Andy Carroll got 45 minutes under his belt as West Ham United claimed an important victory in the Premier League.
Carroll was brought on at half-time during the win over Crystal Palace following the nasty foot injury suffered by Lucas Perez. The 29-year-old had only played for around 25 minutes this season before the game, so would have been looking to impress with the Hammers’ form picking up at the moment.
He would have been hoping to emulate both Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez when he came on against the Eagles. Hernandez made a rare start against Newcastle and made the most of the chance with a brace, while Perez had done the same when he came on five minutes before the break against Cardiff in midweek.
And Pellegrini disclosed after the game that he had told Carroll to become the latest to grasp the opportunity ahead of his introduction for the second-half.
“I had to make a change during the half-time because Lucas couldn’t continue playing, so I told Andy that it was his moment to score two goals, as it had been for Hernandez and Lucas, now it was time for Carroll,” he told the club’s official website.
“Well, he didn’t score but he worked hard and we scored three goals as a team!”
As Pellegrini notes, while Carroll did not score, he provided a reminder of why he could have a major role to play over the coming months if he manages to stay fit.
He caused problems for the Palace defenders, and it cannot be considered a complete coincidence that all three of the Irons’ goals came once Carroll had come onto the pitch.
The forward is obviously a fairly divisive figure due to his struggles with injury throughout his career. But if he can enjoy some luck with his fitness, then Pellegrini unquestionably has another fantastic option to unleash.
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