Jarrod Bowen has admitted that replacing Michail Antonio as West Ham's starting striker is a difficult challenge but one he is keen to take on.
After the January transfer window closed with no new arrivals at the club, David Moyes revealed he was comfortable with using Bowen as a central striker if needed.
Antonio is the Hammers' only recognised senior striker but Moyes believes Bowen is more than capable of filling in for the Jamaican when required.
"We’ve also got Jarrod Bowen and it would be very difficult to get a better back-up to Micky Antonio than Jarrod," Moyes said after the transfer window closed.
Bowen is keen to live up to the manager's hype and repay the boss for his trust.
"It's nice [the manager's comments] and everything that I have done is down to the manager," Bowen said following his winner at Aggborough.
"He brought me in in the first place and has developed my game and he uses me as a striker which I have never fully done before but he trusts me and it's about me repaying him. It's all down to the gaffer for bringing me in and helping me develop."
Despite his desire to step up when the team needs him Bowen admitted it is a very different role to his regular spot on the right, a position he has said he prefers.
"It is definitely more difficult," Bowen added. "I'm not a target man but when you're the furthest player up the pitch in terms of holding the ball up and different movements, it is more difficult but the manager saw something in me and he feels he can play me there and all I can do is try and play as best as I can there."
Antonio's absence on Saturday was down to his international duty with Jamaica, much to the irritation of Moyes. However, the manager is expecting Antonio to be back in action on Tuesday evening with Bowen set to return to his wide right role when the Hammers take on Watford.
