Mark Noble has hailed West Ham’s “extra special” victory over Bournemouth at the London Stadium today, explaining the Hammers needed to grind out the result.
Advertisement
The right-back cum left-winger scored the first goal in the Premier League – and the goal that ultimately mattered – for West Ham at their new home, the London Stadium, where they have moved after 112 evocative years at Upton Park.
Cherries midfielder Harry Arter had been sent off just eight minutes before Antonio’s goal for two bookable offences.
In London, it was four years ago that the Olympic Stadium hosted the Games but on Sunday, as Rio prepared to bring the curtain down on the latest edition, there were again plenty of flags as West Ham sought to give their fans something to cheer.
He is set to talk about it with the club on Monday, but revealed Payet and Manuel Lanzini could be back for the return leg against Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League.
If West Ham are to fulfil Bilic’s prediction of an atmospheric first season in the London Stadium, they will need better luck with injuries than they are now experiencing. “It wasn’t a great game but we didn’t expect to play like we’d like to play with the players we have out”.
“Andre Ayew suffered a rare but very serious thigh injury at Chelsea, which will take time to recover from”, he told the club’s official website.
“I’m not paid to say I like the new stadium if I don’t like it, but I thought the atmosphere was brilliant”, Bilic said.
It proved to be the victor for Slaven Bilic’s side.
In stark contrast to the corresponding fixture last term – which finished 4-3 to Eddie Howe’s side – Sunday’s affair was a slow-burner, with the teams mustering just one shot on target between them in a first-half shorn of clear-cut chances.
“I felt we were the better team and much-improved second half”.
“If we didn’t win people would start asking questions, ‘Is it a proper home?'”, he said.
Advertisement
Sunderland then lost John O’Shea to injury, with Steven Pienaar coming on for his debut following his move from Everton on Friday, and in the 45th minute things got even worse for the home side. We know the rules, we are well drilled. But the first booking has to disappoint us.
