Raul Jimenez grabbed a late winner as Fulham recorded their third successive Premier League victory and extended relegation-threatened West Ham's winless run to seven games.

In a match of few clear-cut chances, Jimenez, who scored the only goal in the 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Monday, headed into the net from Harry Wilson's cross after Ollie Scarles had missed a chance to clear.

The result deepens the Hammers' relegation fears and they will be wondering how they left empty handed when they had chances to win in a game they would have targeted for three points.

England winger Jarrod Bowen saw one attempt saved by Bernd Leno and flicked another effort just wide from inside the six-yard box.

Substitute Callum Wilson also fired narrowly off target from two opportunities as the Hammers could not find the breakthrough.

Just when the game looked to be heading towards a goalless draw Scarles, who was in tears at the final whistle, failed to connect with an attempted clearance, enabling Wilson to cross for Jimenez to score his fourth league goal of the season.

The result leaves the Hammers 18th in the Premier League table, five points adrift of safety with a home game against Brighton and then a trip to bottom-placed Wolves to come.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC Match of the Day, said: "We have been punished by a mistake and we lose the game. Everybody cares, it's not about that but about the situation we are in.

"Everything bad happens to us. You can argue about the justice of the result, but the reality is we lost after an equal first half and in the second half we created situations we should have scored from.

"We have to react, the good part is we play another game in two days time. It's another chance to give back to our fans."

Earlier on Saturday, 17th-placed Nottingham Forest were beaten 2-1 at home by Manchester City, to give the Hammers the chance to close the gap.

But the east Londoners, without a win since a 3-2 success over Burnley on 8 November, could not take advantage on another miserable day at London Stadium.

As well as the club struggling on the pitch, there have been frequent protests throughout the season from the Hammers fans, angry at the club's direction under chairman David Sullivan and vice chair Baroness Brady.

In the 15th minute, to signify the 15 years they have been at the club, numerous fans held up red cards aimed at the pair, while chants of "sack the board" were also heard.

Part of the supporters' anger is over the club's business in the transfer market, and this performance again highlighted both West Ham's lack of creativity and clinical finishing.

If the Hammers are to extend their 14-season spell in the top flight then Bowen, their top scorer with only five goals, will need to have a strong second half to the campaign.

He was at the heart of most of the hosts' chances and had a first-time effort pushed over by Leno, while he twice looked to be through on goal, only to be denied by tight offside calls.

But Bowen would have been disappointed with his finish when Soungoutou Magassa had created the chance, only for the Hammers skipper to not get a clean contact and send the ball wide of the post.

Bowen was again involved as he released Wilson, but he shot over, with those missed opportunities proving crucial as Fulham left with the win.

"We have to demand more from ourselves, demand more from each other," said Bowen. "The only thing I know is to stick at it and change your fortunes.

"It's easy to blame, easy to point fingers and ultimately it comes from inside to put it right yourself starting from me first and foremost and that starts now.

"It's a really good group and the main thing is we have to stick together as a team."

The Hammers have now only picked up 10 points from Nuno's 13 games in charge, with just Burnley and Wolves collecting fewer since he replaced the sacked Graham Potter at the end of September.

Fulham have now gained six victories in nine games to ease their own relegation fears, with this success taking them up to 10th.

They began the game well with Jimenez shooting over from 18 yards, before Wilson forced a superb save from Areola with the goalkeeper tipping a powerful 25-yard strike over the bar.

But, after a bright opening, the visitors were largely restricted to long-range efforts, although Joachim Andersen almost embarrassed Areola with a 35-yard strike, which the goalkeeper had to save with his legs.

Jimenez fired well over from one of their few chances in the second half and Marco Silva's side had to defend well to stay level.

But Jimenez gave the Hammers a warning of what was to come as he forced a save from Areola, before the Mexico striker became the match-winner for the second game in a row.

A draw may have been the fair result, but Silva was understandably delighted with his side's victory.

He said: "Great win, big three points for us. A third win in the Premier League in a row is not something that is easy to achieve. It was a tough game, we knew it was a very, very important one for them.

"In many moments we did manage the game very well and on the ball we knew how to create and punish them."

West Ham have another match at London Stadium on Tuesday (19:30 GMT) when they entertain Brighton before they play at bottom-of-the-table Wolves next Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Fulham take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in another London derby on Thursday (17:30 GMT) and then host reigning champions Liverpool on Sunday, 4 January (15:00 GMT).