Arnautovic rewards bold approach of Moyes as West Ham resurgence continues
There have seemed times in a traumatic few years when David Moyes’s past has appeared inescapable.
It felt so again yesterday when Alex Ferguson took his seat in the directors’ box to watch a man who has appeared scarred by failure at Manchester United after taking over from him.
Instead, a distinguished predecessor witnessed a historic occasion take place.
On the 20th anniversary of his managerial bow – for Preston against Macclesfield in the Football League Trophy – Moyes became just the fourth manager admitted to an exclusive club: those who have recorded 200 Premier League wins.
“I am thrilled the players were able to get me that,” Moyes said.
Ferguson, predictably, was the first to reach the landmark.
He had only Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp for company until a redemptive day for Moyes, just as this is becoming a restorative spell at West Ham United since he took charge of the London club in November.
Huddersfield’s only previous home defeats came to the top six.
They were demolished 4-1. “A disappointing, frustrating afternoon,” said their manager, David Wagner.
In contrast, Moyes grinned: “The players have done brilliantly.”
After only claiming 10 points from their first 15 games of the season, West Ham’s past eight matches have yielded 15.
Moyes has been a catalytic figure for the club’s resurgence.
His tactics used to be deemed too predictable but he operated without a specialist striker in his line-up at Huddersfield.
Instead, he paired and liberated twin flair players as roving attackers. Manuel Lanzini struck twice and was still overshadowed.
Marko Arnautovic scored one goal, set up three more and illustrated why he has been an important figure recently.
West Ham’s record buy never scored for the sacked Slaven Bilic. He has subsequently delivered six goals for Moyes.
His attitude was faulty under the Croatian. It has been impeccable for the Scot.
“Marko is doing great,” said Moyes. “Marko knows if you want to run, you will play. If you don’t, you won’t.
“Every week he is producing almost
the highest sprinting stats in the Premier League. He is embracing it.”
Arnautovic’s greater perspiration brought West Ham’s first goal, a moment of inspiration their second.
He set up the third with a pass of understated class, the fourth with a piece of powerful running.
“He likes a boast,” Moyes said, and on days like this, his air of arrogance is fully justified.
Huddersfield contributed to their own problems.
“We made too many easy mistakes,” Wagner said.
Take the opener: Jonas Lossl telegraphed a pass to Joe Lolley. Arnautovic read it and robbed him to set up Mark Noble, another beneficiary of Moyes’ appointment.
Lolley levelled in cathartic, lovely but ultimately irrelevant fashion as Arnautovic soon upstaged him, striking 11 seconds after the interval. Cheikhou Kouyate won a header, Arnautovic flicked the ball over Tommy Smith and drilled a shot beyond Lossl. He then teed up Lanzini twice, first with a delicate pass to breach the offside trap, then a storming run on the counter-attack.
“Manuel Lanzini told me I never give him some passes, today I gave him two so now he needs to be quiet until the next game,” Arnautovic said.
Verbal jibes aside, they dovetailed in a way that boded badly for the injured Andy Carroll and the benched Javier Hernandez and their hopes of returning to the starting line-up.
If one Manchester United alumnus has floundered at West Ham, another has flourished. And Moyes plans to invite a third, the man who anointed him manager to the London Stadium for one of Ferguson’s next away days.
Moyes became just the fourth manager admitted to an exclusive club: those who have recorded 200 Premier League wins