Former West Ham United midfielder Don Hutchison named Hammers captain Mark Noble as his man of the match against Southampton on Saturday.
The 31-year-old was a central figure as Manuel Pellegrini’s side eased to a 3-0 victory over the Saints, and Hutchison was adamant that the veteran was the key man.
‘Easily Mark Noble,” he wrote on his personal Twitter account in response to a question asking who West Ham’s man of the match was against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.
OPINION
There’s no doubt that Noble was an absolutely crucial element of the Hammers’ victory on Saturday. The skipper has largely had a bit of an inconsistent season, but he has really come on in the last few weeks. He was tremendous against Tottenham Hotspur last time out and ensured he continued his fine form here. The Saints couldn’t cope with him or Pedro Obiang as West Ham won the central midfield battle at a canter. It’s rare for Noble to play without starlet Declan Rice alongside him, yet he was absolutely superb despite the absence of the 20-year-old. He made a wonderful tackle after the break to prevent Nathan Redmond from racing through on goal, as he blended attack with defence in a virtuoso display. To receive praise from a former Hammers midfielder like Hutchison will mean a lot to Noble, and there’s no doubt he deserves it after this performance.
