David Moyes says West Ham have no choice but to “grind the results out” as fans again voiced their disapproval of the Scot’s management, despite Saturday’s vital win over Fulham.
Moyes went into the game under huge pressure after Wednesday night’s 5-1 thumping at home to Newcastle but saw his side deliver a much needed three points with a spirited defensive display.
The Hammers climbed to 13th in the table with only their second Premier League win of the season, a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage coming courtesy of Harrison Reed’s first-half own-goal.
Despite the scoreline, Moyes’s decision to withdraw striker Danny Ings on the hour-mark was met with chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” from the away end, while at full-time a ‘Moyes Out’ banner was held aloft in the crowd amid the celebrations of a crucial victory.
“They can do that if they choose to do so,” Moyes said. “I have to say the players’ response and the way they have gone about it after the mid-week result and pulled together to get a result today which they did do, magnificently led by Declan [Rice] and the players. I have to say that it was a really good strong performance.
“It is not just the second away win of the season but a second win in a week. Two clean sheets in a week. Two 1-0 victories in a week. In our position I knew we had to win some away games and we dogged it out today and found a way of getting a result.”
Moyes set his side up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Ings and Michail Antonio playing as a pair for the first time, and relied heavily on a superb performance from a much-changed back-four, with Angelo Ogbonna particularly impressive on his return to the side.
“We would like to play a more expansive game, that’s the plan,” Moyes added. “But when you are in this position in the league, which West Ham have been in several times, you understand there is a way you have to play to grind the results out. Today the decisions were made and they worked really well.”
