SLAV SUPER MAN IS SMILES BETTER

SLAVEN BILIC reckons Manuel Lanzini is West Ham’s smiling superstar.

The Argentinian has filled the playmaker role made vacant by Dimitri Payet’s controversial January departure.

Lanzini is now the man who makes the Hammers tick and who they turn to for inspiration.

But boss Bilic reckons Lanzini (right) is a different character altogether – a talent who remains happily humble and keen to improve.

He said: “We can still expect him to improve but he likes to take the responsibility and he has stepped up.

“I spoke to him a lot of times, to try to put him under pressure – not in a negative way – and I noticed he wanted that kind of pressure.

“He is always smiling but if we lose you can see in his eyes that he cares and feels responsible and guilty.

“For me, that is one of the biggest qualities a player can have. He is not like, ‘Okay, it doesn’t matter’ or trying to find excuses like, ‘Well, I was good’.”

The Hammers are stumbling their way ® to safety and can pass the 40-point barrier by winning at Stoke today.

It’s the same for the Potters, with both clubs knowing they will be playing each other next season barring a spectacular collapse.

Bilic, though, is expecting nothing but a tough workout from Mark Hughes’ side, especially as the Potters ruined their European preparations last season.

Stoke’s 2-1 win meant the Hammers had to start their season in July in the Europa League qualifiers.

Bilic said: “People say, ‘They are on the beach’ but we played them last game last season.

“They were 10th and they could be big-time on the beach – but no.

“We were 1-0 up and we needed the win to not go to the qualifying round but they turned it around and celebrated like hell.

“Mark Hughes and his assistant Mark Bowen, who played with us here, are never on the beach.

“They are hard men, proper hard men, and that’s the reality.”