YARMOLENKO LOOKS LIKE WEST HAM’S NEW CULT HERO

THERE was a gasp as Andriy Yarmolenko sank to the floor after an early reducer from Bournemouth’s Sergio Rico. The injury-plagued winger lay motionless. But he gingerly got to his feet, ran the knock off and set about dictating play. Yarmolenko scored a fine opener — his third goal in four games — outwitting Nathan Ake before beating goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at the far post. He went close in the second half and was influential in the buildup to Aaron Cresswell’s 74th-minute equaliser. This was just the sort of performance expected from the 29-year-old Ukrainian after he joined for £18million from Borussia Dortmund last season. His first season in England was nine games old when he ruptured his right achilles in October but he is fully fit now and looking like West Ham’s new cult hero. ‘It’s tough to stop him,’ said team-mate Ryan Fredericks. ‘He plays on the other side from me in training so I don’t have to mark him, which is nice. He can go both ways, he’s got a trick in him. He only needs half a yard to whip in a good ball and has a good shot on him as well. ‘We want to give him the ball as much as possible. We know something is going to happen. He’s a little bit different. Unpredictable.’ The only negative for the visitors was a groin injury to goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. After the final whistle an irate West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini was involved in an animated exchange with Bournemouth counterpart Eddie Howe and his assistant Jason Tindall. The Argentine accused Tindall of attempting to influence referee Stuart Attwell but a source close to the Bournemouth management told

Sportsmail: ‘Eddie and Jason are bemused as to why the West Ham management were getting their knickers in a twist and not happy about it.’ BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Ramsdale 6.5; Stacey 7 (L Cook 89min), S Cook 6, Ake 7, Rico 6.5; H Wilson 6.5 (Groeneveld 77), Lerma 6.5, Billing 6.5 (Francis 89), King 7.5; C Wilson 7.5, Solanke 7. Subs not used: Boruc, Mepham, Surman, Ibe. Scorers: King 17, C Wilson 46. Booked: Rico, S Cook, Lerma. Manager: Eddie Howe 6. WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 6 (Jimenez 34, 5.5); Fredericks 6, Diop 6, Ogbonna 6.5, Cresswell 6; Rice 7, Noble 7 (Wilshere 75); YARMOLENKO 8, Fornals 5.5 (Lanzini 67, 6), Anderson 7.5; Haller 7. Subs not used: Zabaleta, Balbuena, Snodgrass, Ajeti. Scorers: Yarmolenko 10, Cresswell 74. Booked: Diop. Manager: Manuel Pellegrini 6. Referee: Stuart Attwell 7. Attendance: 10,729.