West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has praised the hard-working performances of Pedro Obiang and Simone Zaza, after their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Place is up for grabs
It hasn't the best start to the season from the Hammers, but managed to get their first win in five matches at the weekend, with a single goal from Manuel Lanzini, giving them the narrow 1-0 victory.
It was a solid performance all round from Bilic's men, Obiang stood out amongst the rest, with tackling and passing through the match, and Bilic praised the Spaniard's performance at Selhurst Park.
“Pedro waited for chances,"Bilic told whufc.com. "I spoke to him in the pre-season and he played 30-odd games for us last season, not always as a starter, and is a great example for everyone."
He continued: “Last time out against Middlesbrough he got the chance and used it really well. If he continues to play like this, the place is his."
The goals will come
The one thing that the Hammers have lacked this season is goals. Despite the loan signing of Zaza from Italian giants Juventus, he has yet to register a goal in claret and blue, but Bilic believes that the goals will come for the Italian.
“Zaza was different class on Saturday. I told him after the game ‘This is the Zaza I know from Sassuolo and from Juventus and the goals will come, he said. "Goals are really important for strikers, but they will come."
He continued: “I told him after the game straight away ‘Zaza, you won today. Tonight you won more balls in the air against two good centre-halves in Delaney and Tomkins than you won in the four or five games you played before’."
Bilic concluded: "Without him, we wouldn’t have won, it’s as simple as that.”
West Ham United will take on Sunderland AFC at the London Stadium on Saturday, October 22 with kick-off at 3pm BST.