Robert Lewandowski got Barcelona out of jail as Alaves threatened to pile on further misery for the reigning LaLiga champions.

The 35-year-old Poland international headed home a second-half equaliser after Samu Omorodion had fired the visitors in front with just 18 seconds gone and then converted a late penalty to ensure an eventful afternoon at the Estadio Olimpico ended 2-1 to the hosts.

However, Samu was left to reflect on what might have been after passing up three further chances to add to his tally as Barca, who were without influential duo Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, turned in an abject first-half display before finally finding their feet.

The home side kicked off under some pressure after their their midweek Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk, which came in the wake of their El Clasico reverse and an unconvincing league win over Real Sociedad.

And they could hardly have got off to a worse start as they conceded inside the opening minute.

Ilkay Gundogan was robbed by Jon Guridi inside the Alaves half and he carved his way deep into Barca territory before picking out Javi Lopez, whose cross was swept past keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen by the 19-year-old Samu.

Things could have been significantly worse for Xavi’s men amid a shambolic start as they were repeatedly opened up by the visitors.

Samu fired into the side-netting after controlling Andoni Gorosabel’s pass, and then missed the target after the latter had split the home defence to send him one-on-one with Ter Stegen.

Shell-shocked Barcelona started to work their way into the game and Alaves keeper Antonio Sivera had to save from Lewandowski and Joao Felix.

But in the meantime, Lopez had scuffed a shot on the turn wide after catching defender Jules Kounde sleeping, and the France international was fortunate to escape for a second time when Samu fired after being muscled off the ball by the frontman.

Felix tried desperately to drag his side back into the game as time ran down, but Sivera remained largely untroubled and the locals made their feelings abundantly clear on the whistle.

Barca returned with much greater purpose and Joao Cancelo fired into Sivera’s midriff within three minutes, and they were back in it with 53 minutes gone when Lewandowski got ahead of defender Rafa Marin to power home a header from Kounde’s right-wing cross.

The visitors found themselves pinned back deep inside their own half, but almost profited from another Kounde error when he headed Ruben Duarte’s free-kick straight at Abdelkabir Abqar, although the defender was unable to convert.

Lamine Yamal tested Sivera with a swerving attempt, but the Catalans finally edged in front with 12 minutes remaining when, after Abqar had tripped substitute Ferran Torres in the box, Lewandowski emphatically dispatched the resulting spot-kick.

Steve Cooper felt Nottingham Forest threw away the chance of a rare away win after going down 3-2 at West Ham.

Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest into the lead after Lucas Paqueta fired the Hammers ahead in the third minute.

But late headers from Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek, both from James Ward-Prowse corners, condemned the visitors to another defeat.

“I think if we’d drawn 2-2, I’d have been disappointed,” Forest boss Cooper said.

“I can’t look past the goals we’ve given away. We gifted them a goal at the start, worked our way back into it and then to concede a corner after five seconds from kick-off and defend like we did is frustrating.

“The third goal is from our throw-in, it’s a corner again and we didn’t do our jobs. Whether the ball coming in is brilliant or average, you’ve got the stay with your man.”

Forest have won just two matches on the road since they were promoted in 2022.

“We know we are doing a lot better things away from home but we’ve just thrown a result a way, and to lose it like we did, it was our own fault, I can’t look past that,” Cooper added.

“There was a real opportunity to come here to win and we were doing that. Today was a different away performance and loss.

“This is one we are going ‘We’ve just thrown it away’. This could have been a much more comfortable day and we’ve only got ourselves to blame.”

Ward-Prowse has now contributed nine assists in all competitions since joining West Ham from Southampton, yet an England call-up still eludes him.

“I’m quite pleased that he’ll get a rest this week, with the amount of games we’ve had,” Hammers boss David Moyes said with a smile.

“Let’s be fair, he is world class at his deliveries, and if I was him I’d be disappointed the other boys haven’t scored more from his deliveries.”

The Hammers won a topsy-turvy match to register their first Premier League victory since September.

“Yeah, I needed that. But so do all the clubs,” Moyes added.

“I was thrilled with the opening minutes, and with the end few minutes. But our play was too slow in the first half and we lost a goal before half-time as well.

“In the second half, after we went behind we played really well to get ourselves back in the game and to win it was tremendous. “

Matilda Picotte will stay in training next season with the ambition of blitzing her way to Group One glory.

