Raul Jimenez delivered a late Christmas gift to Fulham fans and heaped more misery on West Ham United, as his 85th-minute header secured a dramatic 1-0 victory at the London Stadium on December 27, 2025. The Mexican striker’s timely intervention not only marked his second goal in as many matches but also propelled Fulham to their third consecutive Premier League win, lifting Marco Silva’s side into the top half of the table and leaving the Hammers mired in the relegation zone.
For West Ham, the afternoon began with hope. Manchester City’s earlier victory over Nottingham Forest had opened the door for the Hammers to close the gap to just two points from safety. Instead, by the final whistle, West Ham remained five points adrift in 18th place, their prospects looking bleaker after a seventh defeat in nine games and a third consecutive loss. The frustration was palpable both on and off the pitch, with supporters voicing their anger at the board and waving red cards in protest against owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady.
Yet, the match itself was anything but a foregone conclusion. Fulham, fresh off back-to-back wins over Burnley and Forest, started brightly. Jimenez nearly opened the scoring early on after a clever turn inside the box, but his shot flew wide. Moments later, the in-form Harry Wilson unleashed a fierce 20-yard drive, forcing West Ham’s Alphonse Areola into a full-stretch save. At the other end, Jarrod Bowen tested Fulham’s Bernd Leno with an angled effort, while Crysencio Summerville’s cross narrowly missed Ollie Scarles’ head at the far post.
“It was a very tight game, as we expected,” Fulham manager Marco Silva remarked post-match. “It was important for the home team to win this afternoon, but we showed our ambition. The game looked like being a draw, but the team showed the ambition to try to win the game. Three wins in a row in the Premier League is very difficult to achieve so the players deserve all the credit.”
West Ham’s attacking intent grew after the break. Bowen, a constant threat, steered Soungoutou Magassa’s cutback agonisingly wide of the far post. Second-half substitute Callum Wilson, brought on to inject pace, drilled a shot just off target after leading a swift counter and later fired over following another Bowen surge. But for all their pressure and possession, the hosts simply could not find the finishing touch. According to West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, “I felt the momentum was ours, we created situations. We felt that the goal was coming, but in the end we got punished, and after that, there was not too much time.”
It was a costly defensive lapse that ultimately decided the contest. With five minutes left, young left-back Ollie Scarles, who had impressed for much of the match, misjudged a clearance inside his own penalty area. Harry Wilson pounced on the mistake, delivering a pinpoint cross to the far post where Jimenez rose above the defense to nod home the winner. The stadium fell silent, save for the jubilant cheers from the traveling Fulham faithful, who taunted their hosts with chants of “Say hello to QPR,” referencing West Ham’s potential drop into the Championship.
Scarles, devastated by his error, was left in tears at the final whistle, but his manager was quick to offer support. “We are all disappointed and sad, but we stick together,” Nuno said. “He has our total confidence and support. Mistakes are part of the game. Today and tonight is going to be tough, but tomorrow is another day and then we are playing again.”
For Fulham, the win was not only a testament to their resilience but also marked a significant milestone. It was their third straight league victory—the first time they have achieved such a run since January 2023—and it propelled them into tenth place, a far cry from the relegation worries that haunted them earlier in the season. Marco Silva now boasts more Premier League wins against West Ham than any other opponent, with this being his seventh victory over the Hammers.
Jimenez’s knack for tormenting West Ham continued, as he has now scored seven Premier League goals against them—his highest tally against any opponent in the division. “The thing that pleased me most was the ambition of the team in the last 15, 20 minutes to push a little bit more,” Silva said. “We created two or three good chances and we won the game with a great assist from Harry [Wilson], a great header by Raul [Jimenez] and a clean sheet.”
The statistics paint a grim picture for West Ham’s campaign. With just 13 points from 18 Premier League games, it is their lowest total at this stage since 2010/11—a season that ended in relegation. The Hammers have now suffered 11 home defeats in 2025, equalling the joint-most in a calendar year in their history, alongside 1967. Their inability to convert chances, highlighted by missed opportunities from Bowen, Wilson, and Magassa, has left confidence at a low ebb. “When you don’t score, the situation that we are in, everything bad happens to us,” Nuno admitted. “It’s what we think, it’s what we want, it’s what we work for, it’s what the boys try. We can spend hours and hours talking about all the aspects, but basically, when you don’t score, the situation that we are in, everything bad happens to us.”
Fulham’s momentum, meanwhile, could not be better timed. With the new year approaching, Silva’s men will look to build on this run as they face Crystal Palace away on January 1, followed by home clashes against Liverpool and Chelsea. The omens are promising, especially given their recent form and Jimenez’s predatory instincts in front of goal.
As the final whistle blew, Fulham celebrated a hard-fought win that capped a remarkable end to 2025, while West Ham trudged off, their supporters left to ponder an increasingly uncertain future. The Hammers’ next chance to reverse their fortunes comes quickly, as they host Brighton and Hove Albion on December 30. For now, though, the story belongs to Jimenez and Fulham—a tale of redemption, resilience, and rising hopes heading into the new year.
