WEST HAM ran out easy 3-0 winners of this end of season encounter with Southampton.

The game had the feel of two teams with nothing to play for, with both missing some key players. West Ham opened the scoring on the 16th minute, when an inch-perfect through ball from Mark Noble was finished with ease by Marko Arnautovic.

Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio then tested Southampton keeper Fraser Forster but he was equal to the challenge, pushing both shots aside.

After the interval, Southampton enjoyed a period of possession, without creating much by way of chances — the best being a shot from Nathan Redmond that was acrobatically pushed over by Lukasz Fabianski.

The second West Ham goal came when an Arthur Masuaka shot was pushed up in the air by Forster, presenting an ideal opportunity for Arnautovic to nod home.

The third came five minutes later, Ryan Fredericks ran through, receiving a back heel from Jack Wilshere, to then fire home his first Premier League goal.

Arnautovic was presented with a great chance by Lucas Perez for his hat-trick but whipped the ball just wide.

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini paid tribute to captain Mark Noble as a player “who always gives the maximum.”

The manager called on his team to continue their winning run, by continuing to show “concentration and intensity.”

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted the stresses and strains of recent months had caught up with his team. 

“We were not mentally and physically at our highest point at this moment,” he said.”We were a few steps too late always,” before admitting that a lot was needed over the summer months to make the team better.