It took over 35 hours – or 2,100 minutes – of Premier League football but West Ham United finally got their first penalty of the season last night.
Noble lifts lid on what he told his West Ham teammates ahead of Sheffield United win
Declan Rice stepped up to convert West Ham’s first spot kick of the campaign – 24 games in.
The statistic is made all the more remarkable for West Ham by the fact the Premier League is on course to break the record number of penalties in a single season.
RONALDO NEEDS TO STOP WHINING.
Prem on course for penalty record but Hammers had to wait to break duck
Based on the average number of penalties so far, the Prem is on course to hit 135 spot kick awards by the end of the season – 29 more than in 2016-17 – the previous high in the last decade.
Until the 3-0 win over Sheffield United, though, West Ham had not felt the benefit.
It is perhaps no surprise to learn the current top four have had the most penalties this season.
And that feeds an age old football conspiracy theory that the big clubs such as Manchester United get more favourable decisions such as penalties.
While West Ham have just been awarded their first, Manchester United have had seven penalties already this season.
Spot kick wait fed age old theory about clubs like Man United getting the big decisions
Leaders Man City have had 10.
It is a commonly held belief in football that visiting teams simply do not get awarded penalties at the likes of Man United.
Conversely fans of West Ham and other clubs have argued for years, the likes of Man United get spot kicks handed out all too readily by referees.
Well now West Ham supporters have floated the hilarious conspiracy theory that they had to sign a Man United player to get one.
That’s after Man United loan star Jesse Lingard was wiped out for West Ham’s first penalty of the season in the 3-0 win over Sheffield United.
Hammers fans float hilarious Man United conspiracy theory after finally getting a penalty
“We had to sign a Man U player to get awarded a pen,” said one West Ham fan on Twitter.
West Ham fans loved the tongue-in-cheek comment.
Lingard himself also revealed he was delighted to have a hand in the club getting their first penalty of the 2020/21 campaign.
He just wasn’t happy with how he looked in the picture after being fouled!
“Glad I could help get the clubs first penalty of the season, but did it have to be in this way,” Lingard said on Twitter alongside laughing emojis.