Sebastien Haller scored the only goal of the match as the Hammers picked up a much-needed three points.
However, Saints remain in the bottom three after Saturday’s results and face fellow strugglers Aston Villa in a crunch encounter next weekend.
West Ham had a goal correctly ruled out inside the first minute when an offside Declan Rice headed home from a free-kick.
However, the incident set the tone for the rest of the match which the Hammers dominated.
In the seventh minute Michail Antonio found Pablo Fornals, whose shot deflected just wide of goal.
Southampton failed to create a clear-cut opening in the first half and the visitors deservedly moved ahead in the 37th minute when Antonio, Robert Snodgrass and Fornals created the opening for Haller, whose miskicked effort beat Alex McCarthy via the post.
Saints were booed from the pitch at half time and the home team continued to struggle at the start of the second period.
Two minutes after the restart Fornals’ fierce shot was saved by McCarthy while Antonio thought he had doubled West Ham’s lead in the 52nd minute only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for handball.
When Southampton got forward, Moussa Djenepo’s long-range effort sailed over the bar before Danny Ings’ shot crashed against the bar.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side dropped deeper and deeper in the last few minutes but they held on to clinch three precious points that move them up to 15th in the table.
Southampton 0-1 West Ham - Match Highlights
Sebastien Haller scored the only goal of the match as the Hammers picked up a much-needed three points.
However, Saints remain in the bottom three after Saturday’s results and face fellow strugglers Aston Villa in a crunch encounter next weekend.
West Ham had a goal correctly ruled out inside the first minute when an offside Declan Rice headed home from a free-kick.
However, the incident set the tone for the rest of the match which the Hammers dominated.
In the seventh minute Michail Antonio found Pablo Fornals, whose shot deflected just wide of goal.
Southampton failed to create a clear-cut opening in the first half and the visitors deservedly moved ahead in the 37th minute when Antonio, Robert Snodgrass and Fornals created the opening for Haller, whose miskicked effort beat Alex McCarthy via the post.
Saints were booed from the pitch at half time and the home team continued to struggle at the start of the second period.
Two minutes after the restart Fornals’ fierce shot was saved by McCarthy while Antonio thought he had doubled West Ham’s lead in the 52nd minute only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for handball.
When Southampton got forward, Moussa Djenepo’s long-range effort sailed over the bar before Danny Ings’ shot crashed against the bar.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side dropped deeper and deeper in the last few minutes but they held on to clinch three precious points that move them up to 15th in the table.