Pablo Fornals' Growing Importance to West Ham Highlighted by Latest Assist in Southampton Win

West Ham earned a crucial victory at the weekend, triumphing over fellow relegation rivals Southampton in a well-earned 1-0 win at St Mary's.

A first half goal from Sebastien Haller was all that was needed to down the dire Saints and send the Hammers four points clear of the drop zone.

The French attacker's 37th minute volley was beautifully set up by teammate Pablo Fornals, whose lovely cushioned header enabled Haller to score a vital goal for West Ham.

The Spaniard nearly got his name on the scoresheet as well early in the second half, and is beginning to show the level of performance many fans expected from the Under-21 European Championship star.

In fact, courtesy of ​Opta, Fornals' latest assist was the midfielder's third in his last four ​Premier League matches - more than he had achieved in his previous 48 games in the top five European leagues.

Struggling to bed in to his new surroundings initially, Fornals often found himself sat on the bench, coming on to little avail, and a £23m price tag probably didn't help limit expectations either.

However, following a run of five straight starts, the 23-year-old has began to find his feet at ​West Ham, providing for his teammates in pivotal moments.

Despite two big 1-0 away wins against ​Chelsea and Southampton in recent weeks, West Ham still find themselves under immense pressure, with many thinking Manuel Pellegrini's days as manager are numbered.

But Fornals' recent upturn in form, along with that of Michail Antonio and Haller up front, could prove to be vital in the Irons' bid to avoid relegation this season.

Due to ​Liverpool's appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, West Ham now have an unexpected rest, playing next on Boxing Day against Crystal Palace.