Jarrod Bowen starred again as West Ham United won 3-1 at already-relegated Ipswich Town on the final day of the Premier League season.
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Bowen teed up James Ward-Prowse for the Hammers’ opener shortly before half-time after Sam Morsy gave possession away.
Nathan Broadhead fired in a fine equaliser just after the break but Bowen could not be stopped, cutting in on his left foot and firing a rocket into the net to make it 2-1 on 55 minutes.
Ipswich rallied as they attempted to sign off their season with a positive result, but Graham Potter’s side scored the fourth goal of the game, making sure of the points when Mohammed Kudus bent in a spectacular effort.
Victory for the Hammers means they end the season in 14th, while Ipswich finish second-bottom.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 |
West Ham
WHU
|
38 | -16 | 43 |
| 15 |
Man Utd
MUN
|
38 | -10 | 42 |
| 16 |
Wolves
WOL
|
38 | -15 | 42 |
| 17 |
Spurs
TOT
|
38 | -1 | 38 |
| 18 |
Leicester
LEI
|
38 | -47 | 25 |
| 19 |
Ipswich
IPS
|
38 | -46 | 22 |
| 20 |
Southampton
SOU
|
38 | -60 | 12 |
How the match unfolded
The majority of the first half was a tepid affair, with tame efforts from Omari Hutchinson and Niclas Fullkrug at each end being the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.
With just three minutes to play until half-time, however, Ipswich presented their visitors with a gift. Morsy’s misplaced pass was seized upon by Bowen and the forward squared for Ward-Prowse to easily finish.
Ipswich wasted little time in hitting back after the break, Broadhead darting into space on the edge of the box and firing low beyond Lukasz Fabianski.
But the visitors were quickly back ahead via a familiar source. Bowen dribbled in from the right and crashed an effort inside Christian Walton’s near post to restore a lead that his side, this time, did not relinquish.
The hosts threw what they could to snatch an equaliser, but West Ham sealed the victory three minutes from time when Kudus whipped the ball beyond Ipswich goalkeeper Walton.
Same old story for Ipswich
This performance and result encapsulated Ipswich’s season. Kieran McKenna’s side struggled to create in the final third but were far from outplayed, largely restricting West Ham to very little and looking capable of picking up a rare victory.
However, that effort was ruined by avoidable errors that have cost them throughout their first season back in the Premier League.
With the game looking set to be goalless heading into the break, Morsy’s misdirected backpass was collected by Bowen, with Walton picking the ball out of the net in a flash as Ward-Prowse tucked home from close range.
Broadhead’s equaliser breathed new life into Ipswich and it looked like they could push on, but they were punished once again by the in-form Bowen, who provided the type of quality that they have been missing for much of the season.
While Ipswich finish their first campaign at this level in 22 years with just 22 points, their lowest-ever tally in a league campaign in a three-points-per-win era, this experience will certainly help them as they prepare for life back in the second tier next season.
Bowen brilliance gives Potter hope
After missing all four of West Ham’s January fixtures with a foot injury, Bowen has returned with a fire in his belly, with his latest display perhaps a nod to England boss Thomas Tuchel, who left the Hammers captain out of his recent Three Lions squad.
Though West Ham have struggled for consistency all season, the same cannot be said for Bowen, who has scored or assisted in 11 of his 15 league appearances since his first game back from injury against Chelsea at the start of February.
That run features some spectacular efforts, too. Bowen crashed in a stunning volley against Nottingham Forest last weekend and scored another cracker at Portman Road, thundering a left-footed strike inside the near post from distance.
Having also teed up Ward-Prowse for his side’s opener, this was another top-class performance from Bowen, who is marking himself out as one of West Ham’s best ever Premier League players.
Though the Hammers have yet to find their feet under Potter, the West Ham boss will be hoping that his talisman can lead from the front as they aim to improve in 2025/26.
Club reports
Ipswich report | West Ham report
What the managers said
Kieran McKenna: "It was a good game and a game we deserved something from on the balance of play. It's probably one that you can add to a category that we've had this season. We've felt that before, between boxes, we controlled larger spells of the game than them."
Graham Potter: "It was a pleasing performance. For the majority of the game, we were in control. We started the second half well but then conceded a goal from nothing, pretty much. And then we get back into it with a couple of good goals from Bowen and Kudus. Today, the West Ham supporters were brilliant and it's nice to see them go home with a win."
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Key facts
Ipswich finish the 2024/25 season with just 22 points, their lowest-ever tally in a league campaign since the introduction of three points for a win in 1981/82. Their total of four victories is also their lowest ever in a league season.
West Ham have secured consecutive away Premier League wins for the first time since December 2023 (wins v Burnley and Spurs), following a 2-0 win at Old Trafford and this victory at Portman Road.
In his 18 Premier League games in charge of West Ham this season, Graham Potter's side have averaged 1.11 points per game with a win rate of 28 per cent, lower than previous Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui (1.15 points per game, win rate of 30 per cent in 2024/25). Overall, Potter’s points-per-game figure is better only than Avram Grant’s Premier League record among West Ham's permanent bosses (0.89 points per game).
Jarrod Bowen accounts for 50 per cent of the six times a West Ham player has recorded 20+ goal involvements in a Premier League campaign. Bowen, who has now made 200 appearances in the competition, has registered 13 goals and eight assists this season.