Irons chief Pell wants top Marko
MANUEL PELLEGRINI has warned the Premier League’s defences that Marko Arnautovic has yet to hit his peak.
The West Ham striker returns “100 per cent fit” today against Manchester United, whose boss Jose Mourinho ran the rule over the 29-year-old during the summer.
Now it could be Arnautovic, who has three goals in five appearances this season, increasing the pressure on the Reds chief.
The former Stoke star is hungry to prove he is top quality and Hammers manager Pellegrini said: “Marko at the moment has not yet reached what he is able to do.
“For different reasons because he has a special personality, but this year I see him working hard.
“I didn’t work with him before, but he is conscious at this moment that he can be more and I am confident he can be more. “I don’t want to compare him with any top strikers, every player is different and has different moments, but this is the moment for Marko to demonstrate he is a top player.
“He played on the left wing at Stoke, but he always arrived in the box. I remember one of the best games I saw of him was against Manchester City. He can play in the three front positions.”
After losing their first four games of the season, the Irons have clicked into gear, winning at Everton and holding Chelsea to a goalless draw on Sunday.
But when they have found the net, Arnautovic (above) has been directly involved in half of their last 40 league goals, scoring 14 and setting up six.
He was forced to miss the draw with Chelsea with a calf injury. And asked if he’d been worried about losing Arnautovic for good during the summer, Pellegrini added: “No, no, no. Because I was talking with him and he was very happy here, he has a commitment to this club.
“He had a very good second half of last season. Now Marko needs to have a complete season because he is a top player and maybe he can reach a higher target.
“I don’t think it is a good idea to go immediately to a big team as he would maybe not start every game like he does here. With his performances I am absolutely sure he will have a very good season.”