Three things we learnt from Southampton’s victory over a woeful West Ham

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Charlie Austin is on fire

With his fifth goal in four games, Charlie Austin has proven himself to be back to the form of his QPR heyday after a slow start to life with Southampton. Having struggled to get into the team, Graziano Pelle’s departure has reduced the competition and with Shane Long failing to step up in the early weeks of the season, Austin has now proved himself to be the best candidate.

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Austin’s cool finish after a cutback from Ryan Bertrand gave his side the lead as he showed a poacher’s instinct to drop off and find space for himself in the box with West Ham’s defence sleeping and allowing him to get his shot off and past Adrian into the net. Having made the difference last weekend against Crystal Palace, he did so again today from the start.

Substituted in the 74th minute, Austin proved the difference between the two sides in the first half and will hope to have done enough to retain a starting spot. It seems unlikely that the irony of West Ham pulling out of a deal for Austin would be lost on the former Swindon striker, who David Sullivan claimed “he has no knee ligaments”, as the Hammers struggled for any kind of attacking threat of their own.