In the next instalment of our 2023/24 Season Review, we revisit a fixture-packed November programme, which yielded a string of impressive displays at home and abroad...
The new month started in scintillating fashion, as a magical second-half showing saw West Ham United secure their place in the EFL Cup last eight with a 3-1 win over fellow Premier League side Arsenal.
Having taken the lead in the first 45 courtesy of Ben White’s own-goal – headed in from Jarrod Bowen’s corner – the Hammers struck again five minutes after the interval through a sensational strike from Mohammed Kudus.
Bowen added the third for the Irons on the hour mark, powering in an unstoppable torpedo for his seventh goal of the season in all competitions.
Substitute Martin Ødegaard notched a consolation for the Gunners with virtually the last kick of the game at London Stadium, however, in front of a crowd of 62,154 - a League Cup record for West Ham United - David Moyes’ charges confirmed a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition for a second time in three seasons.
A 3-2 defeat to Brentford next time out in the Premier League proved a disappointment, but Moyes' side bounced back in style with a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with four of those fixtures coming in November.
Lucas Paquetá's solitary strike against Olympiacos at London Stadium moved the Hammers one step closer to the UEFA Europa League knockout stages, before enthralling comeback wins at home to Nottingham Forest and away at Burnley continued that fine run of form.
Souček grabbed the winner against Forest to end a run of three top-flight defeats, after Paquetá and Bowen had struck earlier in what ultimately ended in 3-2 victory.
And it was déjà vu in Lancashire two weeks later as the Czech Republic captain smashed home a fantastic volley to help earn all three points in the dying embers, following a late Dara O'Shea own-goal that sparked a dramatic 2-1 win.
At the TSC Arena, in our final outing of November, it was that man Souček who struck right at the death for the third consecutive game to give the Irons a vital 1-0 victory over FK TSC Bačka Topola, that confirmed the team's progression from the Europa League group stage.