Kieran Cotter’s three-year-old has become popular due to her free-going style of racing and is regularly seen blazing a trail on the front-end in races with a target on her back.

Those front-running tactics may not have paid off early on in her Classic season, which saw her pinned late in Leopardstown’s Priory Belle before finishing an honourable third in the 1000 Guineas.

But they came to the fore in her final two outings, as Matilda Picotte made all for Sceptre Stakes glory at Doncaster before following up in real style in Newmarket’s Challenge Stakes.

Her owners have now made the decision to hold on to the daughter of Sioux Nation and she will return to training with Cotter in search of further riches as a four-year-old.

“She is definitely coming back and that’s the plan,” said Cotter.

“Her flamboyant style of running appeals to plenty of people and there is no doubt she will be crossing the pond to England again next year, she’s done very well over there.

“There’s a lot of options open to her, but I would say she will be travelling a fair bit next year.

“It’s very hard to hold on to a horse like her, especially when you are not one of the bigger yards, it can be hard to retain them.

“We’ve been very lucky and she’s taken us to places you could not have dreamed of going before. So we’re going to roll the dice some more.”

The pick of Matilda Picotte’s form, including her two end-of-season triumphs, has come at seven furlongs and her 2024 campaign is poised to be centred around a tilt at the Prix de la Foret, Europe’s only Group One at that distance.

However, with seven-furlong options at the highest level few and far between, Cotter has also suggested she would be capable of dropping back in distance if needed.

“It’s a hard call and she definitely has the pace for it,” added Cotter, when asked if sprinting was an option.

“There are not too many races over seven for her and I think she will probably have to have a go at it.

“I suppose the primary objective for her next year is to get a Group One for her and I think that will be top of the list.

“The Group One over seven in France, the Foret, would probably be the target, but I would imagine she would also step down to six furlongs as well, now that she is older and stronger. She’s already put on another 20 kilos and we’re very hopeful.”

Celtic put their mauling in Madrid behind them with a symmetrical 6-0 win over abject Aberdeen in their cinch Premiership battle at Parkhead.

The Hoops had been crushed 6-0 by Atletico Madrid in their Champions League group stage game in Spain on Tuesday night after going down to 10 men, while the Dons exited the Europa Conference League on Thursday despite an impressive 2-2 draw with PAOK in Greece.

Back in the safer environs of the cinch Premiership, South Korean forward Yang Hyun-jun scored his first Celtic goal in the ninth minute before Japan striker Kyogo Furuhashi added a second seven minutes later in an utterly dominant first half.

Winger Luis Palma scored from the spot in the 77th minute and substitutes David Turnbull and Oh Hyeon-gyu, twice, notched in 10 minutes of added time to complete a comprehensive win for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Rangers had won 2-0 at Livingston earlier in the day to put some pressure on Celtic but a one-sided victory restored their eight-point lead over their Old Firm rivals going into the international break, albeit the Light Blues have a game in hand.

Unsurprisingly, both sides made changes following their European exploits.

Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm came in for Paulo Bernardo to make his first league start while 21-year-old Yang replaced Daizen Maeda, injured in the challenge that led to his red card against Atletico Madrid.

Bojan Miovski, Jonny Hayes, Leighton Clarkson and Dante Polvara returned for the visitors.

The minute’s silence to mark Armistice Day was disrupted by some inside the stadium, which was missing several hundred registered Green Brigade members who remain suspended from Celtic Park for “unacceptable behaviours”.

The Granite City men were immediately under the cosh and in the fourth minute keeper Kelle Roos made a fantastic save from Furuhashi’s powerful drive and midfielder Matt O’Riley somehow bounced the rebound over the bar from five yards.

Roos was soon beaten, however, when he missed a Palma cross from the left and Yang, who signed from Gangwon FC in the summer, gleefully headed in from close range.

Aberdeen slumped further behind when Yang’s clever reverse pass found O’Riley and his cut-back was slid in at the near post by Furuhashi for his ninth goal of the campaign.

The visitors were struggling to cope but they had a great chance in the 22nd minute when Polvara sent Hayes racing clear but the former Celtic player slashed his shot wide of the target.

Furuhashi sclaffed another chance at the other end and Roos tipped terrific efforts from Holm and then Palma over the bar, as Celtic continued to boss possession.

