Sunderland were beaten 1-0 by West Ham United courtesy of a late Winston Reid goal.
Sunderland manager David Moyes believes that Lamine Kone put in his best performance of the season in the 1-0 defeat to West Ham United, speaking ahead of the Black Cats’ EFL Cup tie with Southampton.
The Ivory Coast international returned to Moyes’ starting line up, having missed the defeat to Stoke City through injury. While Moyes thinks the defenders performance was improved, it was still not enough to stop his side conceding a late goal at the London Stadium to ensure they suffered yet another Premier League defeat.
Despite the loss, the Scot was upbeat about Kone’s performance.
Sunderland manager David Moyes
“I thought Lamine Kone probably had his best game for us,” Moyes told the press.
“He played very well, him and John O’Shea.
“Apart from the opening 15, 20 minutes, I thought we coped pretty well.”
Sunderland’s number 23 was heavily linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light over the summer, but has since signed a new deal to remain a Black Cat. Kone was colossal in the club’s great escape last season after joining in January, but has not hit the same heights this season under Moyes as he did under former boss Sam Allardyce.
West Ham United’s Simone Zaza in action with Sunderland’s Lamine Kone
Defensive errors have cost Moyes on more than one occasion this season, so it was positive that the manager was pleased with the performances from his two centre backs despite the defeat.
Kone will need to recapture his form from last season if Sunderland are to record a clean sheet this season; something that they are yet to do under Moyes.
Sunderland’s Lamine Kone in action with West Bromwich Albion’s Salomon Rondon
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