Carroll sends Hammers third

[sake]

A review of Sunday's action in the Barclays Premier League, as Andy Carroll's double sends West Ham third in the table.


Two-goal Andy Carroll helped West Ham climb to third in the Barclays Premier League with a 3-1 victory over 10-man Swansea at Upton Park.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce put his neck on the line leading into the game after revealing he opted to sign Carroll rather than Wilfried Bony in the summer of 2013, insisting his decision would be vindicated in time.

Bony has since lit up the league and is in a rich vein of form, while Carroll has struggled for both fitness and form since his club-record move to east London.

It looked as though Allardyce's comments would backfire on him and his player when Bony put the Swans in front, but Carroll's brace - plus a third from returning substitute Diafra Sakho - sealed a come-from-behind victory to leave just Chelsea and Manchester City above the Hammers.

Swansea ended the match a man down, with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski dismissed for attempting to impede Sakho as he bore down on goal.