A robust challenge by Dons defender Slobodan Rubezic on Furuhashi early in the second half saw both players require treatment for head knocks, the former picking up a yellow card from referee Willie Collum.

Furuhashi, however, had to be replaced by Oh, while Holm made way for Turnbull, before a Miovski flick from a Nicky Devlin cross had Celtic keeper Joe Hart making his first save.

Yang took a cut on the face in a challenge by Jack MacKenzie which would soon see him replaced by James Forrest before Celtic were awarded a penalty.

Referee Willie Collum was asked by the VAR to have a look at his pitchside monitor after MacKenzie had wiped out Oh inside the box.

When Collum pointed to the spot, Palma took a slow approach before hammering his spot-kick past Roos.

Turnbull drove in off the post in the second minute of added time and Oh added a fifth with a header from a Palma cross, before running through to drive in a sixth from an O’Riley pass.

Wins for Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart ensured Great Britain avoided Billie Jean King Cup embarrassment against Sweden at London’s Copper Box.

Dart replaced Jodie Burrage following her nightmare debut in the competition on Saturday and the 27-year-old claimed the decisive point in a 3-1 victory that keeps Anne Keothavong’s side at the elite level of the competition.

Given Sweden were without their top two players and did not have anyone ranked inside 350 to call on, defeat – particularly on home soil – was unthinkable.

Ultimately they recovered well from Burrage’s collapse against Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, with Boulter overcoming some difficult moments in a 6-1 7-6 (5) win over the same player for her second win of the weekend before Dart defeated Caijsa Hennemann 7-5 6-2.

It was no surprise to see Keothavong opt for the greater experience of Dart ahead of Burrage, who will hope that she is given another chance to prove herself in 2024.

Boulter has established herself as the clear British number one this season and it was appropriate she ended her year by playing the leading role for her country at the same venue where in 2019 she suffered a serious back injury that badly stalled her progress.

It was not until earlier this season that she finally returned to the top 100, and this time she has built on the breakthrough while avoiding injury, currently sitting at 58 in the rankings.

“It’s been a whirlwind for many different reasons,” the 27-year-old said. “I think the work I’ve put in the last 10 years has really started to show.

“You never know when you’re going to get your little break. I finally got one this year and I felt like I used that momentum continuing from the grass-court season into the hard-court swing as well and I think that’s the part I’m most proud of.

“I sit here and I can say I love the grass and I love playing in England and I love the British crowd but it’s the other tournaments around the rest of the year that make the difference and that’s what’s going to keep my ranking at the highest point.

“I’ve really stepped it up this year in consistency. I know it’s an uphill battle next year and I’m excited for it, it’s a challenge and it’s somewhere I haven’t been before.”

Boulter did not have things all her own way against Persson, who again played well above her ranking of 372.

The Swede had four chances to send the contest to a decider when she served for the second set at 5-3, but Boulter saved them all and finished the tie-break strongly.

Dart was the star of last year’s run to the semi-finals of the competition in Glasgow but she has endured a difficult season, dropping outside the top 100.

She will remember her win over Hennemann more for the significance than the performance, but she was solid in seeing off the world number 532 and looked emotional as she celebrated with her team-mates.

The triumph means Britain move forward to April’s qualifiers, where victory would see them reach the finals week by right for the first time.

Grangeclare West and Mahon’s Way showed their class to provide owners Cheveley Park Stud with a notable double at Naas.

Trained by Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead respectively, the pair of point-to-point graduates were expensive purchases at £430,000 and £360,000.

Grangeclare West impressed when winning his bumper and a maiden hurdle, but disappointed in successive Grade One events earlier this year before rounding off his season on a high in lesser company at Punchestown in the spring.

The seven-year-old was a 7-4 shot for his reappearance and debut over regulation fences in the Mongey Communications Beginners Chase and jumped well under Paul Townend on his way to a near three-length victory over Heart Wood, with 11-10 favourite Corbetts Cross back in third.

“He looks to be born to jump fences, he loved it,” said the champion jockey.

“He had a blow but his jumping was getting him a long way. The two fences being taken out in the straight didn’t help but his class got him through.

“He’s always promised and I’d say with chasing he could fulfil his promise.”

Mullins also landed the bumper with the Jody Townend-ridden Fleur Au Fusil (100-30).

