What is going on with former Saint Ward-Prowse at West Ham?

They hailed the set-piece specialist, who has scored five goals and laid on 11 assists in 40 appearances for his new side.

He put West Ham ahead via open play against Brighton and Man City and crossed for a last-minute winner against Nottingham Forest. 

English fans knew all about his reliability from set-pieces and David Moyes - with the threats in the Hammers box - has put it to better use. 

James Ward-Prowse takes a free-kick for West Ham at Old Trafford (Image: PA)

The Hammers are seventh in the Premier League and in contention to secure UEFA competition for a fourth successive season. 

Ward-Prowse departed Saints last summer after 20 years at the club to play Premier League and European football. 

The midfielder also knew performing each week in the top division was his only route back into Gareth Southgate's England squad. 

“England is always in the back of my mind,” he said this month. “I’ve been in and out over the last few years.

"The only thing that’s going to get me in there is playing regularly to a very high level. I’ll keep working hard and hopefully, that call will come.”

Gareth Southgate announced his latest England squad on Thursday (Image: PA)

Ward-Prowse was also one direct free-kick goal away from equalling the record of his icon and football legend David Beckham.  

However, Ward-Prowse has not added to his 17 set-piece strikes from 10 attempts so far this season. 

He has not been selected for Southgate's Three Lions for the final squad ahead of the European Championships in the summer.

Moyes admitted: "I think he’ll always be thought about by Southgate but he's got so many quality players to choose from." 

And he might now face a fight to get back into West Ham's starting XI after sitting out of their last two following a half-time hooking. 

David Moyes has opted to bench Ward-Prowse in the last two (Image: PA)

Ward-Prowse played every minute of an eight-match winless run that also saw the Hammers knocked out of the FA Cup by Bristol City.

On March 7, Ward-Prowse struggled in West Ham's 1-0 defeat to Freiburg in the Europa League round of 16 first leg.

Four days later, he was hooked at half-time with the Hammers 2-0 down to Burnley - having been deployed on the left wing by Moyes. 

In the next two, in which West Ham smashed Freiburg 5-0 and drew 1-1 with Aston Villa, Ward-Prowse started on the bench. 

Lucas Paqueta, Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek provide Moyes with a settled midfield three without the former Saint.

Ward-Prowse did have a winner against Villa cleared off the line by Matty Cash in the dying embers of Sunday's draw. 

West Ham had a winning goal ruled out after Ward-Prowse's shot was cleared off the line (Image: PA)

West Ham are set to face shock Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen - with Nathan Tella in their ranks - in the Europa League quarter-finals.

This is already Ward-Prowse's first taste of knockout European football but he will not want to watch on from the sidelines. 

“As a player you want to play in the best competitions,” Ward-Prowse said. 

“For me, it’s good to get to this stage but as a club we’re aiming higher and hopefully we can keep going on this run.

“I’ve really enjoyed the start of my career here. I think the momentum of the Europa Conference League win helped and it’s been an honour."