West Ham United are now mathematically safe thanks to their draw against Manchester United. The Hammers played well for most of the game and David Moyes couldn’t be happier.
The former Manchester United boss wasn’t West Ham fans’ preferred choice after Manuel Pellegrini’s departure. But he has done the job he was brought in for and it looks like he will be at the helm next season.
One of the biggest reasons why West Ham have managed to stay up is Michail Antonio. The Englishman has scored eight times since Project Restart; the most by any player in the Premier League in that period.
Antonio was on the score sheet again at Old Trafford but, this time, from the penalty spot. It was a surprise to see him take the penalty considering that Mark Noble was on the pitch.
The Hammers skipper has been in charge of spot-kick duties for years now, but it was Moyes’ decision to hand over the reins to Antonio this one time.
“I felt him taking the penalty was the right choice. We wouldn’t be in this position without his goals. I had the feeling he should take one,” Moyes said. (Football London, 20:23)
Noble, a real leader, would not have had any problems with that and the decision should give Antonio even more confidence. The Englishman has had a phenomenal campaign and West Ham fans will be hoping that he continues that next season as well.
West Ham need reinforcements
Moyes will need some help from the owners this summer. West Ham were aiming for a place in Europe when they moved into their new stadium, but they could well have gone down to the Championship this season.
A good summer transfer window will give them some ammunition to aim for bigger things next season. Yet considering how tight the top 10 is at the moment, they will have to do really well to get in there next term.
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