Mahon’s Way (3-1) had earlier dominated his rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle, with Rachael Blackmore doing the steering as he pulled five and a half lengths clear.

“He’s a lovely horse and Alex Elliott bought him last year after he won his point-to-point. He came highly recommended and does everything well,” said De Bromhead.

“He went through that ground but I’d say he’d have a preference for nicer. It’s tough work out there and you would think he will get further.”

De Bromhead and Blackmore also teamed up to land the Cavan Developments Home Builders Supporting St Marys GAA Maiden Hurdle with the similarly impressive Slade Steel, who proved much too strong for the 8-11 favourite King Of Kingsfield.

The trainer added: “He was a nice bumper horse last year, we didn’t run him too much and it is nice to see him come out and do that.

“He really stayed at it. He won his point-to-point and I’d say he’s adaptable, he has a bit of pace as well.

“He has an entry in the Royal Bond and we’ll find a novice for him somewhere.”

High-class Flat performer Smooth Tom (10-1) made it two from two over obstacles in the BetVictor Fishery Lane Novice Hurdle in the hands of 5lb claimer Philip Donovan.

Willie Slattery, brother and assistant to trainer Andrew, said: “He’s a 90-rated horse on the Flat and I was surprised how big a price he was. He handles soft ground but you would always be a bit worried about a Flat horse on winter ground.

“Andy was talking about giving him a rest and if he runs again it will probably be Leopardstown at Christmas. He’s going to have to step up again.”

Chosen Diamond was a 7-1 winner of the Overlander Horseboxes Novice Handicap Chase, while the €40,000 Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle went to 20-1 chance Espanito Bello for owner-trainer Barry Connell, who said: “They went a mad pace in front which suited him and he jumped super.

“I might look at the Proudstown, it’s a €100,000 handicap hurdle and he should be still competitive.

“That’s his fifth win here and they might make a statue of him now!”

Mohamed Salah continued his remarkable Anfield scoring record with two goals in Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Brentford to bring up his 200th in English football.

Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has scored more in the Premier League this season than the Egypt international, who took his tally to 10 by scoring for the sixth successive home game to write another entry in club’s history books.

Intriguingly, the pair will meet in a mouthwatering first-versus-second encounter at the Etihad Stadium immediately after the international break in what will be a true test of Liverpool’s title credentials.

After a complete midfield rebuild over the summer following a fifth-place finish, the primary aim was to regain their Champions League status, but after eight wins in their opening 12 matches – and a 100 percent record at home in every competition – a different complexion has developed as they have emerged as City’s chief chasers again.

After taking 39 minutes to break down a stubborn Brentford, Salah’s double either side of half-time was added to by Diogo Jota’s late strike to put a quick end to questions over a mini-stumble after the draw at Luton and Europa League defeat in Toulouse.

In becoming the first Liverpool player to score in each of their first six home matches, Salah joined Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry in having scored or assisted in 15 consecutive Premier League home games.

And, while he claimed the plaudits once again, in many ways the architect of the victory was Darwin Nunez, whose rapid development this season continues to impress.

The Uruguay international, criticised for his wayward shooting last weekend, had two goals disallowed for offside – one only very marginally by VAR – and provided yet another assist for Salah.

His total of nine assists in his Liverpool career have all been for the Egypt international and in the Premier League it is only the third time two players have combined for an individual’s first seven in a campaign – Kevin Campbell for Ian Wright (first 10) and Troy Deeney for Odion Ighalo (seven) the others.

His all-round play has improved immeasurably from last season’s erratic performances and, while still prone to the odd aberration, he is gradually morphing into the all-action number nine the team needs.

After an early deflected cross was saved at the near post by goalkeeper Mark Flekken, Nunez poked home in the 22nd minute after Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot was deflected into his path.

It was not the first time he would have a goal ruled out for offside, although it was the most marginal.

When he buried an overhead kick after Flekken had parried Virgil van Dijk’s header it was apparent he had returned from an offside position.

Brentford had been limited to counter-attacks but almost snatched a goal when Bryan Mbeumo outpaced Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Alisson Becker got a crucial touch on the shot and Liverpool’s right-back got back to collect.

The defender was equally effective at the other end in the 39th minute when he picked out Nunez on the edge of the area and he laid off for Salah to tuck a left-footed shot inside the far post for a goal of brilliant simplicity.

