Slaven Bilic has been a man under pressure this season for the first time since taking over as West Ham United manager.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers won on their travels to London rivals Crystal Palace for the third consecutive season when Manuel Lanzini‘s strike secured a 1-0 victory at the weekend.
It was only West Ham’s second win of the season and a vital one too as it lifted Bilic’s side out of the relegation zone and eased the pressure on him and his team after their worst start to a Premier League season.
Bilic celebrates during their record breaking season last term
The club’s struggles are in sharp contrast to last season when they bid farewell to their beloved Boleyn with their best ever Premier League points total and a first positive goal difference since 1986.
This season, though, Bilic has seen his decisions, tactics, selections and philosophy questioned for the first time since his return to East London, where he made his name as a player under Harry Redknapp.
But one of his key players, playmaker Lanzini, has told the club’s official website he always believed in the manager.
Manuel Lanzini celebrates his winner at Palace
“He expects me to score as many goals as I can because of the way the team plays,” Lanzini told whufc.com.
“He always gives me confidence so that the goals come.
“He congratulated me after the game.
“He has shown faith in me and I have faith in him. I’m very happy for the team because we needed the win.”
Lanzini celebrates with his West Ham teammates
Lanzini is so important to the way Bilic wants his side to play, in the fabled West Ham way.
A wonderfully skilled footballer, he dovetails so beautifully with Dimitri Payet when the Hammers are on song and they were a big reason behind the club’s success last season.
And it is refreshing to see players publicly backing the manager despite the pressure still being on to turn things around.
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