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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Malik Ouzia

Vladimir Coufal defends 'excellent' David Moyes despite West Ham doubters

Vladimir Coufal says West Ham have shut out the noise over criticism of manager David Moyes and hailed the Scot’s work in east London.

The Hammers are set to spend Christmas seventh in the Premier League following Saturday’s victory over Manchester United and are already through to the last-16 of the Europa League. 

However, Moyes came under fire following the midweek Carabao Cup exit at Liverpool, after a rotated side was beaten 5-1. 

Moyes finished last season ending the Hammers’s 43-year trophy drought with Europa Conference League glory in Prague, but some fans have remained critical over his style of play and the 61-year-old’s future remains up in the air entering the final six months of his contract. 

Flying high: Moyes has West Ham in a good position this season (Action Images via Reuters)

“I don't read papers or discussion on Twitter,” Coufal said. “Fans always have some opinions and they have the right to say what they want, but it is up to us on the pitch. 

“We shouldn't have it in our heads, so far it is a very good season. We won the Europa League group, we’re seventh in the table with 30 points. We've had some bad results but that is football. 

“He is doing an excellent job, he won the first trophy for West Ham after almost 50 years. He finished sixth and seventh in the League and now we are in seventh place. The results are behind him. We are not playing the best football sometimes but in terms of the results everything is right.”

The Hammers again had their in-form front-three to thank for inspiring victory over a poor Man United on Saturday, with Lucas Paqueta setting up goals for Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus. 

The trio have ben a revelation this term, with Bowen converted to centre-forward, Paqueta redeployed on the left and Kudus signed from Ajax.

“We changed our team a lot, brought some new players,” Coufal said of the Hammers’s new-look forward line. “Some excellent players and we needed to settle in a bit. Now you can see what these three are capable of. 

“It is amazing to watch them, for the fans it is a pleasure to watch them. Especially Paqueta, what he is doing sometimes... wow. It is unbelievable.”

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