A Nunez piledriver, a Salah volley over from Alexander-Arnold’s delicious chipped diagonal pass over the Brentford defence and a perfectly-judged Nathan Collins’ recovery tackle to deny the Uruguay striker a one-on-one with the keeper saw the half end on a high for the hosts.

Eighteen minutes into the second half Liverpool benefited from VAR as it ruled Kostas Tsimikas’ cross to the far post had remained in play as there was real doubt cast by Salah’s muted celebrations after heading in.

Jota capped a dominant performance with the third in the 74th minute, cutting in from the left to fire home from the edge of the area.

Late on Alexander-Arnold hooked away Collins’ goalbound header and Alisson tipped over Ethan Pinnock’s effort from the resulting corner to keep Liverpool ahead of Arsenal on goal difference and add yet more significance to the trip to the Etihad.

Aston Villa registered their 13th Premier League home win on the bounce as Unai Emery’s men beat Fulham 3-1.

Villa were two goals up at the break following an Antonee Robinson own-goal and a strike from skipper John McGinn.

Fulham came close early in the second half when Emiliano Martinez tipped a Raul Jimenez shot against a post before Ollie Watkins added a third for the hosts with a 64th-minute finish.

Jimenez pulled a goal back for the visitors, but Villa were not to be denied as they equalled the post-war club record for successive top-flight home victories, matching the 13 in a row achieved in 1983.

Emery’s side have scored at least three times in each of their Villa Park wins this season, with the total being 23 goals for the midlands outfit across the six games.

It was also a return to winning ways in the league after last Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, since when they had defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-1 at home in the Europa Conference League.

While fifth-placed Villa are a point outside the top four, Marco Silva’s Fulham are 16th after their winless run in the league extended to a fourth game.

The home side made a lively start to the contest and after Moussa Diaby had a sixth-minute effort saved by Bernd Leno, another Villa attack moments later saw Watkins’ shot come off Timothy Castagne and referee Simon Hooper award a penalty.

However, VAR intervened and with Hooper having surveyed footage pitchside, the handball decision was overturned.

Martinez was then called into action to keep out an Andreas Pereira strike, although the flag was up for offside, before Emery’s men pushed forward again and took the lead in the 27th minute.

Youri Tielemans, making his first league start for Villa, curled a delivery from the left towards Diaby and the ball went off Robinson into the net – the defender’s second own-goal of the season, having also scored one in Fulham’s win against Sheffield United last month.

As Villa sought a second, Matty Cash was denied by Leno, and the advantage was doubled in the 42nd minute as McGinn collected the ball from a Robinson header, took a touch to move away from Joao Palhinha and fired in from just outside the box.

Fulham started well after the interval and almost reduced the deficit three minutes in when a Martinez touch diverted Jimenez’s strike against a post, with Willian shooting over on the follow-up.

There was also a shot just wide of the near post from Willian, but soon after Villa made it 3-0 as Leon Bailey, just off the bench, crossed and Watkins sidefooted in his 11th club goal of the season in all competitions.

Jimenez produced a similar finish, teed up by Robinson in the 70th minute, to open his Fulham account – his first Premier League goal since March 2022.

Substitute Carlos Vinicius thought he had scored another for Fulham in the 81st minute when he went around Martinez and slotted in, but he was flagged offside, before the ball hit the Fulham bar off Palhinha and Watkins headed the loose ball wide when looking certain to score – a surprising miss that mattered little come the final whistle.

Adam Webster’s own goal condemned Roberto De Zerbi to his worst league run with Brighton as Sheffield United escaped the bottom of the table with a 1-1 draw against 10-man Albion.

Simon Adingra had put the Seagulls ahead with a brilliant solo run but Mahmoud Dahoud’s red card saw momentum shift before Webster slid into his own goal.

Brighton, who beat European giants Ajax on Thursday, are now winless in the Premier League in six matches, the longest boss De Zerbi has gone without a victory since arriving on the south coast last year.

The Blades almost took an unlikely second-minute lead when Gustavo Hamer intercepted Jan Paul van Hecke’s pass across his own box but his header travelled narrowly wide.

Four minutes later, Dahoud’s through ball released Ansu Fati who excitingly beat two defenders but his shot lacked power and was easily stopped by Wes Foderingham.

