West Ham United came from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 on Thursday night and won former striker Craig Bellamy’s approval.
West Ham were trailing 1-0 to a desperately fortunate Nathan Redmond goal.
But a breathtaking brace from record signing Felipe Anderson turned the game around.
It was West Ham’s fifth win from six games in December, a new club record.
And it lifted the Hammers up to ninth in the table ahead of a weekend clash against lowly Burnley.
Scintillating West Ham up to ninth
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been playing some scintillating football too.
That has been made all the more impressive by the fact Pellegrini has been nursing a Premier League-worst injury list.
West Ham fans are not the only ones impressed.
Former striker Craig Bellamy told Sky Sports he has been impressed by his old club.
And the Welshman delivered his verdict on where the Hammers should be looking to finish this season.
‘They can do it’
“They can be the best of the rest,” Bellamy told Sky Sports.
“So you’ve got the top six (that are more or less set in stone), but try and get in the next (position) ahead of your Evertons.
“Five wins out of your last six in the Premier League (let me tell you) that’s good going.
“They’re in a good position at the moment West Ham.
“Declan Rice was outstanding and Felipe Anderson the matchwinner,” Bellamy continued on Sky Sports’ The Debate.
“West Ham have always had matchwinners and he definitely fits in the mould of a West Ham forward type of player we’ve always been used to seeing.
“I enjoy watching them. The Watford defeat you could say was typical West Ham, they are capable of doing that (losing a game they would expect to win when on a good run), so to bounce back (was impressive).
“I see the likes of Everton and West Ham two strong ones with a realistic chance of finishing seventh. I was very impressed with them tonight.”
Bellamy said he was particularly impressed by how ‘commanding’ West Ham were in the away win.
Not the kind of words too regularly dished out when pundits have discussed the Hammers in recent seasons.
Chilean mastermind setting records in East London
Hammers fans are loving the way Pellegrini has the side set up.
The players clearly all now get and more importantly buy into the Chilean’s philosophy.
Being brave and playing possession football high up the pitch with the ability to also counter attack to devastating effect.
What is not to love about West Ham at the moment.
Fans are hoping it is a sign of things to come as we enter a new year.
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