Sam blames slip-up on nerves

WEST HAM manager Sam Allardyce conceded that his side are suffering from a psychological problem after Marko Arnautovic’s 95thminute equaliser saw his side drop points late on for the second game in a row.

Allardyce’s team had been closing in on their first back-to-back home wins in almost four months but, having already had two goals ruled out for offside, Arnautovic punished the fading hosts to earn a draw.

Aaron Cresswell had given the home side an early lead but after West Ham’s impressive start it was Stoke who ended up dominating the match and fully deserved their point.

It is the fourth time this year that a late goal has cost ninth-placed Hammers after draws at Manchester United, Tottenham and the defeat at Leicester last week. If they hadn’t conceded all those late goals, they would be sitting on a club-record 50 points.

‘We can’t find the right key elements to see the game out. We leave ourselves on a nervous edge,’ he said.

‘Only they (the players) can (find a solution). I can’t tell them what’s going to happen, what the opposition are going to do other than what our guidance is, which is that late in a game the opposition will put four and five players up and take the chance and will play direct football against you.’ WEST HAM: Adrian, Jenkinson, Collins, Reid, Cresswell, Song (Nolan 68), Noble, Kouyate, Downing, E Valencia (Amalfitano 78), Sakho (Cole 59). Subs (not used): Jarvis, da Carvalho, O’Brien, Jaaskelainen. Booked: Collins, Nolan, Cole. STOKE CITY: Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Wilson (Pieters 49), Whelan (Ireland 67), N’Zonzi, Arnautovic, Adam, Moses (Diouf 44), Walters. Subs (not used): Bardsley, Sidwell, Butland, Crouch. Booked: Pieters. Referee: Roger East.