The warning was not heeded as two minutes later Adingra picked up the ball 35 yards from goal on the left touchline. He shrugged off two tackles and played a one-two with Facundo Buonanotte before slotting past Foderingham.

It was the Ivorian’s fourth goal of the season and the 28th straight league game the Seagulls have scored – the Blades winless in the last 20 Premier League matches they had shipped first.

Brighton manager De Zerbi, who had given a call to action to supporters before the match, celebrated by jumping into the crowd in delight.

Fati – making his first league start since arriving on loan from Barcelona – again found a gap down the middle to expose but his toe-poke was simple for Foderingham to deal with, before Buonanotte and Billy Gilmour went close.

United showed a threat at the end of the first half but George Baldock’s lashed shot was the closest they came to scoring.

Joao Pedro shot over almost immediately after coming on at the break, Van Hecke nodded a corner into the ground and over, Kaoru Mitoma’s raid to the byline saw his near-post shot blocked and Dahoud’s effort from range was battered behind.

But in the 69th minute, the character of the game changed when Dahoud was dismissed for stamping on Ben Osborn’s Achilles. Referee John Brooks has now given four red cards this season, more than any of his colleague – not that there was any controversy with this decision.

Four minutes later and United were level. Jayden Bogle smashed a ball across the face of goal and Webster put through his own goal, with Cameron Archer waiting behind for a tap-in.

All of Brighton’s last 16 matches have seen both teams scoring – equalling Everton’s Premier League record – with the 12 since the start of the campaign last achieved in the top flight by Liverpool in the 1966-67 season.

Bogle dragged an effort narrowly wide and Luke Thomas blazed over but the Blades could not find a second late winner in a row to follow their stoppage-time success against Wolves.

Tomas Soucek’s persistence paid off as his late header secured a 3-2 win for West Ham against Nottingham Forest.

In the closing stages, the Czech midfielder hit the crossbar and had a header miraculously saved by Forest keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

But Soucek made it third time lucky when he nodded home James Ward-Prowse’s corner to finally see off the visitors.

Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest into the lead after Lucas Paqueta fired the Hammers ahead in the third minute.

But Jarrod Bowen’s eighth Premier League goal of the season hauled West Ham level before Soucek’s late heroics.

Paqueta struck after Nicolas Dominguez’s stray pass across the pitch cannoned off Ibrahim Sangare’s backside.

The Brazilian still had plenty to do but his low, accurate finish from the edge of the area comfortably beat the dive of Vlachodimos.

Forest were denied an equaliser by a stunning save from Alphonse Areola, who got a powerful hand on a point-blank header from Awoniyi.

Moments later Mohammed Kudus led a counter-attack and squared the ball for Paqueta, only this time his control let him down and his tame shot was straight at Vlachodimos.

But Forest gradually regained their shape and set about frustrating West Ham, who seemed to rapidly run out of ideas.

The crowd began to get restless as sideways pass after sideways pass came to nothing.

Even Forest got bored of it eventually, and they hauled themselves level on the stroke of half-time when Sangare won the ball in a congested midfield.

Sangare, with probably the first forward pass of the match from either side, played Morgan Gibbs-White through on goal.

Gibbs-White’s angled drive was kept out by Areola but Awoniyi was on hand to tap the rebound into and empty net.

West Ham came out with more impetus after the break and Kudus had a shot deflected over before Emerson Palmieri fired narrowly wide.

Forest should have gone ahead when Awoniyi played a one-two with Elanga only to slice his shot way off target.

Instead they got their noses in front just after the hour when Elanga tucked in a low cross from Ola Aina.

But West Ham hit back immediately, Bowen meeting Ward-Prowse’s corner with a powerful header past Vlachodimos.

Then Soucek took centre stage, first lifting the ball over Vlachodimos only to see it come back off the crossbar before the Greek keeper somehow tipped his downward header over the top.

But Soucek struck with two minutes remaining, leaping over team-mate Bowen to meet another Ward-Prowse corner at the far post to seal West Ham’s first Premier League win since September.

Nicky Henderson further strengthened his hand in the novice hurdling division as Southoftheborder made a successful reappearance at Sandown.

The Seven Barrows handler has unleashed a number of exciting prospects already this month, with Willmount in particular making a big impression at Newbury on Thursday.

Southoftheborder was bought for £145,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point last year and looked the part on his bumper debut at Ffos Las in March.

