Former Premier League winner Martin Keown has heaped praise on West Ham United attacker Marko Arnautovic after his performance against Manchester United on Saturday.
The Austrian was superb in the Hammers’ 3-1 dissection of Jose Mourinho’s team, and the 6ft 3in [Source: Transfermarkt] forward’s performance impressed the former Arsenal man.
“Marko Arnautovic is central to everything West Ham do,” he wrote in the Mail. “He is the springboard from which West Ham launch attacks. His team-mates know that if they find Arnautovic, he will protect the ball with his life.
“Arnautovic is still selfish when he needs to be. He will beat a player with pace and trickery. He will finish in those vital moments. But his all-round game is much more complete. David Moyes deserves credit for demanding more from him last season. Manuel Pellegrini is now reaping the rewards,” he finished.
OPINION
It’s hard to find fault in what Keown is saying. He makes a salient point, though. It was Moyes who first switched Arnautovic from a listless wide man to a powerhouse of a centre forward. That tactical tweak was vital to West Ham staying up last season and it looks as if it will play a big part in any success they have this time around. The Austrian international was in phenomenal form again on Saturday as he never gave the United defenders a moment’s peace at the London Stadium. He deserved a goal for his performance and he got one in the second half after being played through by Captain Fantastic Mark Noble. After years spent honing his craft throughout Europe, the 29-year-old is finally starting to fulfil his potential. Moyes’s positional switch was the catalyst for that, and Pellegrini is now enjoying the fruit of his predecessor’s labour.
