Former Arsenal great Martin Keown has showered praise on West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic.
Former Arsenal defender and now a popular football pundit, Martin Keown, has showered praise on West Ham’s big money summer signing Marko Arnautovic.
The 28-year-old joined the Hammers during the summer transfer window from Stoke City and after an early struggle has found his form back under David Moyes.
The Austria international has scored six goals, and further registered three assists this season. He was superb in West Ham’s 4-1 win against Huddersfield, and Keown has richly praised him for his efforts.
Keown says that the former Stoke City player is turning out to be a ‘maverick’ for the club, and that he is ‘unrecognisable’ from the player who started the season.
The Arsenal legend notes that he is using his immense power and pace to bully opposition defenders.
Keown adds that Arnautovic is finally living up to comparisons with Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and has praised Moyes for giving his career a direction and purpose.
Arnautovic has scored six goals in his last seven games in the Premier League, as West Ham climbed up to 11th in the Premier League table.
“West Ham have always had a maverick, a special player like Paolo Di Canio or Dimitri Payet who is the darling of the fans,” wrote Keown in his column for the Daily Mail.
“This season, Marko Arnautovic is that man. Arnautovic is unrecognisable from the player who started the season.
“I don’t know if there is a Premier League defender who could catch him at the moment. David Moyes deserves immense credit for giving Arnautovic a direction and purpose.
“He is finally living up to comparisons with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Moyes taking over at West Ham has saved Arnautovic’s career.”
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