David Moyes singles out West Ham man for hefty criticism

David Moyes has warned West Ham’s record signing Marko Arnautovic to start pulling his weight for the team.

Austrian winger Arnautovic, a £24million summer signing from Stoke, has been branded a costly flop for his role – or lack of it – in West Ham’s disastrous start to the season.

The 28-year-old was sent off in only his second game for the Hammers and has yet to score or create a Premier League goal, while a perceived lack of application has seen him booed by some home fans.

And Moyes, who takes charge for the first time at Watford on Sunday, has warned Arnautovic that a hefty price tag means nothing if he is not willing to put in the hard yards.

“I can’t comment on the earlier games,” said Moyes. “I can only go on what people have told me and they didn’t think he has come up to the standard he set at Stoke City.

“I watched him a lot at Stoke. I thought he looked like the sort of player you would never be keen to play against, if you’re a right-back, because of his power and strength and what he can do.

“But he also has to be a team player. The clips I have seen, at times, he has not looked a team player.

“He would not be the only one I would say that about. The other players also have to do the work for the team if they want to be part of it.”

Moyes and his new coaching team of Stuart Pearce, Alan Irvine and Billy McKinlay have been overseeing double training sessions in a bid to boost the squad’s fitness.

Damning statistics had shown that the Hammers, under previous boss Slaven Bilic, came bottom of the class for sprints and distance covered.

“The players have grasped it, everything we have done, and got on with their jobs,” added Moyes.

“They have embraced it as well. They’ve shown a level of commitment in training and in their work that means I’m not frightened to give them more or keep feeding them information.

“They’ve been very good at what they’ve taken in. We’ve tried to put in an awful lot of work to them in the last five or six days.

“On the other hand, we have to save a lot of energy for the game as well.”

Moyes will be without Javier Hernandez at Vicarage Road after the striker suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with Mexico.