Aaron Cresswell but it's cleared by West Ham.
Dangerously close for Genk.
Ito steps inside Nikola Vlasic on the right to tee up Thorstvedt.
He takes a touch then strikes it low. It pops up dangerously from a deflection but Areola has little work to do as it flicks straight at him.
We're back underway at the London Stadium as West Ham look to build on their breakthrough goal.
There's been a change at the break for Genk. Centre-back Carlos Cuesta is off as 21-year-old Mujaid Sadick comes on.
Genk delivered a tough challenge for the home side and could have taken the lead if not for an offside call.
But it's West Ham who head into the lead with a 1-0 lead with yet another set-piece goal.
Can David Moyes's side make it nine points from nine?
With almost the last touch of the game, the Hammers finally have their breakthrough.
And they have Dawson to thank.
The defender rises to meet the corner kick. It's not the cleanest header but it loops over the keeper and beats the desperate efforts of Heynen on the line to keep it out.
Finally Genk's resistance is broken.
A close chance on the brink of half-time.
Cresswell’s driven delivery from the left finds Bowen in the box who almost flicks it in but the ball finds the grateful arms of the Genk keeper.
The scares are racking up for West Ham this evening.
Genk have another corner and take it short.
Arteage then stands one up to Onuachu at the back post. Areola comes out and completely fumbles it.
Onuachu has a free header at goal but it inches just the wrong side of the post.
A serious let off for Areola.
Yarmolenko is trying out a few creative passes tonight but hasn't quite nailed the execution.
His latest attempt is to play in Johnson on the right but the pass is a touch too heavy.
Nice thought though Andriy.
Goals from Leon Balogun and Kemar Roofe have given Steven Gerrard's side the lead at the Ibrox.
Still no breakthrough in London, though.
Should be 1-0!
Lanzini slips a pass through to Johnson on the overlap from right-back. But Jarrod Bowen completely misses the ball from close range, in an unmarked position.
Cresswell then follows it up but he's stretching and drags it wide.
Really poor from Bowen.
Rice clips a cross onto the head of his midfield partner Soucek at the back post.
He doesn't quite get enough power to it to fire it past Vandevoordt but he does force a smart save from the keeper who claws it away to the right.
Better from West Ham.
West Ham are looking sluggish failing to pick up some decent Genk runs.
Issa Diop plays Bongonda onside who slips in on the left and chips it into the middle to Onuachu. He is stretching and nods it over the bar.
One or two good cameos from Genk so far.
They've clearly given some though to how to get past West Ham.
A long ball is fired down the middle to find Bongonda who makes an excellent run in behind but Alphonse Areola looks sharp to deny him.
Genk have already asked more questions of the Hammers than Rapid Vienna did all match.
Genk almost take a shock lead!
The visitors find the net to cause an upset but it's ruled offside.
Ito with a very good run in behind down the right. He squares it to Onuachu who misses badly but Bongonda is there to head home.
Just as they thought they'd taken the lead however, the flag goes up. It's a tight one but Ito's shoulder is just offside as he leans forward into the run.
West Ham seriously let off the hook on that one.
The home side are applying the pressure early on.
A lovely long cross finds Cresswell's forward run on the left but he stumbles on the ball and loses possession.
Just one minute gone and the Hammers already have a free kick.
Bowen is bundled over clumsily by Jhon Lucumi right on the touchline and takes the free kick himself.
But it bounces off the shin of Declan Rice in the box. Yarmolenko keeps it alive but passes it straight to a genk centre-back.
Peep peep!
Both teams take the knee to applause at the London Stadium and Genk get us underway.
West Ham can go six points clear with a win tonight after Group H's earlier result.
And with Genk coming off a three-match losing run, the Hammers are fully expected to maintain their 100 per cent Europa League record this season - unless Onuachu has other ideas.
Rapid Vienna have secured their first win of the Europa League campaign as they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 at home.
The result sees them leapfrog Genk into third - unless the Belgians can muster a result tonight.
David Moyes has made six changes to the side that beat Everton at the weekend with Antonio absent from the squad and Bowen starting instead.
West Ham: Fabianski, Johnson, Diop, Dawson, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Vlasic, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Bowen.
Subs: Fabianski, Randolph, Ashby, Zouma, Masuaku, Fredericks, Ogbonna, Noble, Chesters, Benrahma, Fornals.
Genk: Vandevoordt, Preciado, Cuesta, Lucumi, Arteaga, Heynen, Hrosovsky, Bongonda, Ito, Onuachu.
Subs: Chambaere, Leysen, McKenzie, Sadick, Tresor, Toma, Geusens, Eiting, Ugbo, Oyen, Paintsil, Nemeth
West Ham sit top of Group H after beating Dinamo Zagreb and Rapid Vienna in their two opening Europa league games, while Genk sit in third behind the Croatian outfit on goal difference.
Zagreb and Vienna are currently playing out their fixture with the Austrians carrying a 2-1 lead into the second-half. If they win the game, they will move above Genk before kick off at the London Stadium.
Elsewhere in the Europa League, Steven Gerrard's Rangers are also in action tonight as they take on Broendby IF at home.
We will also keep you up-to-date with all the action from the Ibrox.
Here's how the two sides line up...
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Aribo, Lundstram, Davis, Roofe, Morelos, Hagi.
Subs: Bassey, Patterson, Bacuna, Scott Wright, Kelly, McCrorie, Sakala, McLaughlin, Arfield.
Brondby: Mikkelsen, Heggheim, Maxso, Rosted, Gammelby, Cappis, Frendrup, Ben Slimane, Mensah, Uhre, Pavlovic.
Subs: Greve, Riveros, Bruus, Tshiembe, Fallenius, Radosevic, Divkovic, Hedlund, Bjur, Sidhu, Aegidius, Borkeeiet.
Referee: Fran Jovic (Croatia)
We should have the teams for this evening shortly.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek needed plastic surgery after being caught accidentally by the full force of Toffees striker Salomon Rondon's studs as they challenged for the ball.
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