The Hammers boss spoke about Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez ahead of the weekend Premier League trip to Cardiff.
West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has spoken out about Javier Hernandez’s exploits for the club since becoming the first choice striker.
The Hammers are unbeaten in the last four games that the 30-year-old Mexico international, who has scored six times so far this term, has started.
Ahead of the January transfer window, Chicharito had suggested he was open to leaving the London Stadium in the winter were he to keep getting little game time, according to Marca.
However, Marko Arnautovic – who was linked with a £35million move to China in January (BBC Sport) – has not started a match for West Ham since the 3-0 loss away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 29.
The Austria international has been in the squad for four of the past six games but has been resigned to a place on the bench with Hernandez preferred up front (Football London).
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Cardiff City, Pellegrini suggested that Chicharito is in line to start and hinted that Arnautovic could be one of his “important options” as a substitute.
“Javier is in a good moment – his commitment with the team, he is making good movements in attacking,” the West Ham boss is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying.
“Maybe as with all other strikers they want to score more goals but he is involved in the play that allows us to score. We also have now coming back Marko Arnautovic so I think we also have an option also not only in the starting XI but we have important options on the bench also.”
West Ham boast the best Premier League record of clubs outside the top six at home but have registered just four wins on the road so far, something they will hope Hernandez can help put right against Neil Warnock’s struggling Bluebirds.
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