PAYET TO IGNITE HAMMERS
SLAVEN BILIC is counting on Dimitri Payet to give West Ham a huge lift tomorrow with the France star finally fit for his first start this season. The France star, 29, has been struggling with a thigh injury and has not appeared for the club since coming on for the last 23 minutes of their opening defeat at Chelsea. But after making two appearances from the bench for France and training yesterday, Bilic expects to unleash Payet at home to Watford. ‘Every big club suffers if their best player is not playing,’ said the manager. ‘At Barcelona they have an unbelievable roster but they are at least a little bit not happy because Lionel Messi is injured. The best players make the difference, they make everyone around them more confident, better, and Payet does that for us.’ Bilic also expects Michail Antonio to continue his rise after an England call-up from Sam Allardyce, even though the utility man did not feature in the 1-0 win away to Slovakia ‘We spoke yesterday and now, knowing him, he’s going to put the pedal down and try to become a regular,’ added Bilic. ‘I think it will give him more motivation and more confidence. I told him not to forget which way of training and playing gave him the opportunity to be called into the England squad.’