Fonte pleads for Slaven not to be blamed

Jose Fonte has told Hammers supporters the club’s latest humiliation is entirely down to the players who failed to follow the manager’s instructions.

The  £8m signing says the blame must be laid firmly at the players explaining: “We worked on a game plan during the week and when the game started we did not apply it. We tried to over play in areas the manager said not to.

“We should have gone with a game plan that would be to explore the play behind and in the flanks and we need to improve.

“But I , and we, are prepared to work and to get it right. We started bad and when you give a team, like Man City a head start normally there is no way back.

“It is not what I want but I am prepared to put the work in, prepared to work and improve so we need to focus and improve.

“The fans are disappointed and we apologise and we want to put it right for them. They deserve everything and all our sacrifices and that is what we are going to do.”