The five-year-old was a prohibitively priced favourite for his return in the Tattersalls Tingle Creek Festival Sale Maiden Hurdle and was not hard pressed to score by two and a half lengths in the hands of Nico de Boinville.

The winner may return to Sandown for the Listed Betfair Claremont Novices’ Hurdle on December 9.

Henderson said: “We got him here last year at the sale at the Tingle Creek meeting following a recommendation from Derek O’Connor.

“He will be a proper horse as we have only taken half the wraps off him yet.

“I looked at it last night and I thought there looked like some decent opposition in there.

“You wouldn’t want to overdo this fellow, as he is big and you could wind him up too much. It is a case of going gently with him. Nico (de Boinville) said he was lovely and that he could run around again.

“I should think that (Listed race at the Tingle Creek meeting) is the sort of thing that we could look at and we could look at what was the Kennel Gate at Ascot for Willmount.”

Gary Moore’s Le Patron (11-2) made it two from two over fences with a bold front-running display of jumping in the Sri Lanka – The Wonder Of Asia Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, with the trainer’s son Jamie steering him to a 10-length success.

“He got it all his own way out in front, but I’ll be quite honest, I’m amazed he won as easily as he did as he won a bad race at Fontwell and the runner-up has since been beaten in a 0-100,” said Gary Moore.

“His greatest asset is his jumping and what a place to bring a horse that jumps like he does. He never got out of second gear really.

“It has exceeded my expectations what he has done. There are some nice races you can come back here for – you could look at the Scilly Isles in February – and there is no better place to come for me.”

Philippe Clement praised Rangers for the way they dealt with a “tricky” trip to Livingston as he called on the Scottish football authorities to consider implementing Sunday evening kick-off times for teams playing in Europe on a Thursday.

The Rangers boss watched his team run out comfortable 2-0 winners at the Tony Macaroni Arena less than 72 hours after an energy-sapping 2-1 victory over Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibernian and the Ibrox side have all had to contend with playing domestic matches on Sunday afternoons after Thursday night European fixtures this term, and Clement feels Scotland should follow the lead of other leagues by allowing teams more recovery time in such situations.

“I think it’s better for Scottish football to do it that way,” said the Belgian. “They do it in Belgium and in other leagues.

“People who have never played may think, ‘what is the difference between six hours or eight hours more?’ but it’s a big difference in the recovery of a body, these hours of sleep and recovery because it’s a really short time for players to recover.

“We play every three days, we will have a schedule of 12 games in about 38 days (after the international break) so recovery is an important part of it. The food, the drink, the cryo, when to sleep.

“It’s important I think in every league that teams that play in Europe on Thursday evening play on the Sunday evening. In a lot of leagues, that’s done so it’s maybe something we can see in the future.”

Clement made four changes for the Livingston game and admitted his team selection was influenced by the gruelling impact of the Sparta match.

“Yes, because for example, Danilo did 1,300 metres of high-intensity runs on Thursday so if I let him start today I take a risk, for example,” he said. “Of course, I looked at that.”

The win at Livingston came courtesy of a first-half goal from Cyriel Dessers and a second-half penalty from James Tavernier, who had missed an earlier spot-kick. Rangers also had first-half goals from Connor Goldson and Ross McCausland – on his first start – ruled out following VAR reviews.

“It was a tricky game, with the circumstances with the (plastic) pitch which is not an advantage for us with the football we want to play,” said Clement.

“Also kick-off at 12 o’clock after a European night. Also having European success and then playing domestically, it’s sometimes dangerous in the heads of the players.

“So the team showed a really good mentality and the right spirit to play a very mature game because we didn’t give away anything and we deserved to win, clearly.

“Also when you miss a penalty and a goal is disallowed, sometimes you get in dangerous games for losing points because the circumstances are not on your side. At the end, it’s a very positive afternoon.”

Livingston go into the international break after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat. Manager David Martindale – who rued a “disappointing” first-half performance – is unfazed by their current predicament.

“This is not an abnormal situation for us,” he said. “Yes, we are bottom of the league on goal difference, but we have gone on spells where we’ve not won a game in five in most seasons.

“We just need to get back on track. I am not big on stats or data, it’s about one game at a time and what we can control. Hopefully that will lead to performances, which leads to results.”