Andy Carroll’s elation was unbridled. It all came tumbling out that moment when he knew his second battering ram of a header careered into the net. He ran like a man possessed all the way back to the halfway line, where Sam Allardyce was pumping his fist and wore a look of pure satisfaction.

West Ham won this battle of the surprise packages, and needed the character to come from a goal behind to do so. If their renaissance this season feels like it is owes so much to being liberated in attack, now Allardyce has the luxury of some fascinating choices at his disposal. Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia give him tantalising options.