KOU BEAUTY
ENGLISH Cheikhou to the rescue for Moyes HAMMERS SAVIOUR
WEST HAM registered their first Premier League point under David Moyes as Cheikhou Kouyate headed a priceless leveller.
After crashing at Watford in his first game as Hammers boss it looked like Moyes would suffer more pain when Marc Albrighton netted early on for the Foxes.
But Kouyate levelled before the break and Moyes took heart from the display despite his side’s failure to grab a winner.
The Scot said: “It has not been the best time for us but the performance by the players in this game merited more.
“The fans were also fantastic. After all the negatives we heard it was the opposite. The players were great in the second half and the crowd reacted to that.
“The team is low on confidence and we went a goal behind. They stuck at it throughout and made a real go of it in the second half.
“Marko Arnautovic played really well for us at Watford. We told him if you do not run we will not play you. So he ran tonight.
“He has power and pace so defenders don’t want to play against him. The players have set standards here although that only got us a draw.”
The Hammers got off to the worst possible start.
Foxes striker Jamie Vardy crossed from the left and Albrighton was first to react as he stabbed the ball home.
Kouyate got the equaliser just before the interval heading home a Manuel Lanzini corner.
Andre Ayew replaced the impressive Arnautovic halfway through the second half and felt he should have had a penalty for Harry Maguire’s challenge.
However, the claims were waved away leaving West Ham without a win in six games and still in the drop zone in 18th place.